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BMW's Ultimate Driving Machine, for Driving Through Gunfire and Grenades

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Re: BMW's Ultimate Driving Machine, for Driving Through Gunfire and Grenades

#12

Post by foxtrottbravo »

Interesting read on the BMW 7 series Protection vehicle. Here's a tidbit from the field: I've heard, through the grapevine, about a team responsible for the safety of a certain high-profile individual (no names mentioned, of course ). About a year ago, they made a strategic shift away from BMWs as protection vehicles. Why? Because in emergency escape scenarios, it's crucial to be able to move the car even with the doors not fully closed / deliberately open. But with the BMW, if the doors aren't fully closed, the car won't budge. It's a fascinating look at how design features in luxury vehicles can intersect with real-world security needs in unexpected ways.

Disclaimer: I don't have primary knowledge of this, and it's second-hand information from someone I trust personally. As with all such information, grain of salt recommended.

Re: BMW's Ultimate Driving Machine, for Driving Through Gunfire and Grenades

#16

Post by wongarsu »

slackwaredragon wrote: post #2

I ran into an old diplomat BMW 7-series in the junkyard in the 90s and that thing was so cool. It had a gun holster in the rear arm rest, like 2" thick windows, probably weighed like 7,000lb from all the armor and everything. Which has me thinking, all this is cool, but the EV portion and all that weight just feels like you'll be a heavily armored sitting duck if you can't get away quick enough and the battery runs o…

On the other hand, I'd expect the EV to deal much better with sudden acceleration and deceleration as well as aggressive cornering. Also everything required for the car to work is low to the ground, either between the wheels or on the undercarriage, with much lower part count. Fewer things to fail, and much harder for an attacker to disable (no stereotypical "sniper shot through the engine block").

As long as you only drive short trips (e.g. airport to destination) an EV sounds like a big upgrade.

Re: BMW's Ultimate Driving Machine, for Driving Through Gunfire and Grenades

#18

Post by foxtrottbravo »

toss1 wrote: post #8
Cthulhu_ wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would assume they would instead rent them locally, transporting them sounds excessive unless they're super customized.

Excess is relative. When you have $$billions, $150K extra to have your custom protection vehicle at the venue is no big deal. And, are they even rentable in all locales, and do you trust those suppliers?

I am with you - while this might seem excessive there are enough people that have the cash and the threat model to go with it.

From what I could find the 2009 Protection version (then called high security) was more around 400k-450k€. A standard model 7 runs from ~115k up to ~145k€.

Re: BMW's Ultimate Driving Machine, for Driving Through Gunfire and Grenades

#19

Post by m3kw9 »

foxtrottbravo wrote: post #12

Interesting read on the BMW 7 series Protection vehicle. Here's a tidbit from the field: I've heard, through the grapevine, about a team responsible for the safety of a certain high-profile individual (no names mentioned, of course ). About a year ago, they made a strategic shift away from BMWs as protection vehicles. Why? Because in emergency escape scenarios, it's crucial to be able to move the car even with the do…

Paranoia at its finest, I meant the post

Re: BMW's Ultimate Driving Machine, for Driving Through Gunfire and Grenades

#20

Post by nso »

whimsicalism wrote: post #10
willcipriano wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Many cars like this have their own private jet to deliver it where it is to be used. You'll see many such cases around any major environmental conference.

I’m sure they offset it with some bullshit carbon credits, don’t worry.

Interestingly, I had my first real world encounter with the other end of the carbon credits just two days ago. A friend of mine told me she had tried to get her neighbours (she lives in the woods) to apply for carbon credit grants in unison. They promise not to chop down their trees and/or to protect endangered plants on their properties, and get paid a certain amount by the Mexican government (obviously nowhere near what they'd get from chopping down and selling their trees...)
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