BMW X5 Protection VR6 breaks cover as an armour-plated 515 bhp SUV
- BMW X5 Protection VR6 comes on the heels of the introduction of BMW 7 Series Protection and i7 Protection.
After introducing the BMW 7 Series Protection and i7 Protection a few weeks ago, the German luxury car brand has now introduced the X5 Protection, which is based on the revised iteration of the SUV. The BMW X5 Protection VR6 comes as an armour-plated bulletproof luxury SUV. The car will be showcased in the flesh at the upcoming Munich Motor Show next month.
Despite being an armour-plated SUV, the BMW X5 Protection VR6 is not easily distinguishable from other BMW X5 models. As the automaker states, stealth is the first line of defence for this car. It sports twin M bars in the front kidney grille, high-gloss black M mirror caps, BMW Individual roof rails in high-gloss Shadow Line, and the twin pairs of exhaust pipes typical of the M exhaust system.
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Beneath the familiar skin, the SUV features moulded high-strength steel plates shaped to fit the body in areas like doors, side frames, roof and bulkhead. The car also gets an armoured trunk divider and an aluminium underbody shrapnel shield. The fuel tank comes with a special casing that can seal punctures to prevent leaks in case a bullet or shrapnel penetrates the tank. The SUV meets VPAM ballistics requirements. However, customers can further enhance the protection level of the SUV by choosing optional underbody armour and additional roof armour.
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Powering the BMW X5 Protection is the same 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine that powers the standard BMW X5 M60i xDrive. This engine is paired with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system to generate 515 bhp peak power and 750 Nm of maximum torque. The car brand has not disclosed the weight of the X5 Protection but the armour plates have certain added extra weight on it, impacting the performance. It can sprint 0-100 kmph in 5.9 seconds, which is a significant drop from the M60i's 4.2 seconds timing. However, this matches the previous armoured X5's performance. The SUV's suspension and braking system too have been re-tuned to handle the additional weight.