Armored BMW 7 Series and i7 Become Fortresses on Wheels. Presidents, Rejoice!

The elegance of a premium sedan in the body of a tank. This is what BMW has come up with. The 7 Series and the i7 get the Protection tag. The i7 thus becomes the world’s first-ever protection sedan with an all-electric drive system. That is at least until Mercedes-Benz decides to do the same with the EQS sedan.

Ready to pull up in front of the White House to bring some state leader ready to brag about his new state limousine to the one who travels on board the Beast Cadillac One, the 7 Series and the i7 get an armored steel body that the Bavarian carmaker calls BMW Protection Core. The structure is there to strengthen the doors, underbody, and roof. "Maximum protection" against explosives, bullets, drone attacks, and hand grenades is what they provide, according to BMW.

The stock glass has been replaced by protective glass rated VPAM 10, which is the highest level of protection for civilian vehicles. Meanwhile, VR9-rated, the 7 Series and i7 Protection can withstand ballistic attacks from ammunition traveling at speeds of up to 820 meters (2,690 feet) per second.

Equipped with a self-sealing fuel tank that prevents loss of fuel in case the car gets hit, it also offers PAS 300 blast resistance.

The model gets specifically developed PAX 20-inch light alloy wheels with run-flat tires that allow driving at speeds of up to 50 mph (80 kph) even when they are devoid of air.

All the protective layers add up significant weight, so performance is reduced. Powered by the company’s 4.4-liter V8 mild-hybrid system with 522 horsepower (530 PS) and 553 lb-ft (750 Nm), the 7 Series took 4.2 seconds to hit 62 mph (100 kph) from zero. With all the extra weight, it now needs 6.6 seconds for the same run. Top speed is 130 mph (210 kph).

Things get even more complicated for the i7 Protection, powered by a dual-motor system with an all-wheel drive setup. With 546 horsepower (544 PS) and 549 lb-ft (745 Nm), the i7 needed only 4.7 seconds to go from 0 to 62 mph (0-100 kph). Now it takes 9.0 seconds, while top speed is limited to 99 mph (160 kph).

Yet BMW offers driver training courses to instruct those with big responsibility on their shoulders on how to get the best out of these cars with extra weight and reduced performance and maybe save a president's life in case of attack.

The cars come with solid black exterior paint. Blue police lights show up on the roof and inside of the rear windscreen. Radio receivers and flag poles for official trips, as well as a fresh-air supply system, just in case of a chemical attack, are also on deck. An optional rod microphone is placed in the center console storage tray to make communication effective while keeping the windows shut.

Both Protection versions will be on display next month at the 2023 IAA Mobility international motor show in Munich, before they enter production at BMW’s plant in Dingolfing, Germany. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in December.