Eco-friendly politicians and celebrities soon won’t have to trade their values for protection as BMW has announced plans to offer an armored i7.
Set to be introduced next year, the model promises to have a “new and innovative protection concept” as well as an “unrivalled combination of protection, poise and assurance, spaciousness and sustainability.”
That’s pretty vague, but BMW Chairman Oliver Zipse said the company will “introduce an all-electric high-security vehicle for the first time – with no compromises when it comes to the standard of protection for our customers.” He added the model will demonstrate how “sustainability and security can go hand in hand.”
Also Read: 2023 BMW i7 xDrive60 Debuts As First Electric 7-Series, Has 300-Mile Range And Costs $119,300
While a number of questions remain, the i7 xDrive60 features a dual motor all-wheel drive system that produces a combined output of 536 hp (400 kW / 543 PS) and 549 lb-ft (744 Nm) of torque. This enables the model to accelerate from 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in around 4.5 seconds and travel an estimated 300 miles (483 km) on a single charge in the EPA test cycle.
It will be interesting to see how much the armoring process impacts the car’s range, but BMW has decades of experience with security vehicles. Their first was introduced in 1978 and based on the 7-Series. Following generations of the flagship sedan offered armoring, while an X5 Security was added to the lineup in 2004.
It remains unclear what level of protection the i7 will have, but BMW has previously offered VR6 and VR7 vehicles. In the case of the X5 Protection VR6, the model is outfitted with molded armor-plating, an armored boot divider, and bullet-resistant glass that measures approximately 1.3 inches (33 mm) thick. The model also sports underbody armor and a self-sealing fuel tank among other things.
