BMW’s All New Armored Vehicle

At BMW of Wichita and the Walser Auto Campus, we’re surprisingly no stranger to armored vehicles rolling through our shops, with a few of our clients having vehicles customized for their protection. However, many of those vehicles were altered through aftermarket providers, as the process for getting an essentially military grade vehicles can be very arduous.

Meanwhile, BMW is changing the game with their newest variant of the X5, the 2020 BMW X5 Protection VR6. With all the expected comforts of an X5 such as satellite radio, heated seats, and interior climate control, the interior of the X5 VR6 doesn’t miss out on the level of quality expected of a BMW. Even from the exterior, the X5 Protection VR6 looks just like a standard X5, with no noticeable changes and even the exact same ride height.

The reason the ride height is such a surprise though is because the VR6 stands for the protection rating according to the Associations of Testing Institutes for Attack Resistant Materials and Constructions’s criteria. That armor, according to BMW, is enough to shrug off gunfire from an AK47, hand grenades rolled underneath, and an airborne assault by C4-carrying drones. That much armor not to mention the 33 millimeter thick shatterproof safety glass means this X5 weighs much, much more than any of its brethren. BMW have taken that into consideration and ensured the suspension has been bolstered and tuned to carry the weight of this security vehicle.

With only a slight upgrade to standard twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 found in the M50i, up to 550 horsepower, the X5 Protection VR6 is still capable of reaching 0-60 in 5.9 seconds, which is an astonishing time for any vehicle with this much protection. Other safety features include tires that continue to function after losing all air pressure, a self-sealing gas tank to prevent leaks/exterior combustion, and a post-crash system that ensures the vehicle continues running after a Bond-style collision.

Personally, I’d feel pretty invincible in this vehicle, but let us know if you’d feel comfortable in this security vehicle available from BMW next year!