BMW has the perfect SUV for anyone in need of an
armored vehicle but not wanting to be chauffeured around in a car that attracts
a lot of unwanted attention. Dubbed the BMW X5 Protection VR6, the German car
manufacturer says it could be particularly useful for customers in South
America, Africa, and Russia.
The SUV has been designed to meet all the
requirements of resistance class VR6. What this basically means is that it can
withstand shots from weapons like the AK-47 as well as lateral blasts of up to
15 kg of TNT from a distance of four meters. Additionally, the X5 VR6 features
an armor-plated floor that offers protection against hand grenades and blasts
from up to 200 grams of C4.
Ensuring that the vehicle’s exterior is so resistant
to gunfire and blasts is high-strength steel across the doors, side frame,
roof, and front wall. There is also an aluminum underbody splinter shield,
multi-layered safety glass that is approximately 33 mm thick for the
windscreen, and doors with an internal polycarbonate layer that adds protection
against possible splinters from bullets or bombs.
BMW hasn’t said how much the car weighs but is keen
to point out that it has been designed to be just as fast and agile as a
regular X5. Power comes courtesy of the company’s 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged
V8 engine delivering 530 hp between 5500 rpm and 6000 rpm and 750
Nm of torque between 1800 rpm and 4600 rpm. The X5 Protection VR6 can hit 100
km/h in a respectable 5.9 seconds and continue through to an
electronically limited top speed of 210 km/h.
Other interesting features of the vehicle are an
intercom, attack alarm system, 4-zone automatic climate control, and a plethora
of options available on regular, consumer-grade X5s. These include BMW Laser
Light headlights, active seat ventilation with a massage function, and a
reversing camera with surround view.
