As you might know, the 7th-gen BMW 7 Series (G70) now offers ICE-powered hybrid powertrain options, but it originally debuted as an all-electric model with the ‘i7‘ moniker in April 2022. For an armored version, however, BMW decided to offer both ICE and electric flavors in one shot. These variants are called the ‘i7 Protection’ and the ‘7 Series Protection’, and are all set to make their public debut at the IAA Mobility 2023 in Munich, with deliveries commencing in December 2023.
The two models look identical with no visual differences whatsoever—that is of course, until you walk towards the back and discover that the i7 Protection has a chrome garnish on the lower part of the bumper—as opposed to exhaust tips on the 7 Series Protection. The 20-inch light-alloy wheel design is also the same; those high-walled bespoke tyres are made by Michelin, offering the capability to continue the journey at up to 80 km/h (50 mph) even with total loss of pressure.
Both these models offer VPAM’s VR9 class protection. In simple terms, what that means is that the glasses of these cars offer protection against attacks from 7.62 x 54 mm R ammunition. Other key items include the entire supporting structure of the body constructed from armour steel; special armouring for both the roof and underbody—offering protection from drone and grenade attacks; protection-spec doors, and of course, a self-sealing fuel tank.
The regular 7 Series, especially the i7 is already a heavy vehicle, and of course, all this extra armour stuff is gonna make it 2x or more heavy. Therefore, both these cars will have model-specific chassis tuning to compensate for all that extra weight.
The 7 Series Protection packs a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine, offering 390 kW (530 metric hp) and 750 Nm (553 lb-ft) of peak output figures—distributed to all four wheels via the xDrive AWD system. BMW claims a 0-100 km/h (62 mph) sprint time of 6.6 seconds and a top speed of 210 km/h (130 mph).
The i7 Protection comes in the M70 xDrive flavor, offering 400 kW (544 metric hp) and 745 Nm (549.5 lb-ft), which are actually the xDrive60 specifications. It is probably not gonna offer as much range as the regular one, but you’ll be glad to know that it can sprint from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in a reasonable time of 9.0 seconds and on to an electronically limited top speed of 160 km/h (99 mph).
The luxurious cabin will have all the luxurious amenities including a 28-speaker Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System; electrically operated roller sunblinds for the windows; heated and ventilated seats for the front and rear occupants; optional massage function; optional Executive Lounge, etc.
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