If this viral online article is to be believed, then it appears that the vehicle of choice of several prime ministers and presidents just might have rolled out from the auspices of BMW—specifically, the i7 Protection and the new combustion-engine 7 Series Protection. Now, here are two roaring luxury saloons that emit power, precision, performance, and protection.
When media sleuths reached out to BMW to confirm if the model was indeed the chosen drive for dignitaries, the luxury car company—to safeguard the privacy of their VIPs—refused to comment. But a simple Google search reveals how people of power and influence arrive and depart on foreign, and even domestic, soil: in the lap of luxury, in slick-looking vehicles reflecting a dash of style, substance, and with an impenetrable patina.
Developing the integrated security concept of the new BMW i7 Protection and BMW 7 Series Protection was a key factor in enhancing the automobile range. With the BMW Protection Core—a self-supporting body structure made from armoured steel—additional armouring for the underbody and roof, plus armoured glass, provide amplified protection.
Both the BMW i7 Protection and 7 Series Protection check all the boxes from the get-go: comfort and space, advanced equipment (including chassis technology that has been modified and tuned specifically for the Protection models), and the “class-beating” dynamic expertise one expects of the marque, as seen in the powerful engine’s capacity and capability (the new 4.4-litre eight-cylinder engine uses 48V mild hybrid technology for optimal efficiency).
Advanced driving dynamics are combined with levels of efficiency that have to be witnessed in person. In drive mode, those behind the wheel can feel the power as the machine can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 6.6 seconds, reaching a top speed of 210 km/h. Meanwhile, the all-wheel-drive system ensures a smooth ride, turn, and parking.
Billed as the “world’s first ever protection sedan with an all-electric drive system,” the BMW i7 Protection is impressively ahead of the game. According to the official announcement, the new model “meets all the requirements of class VR9 protection [which signals security against gunfire including high-velocity and armour-piercing shells and explosive devices] without any limitations, as does the new combustion-engine BMW 7 Series Protection.”
You had us at “protection without any limitations.” As the motto of Robb Report is famously “Luxury without Compromise,” perhaps this should be the addendum. What use is luxury without the safeguard of a shield from the slings and arrows of an unpredictable world?
Both the BMW i7 Protection and BMW 7 Series Protection will be manufactured at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing in Germany. Deliveries will begin in December 2023.
All images courtesy of BMW.
