Jason Statham and Gerard Butler must have attended the BMW Security Vehicle Training School before going out there to catch some villains in action movies while keeping a president or the son of some politician alive in the process. The premium carmaker is teaching drivers how to come out in one piece from a car chase, an explosion, or a fire attack.
If you are responsible for the safety of those onboard the car you drive, you might want to check this out. The BMW Security Vehicle Training School comes with the purpose of teaching professional drivers how to maneuver the armored version of the 7 Series and the i7 Protection. The armored i7 is the world's first certified special protection sedan with an all-electric powertrain.
The BMW X5 Protection VR6 is also part of the training lineup. These three vehicles are about a ton heavier than the standard versions. Therefore, performing maneuvers in them at high speed in extreme conditions might be different than doing the same in a stock vehicle.
You've seen "The Bodyguard." You must have watched "Transporter." You've surely seen Gerard Butler driving around to save the life of the president of the United States. What do they have in common? They drive as if they have been pro racing drivers all their lives. But they probably did not attend the BMW Security Vehicle Training course.
BMW now offers two courses under the guidance of experienced instructors. One focuses on handling armored vehicles, and another one teaches drivers how to survive under attack, the kind you see in action-packed movies.
Photo: BMW
Everything takes place on a former military airfield near Berlin, which has been operating as a state-of-the-art driving course field for the past 22 years. The first course provides two days of basics of driving physics and technique, as well as tactical knowledge so you can make your passengers feel safe in extreme situations.
Cruising through a confusing forest road at nighttime and having to deal with real explosions and several other dangerous situations are part of the training. Drivers will have to perform braking, evasive maneuvers on a slalom course, and J-turns, which is an effective escape maneuver involving turning the car without losing speed to escape a dangerous situation in the opposite direction.
The second course takes three days and also involves just about everything stuntmen usually do on the set of action movies. Unless you are Tom Cruise and you want to do every single stunt out there yourself, rolling down the stairs in a Fiat 500 in the heart of Rome included.
Pyrotechnics, nighttime ambush scenarios, off-roading, but also vehicle contact that can damage the bodywork are part of the plan to test the mental strength of the driver. Just like in the movies, right?
Photo: BMW
The BMW 7 Series and i7 Protection come with an armor-plated steel protection cell and safety glass that are capable of providing protection against up to VPAM 10 ammunition.
Both models are standardly equipped with the M Sport Package. A 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged engine secures the 7 Series 523 horsepower (530 metric horsepower), while the i7 gets 536 horsepower (544 metric horsepower) from a dual-motor powertrain.
Designed to withstand AK-47 bullets, the BMW X5 Protection VR6 comes with the same 4.4-liter V8 as the 7 Series and 523 horsepower (530 metric horsepower).
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