The BMW Concept 7 Protection Features Bulletproof Armor You Can’t See
BMW knows that some of us want a security detail that doesn’t draw attention to itself.
Just look at the German luxury marque’s latest prototype: the Concept 7 Protection. The saloon is equipped with all manner of armor and other safety gadgetry but looks almost identical to the standard version of the brand’s luxury flagship.
This isn’t the first armored 7 Series we’ve seen. The company sells factory-made Protection variants of the gas-powered four-door and its battery-powered sibling, the i7. The Concept 7 Protection is not meant as a replacement for either, and instead is pitched as “[expanding] the extensive offering” of armored Bimmers.
BMW Concept 7 Protection
Daniel Kraus/BMW
The most striking thing about the photos of the Concept 7 Protection is how closely it resembles the standard version of the automaker’s commanding saloon. Sure, the sixth-generation model, which was refreshed earlier this year, is big, but there are no outside signs that this version of it is armored. That is by design, with all the four-door’s armored features, which include thick bulletproof glass, various ballistic steel, and fiber-reinforced composite support, discreetly hidden from view. The cabin also comes equipped with an intercom, so the driver and passengers can communicate with the outside world without having to open the door or crack the windows.
The Concept 7 Protection’s subtlety is a result of it being designed to provide security while moving quietly through the regular world, as opposed to an active war zone. The prototype was built to comply with the new BayB standard. This means it can safeguard against common handgun ammunition, among other everyday threats. Those looking for military-grade armor should look elsewhere, though the prototype will provide more than enough protection for the overwhelming majority of us.
The prototype’s cabin comes equipped with an intercom
Daniel Kraus/BMW
The armored 7 Series is based on the M760e xDrive plug-in hybrid. This version of the four-door is equipped with a 3.0-liter inline-six and a front-mounted electric motor that combine to produce 603 hp and 590 ft lbs of torque. The Concept 7 Protection won’t handle or move the same as the non-armored version, but it won’t feel sluggish either.
The press release that BMW issued alongside images of the Concept 7 Protection makes no mention of the vehicle going into production. Still, with the mention of how it is meant to expand its armored vehicle offering, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see it go on sale at some point in the future.
Click here to see more photos of the BMW Concept 7 Protection.
Daniel Kraus/BMW
