It’s been over 40 years since BMW released the 733i High Security. It was the German automaker’s first attempt at an armored vehicle. Little did anyone know, including BMW, that the 733i High Security would send Bavaria down the road to developing more personal protection vehicles. Fast forward to 2019 and Bimmer is still churning out fortresses on four wheels, this time with the fourth-generation BMW X5 SUV. Officially, this X5 carries the “Protection VR6” label. It’s a standard X5 by most measures, except that it also carries enough protection to keep its occupants safe from heavy ammunition attacks. The BMW X5 Protection VR6 is not for the faint of heart, folks. It’s designed for people who need all the extra protection they can get on the road for reasons that are probably best left unasked.
2019 BMW X5 Protection VR6
- Make: Array
- Model: 2019 BMW X5 Protection VR6
- Engine/Motor: V8
- Horsepower: 523 @ 5500
- Torque: 553 @ 5700
- [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Exterior
I understand that there’s a certain demographic of BMW customers who need the kind of extra protection a model like the BMW X5 Protection VR6 provides. I’m not going to start asking any questions because it’s probably best if I leave it that way.
What I do know is that the X5 Protection VR6 is, essentially, an X5 with an armored shell. There’s nothing super fancy about it unless its armored plating counts as “fancy” to you. A high-strength steel plate surrounds the entire cabin, including the front bulkhead. The plates overlap sensitive areas like panel gaps, ensuring that the X5 Protection VR6 is air-tight sealed. It also boasts a passenger cell that can withstand lateral blasts from as much as 72 pounds of TNT at a distance of 39 feet. I’m not going to pretend to know how that kind of blast feels to the senses, but I imagine it’s lethal without the kind of armored protection the X5 Protection VR6 provides.
It’s not just the body that offers serious amounts of protection to the SUV’s occupants. The layered glass, for example, is 1.3 inches thick. It also contains an extra layer of internal polycarbonate, which can serve as protection from all the extra splinters that the SUV can be subjected to in the event of an attack. This polycarbonate is included in all glass surfaces so you can take comfort knowing that even high-grade bullets will have a tough time penetrating it.
Meanwhile, a car’s underbody is typically one of its biggest weaknesses, especially when it comes to grenades that are thrown in its vicinity. BMW addressed that weak spot by developing an underbody shield and floor plating that can repel the force of a German military-issue DM51 hand grenade. As for the fuel tank? That's self-sealing so using it as a target in an assault is out of the question. All of this is serious stuff, folks.
If the X5 Protection VR6 has a weak spot, it’s the roof. It’s a standard roof in standard guise, but if you don’t feel like you have enough protection with that, you can ask BMW to provide armor protection for that, too. Best I can tell, the X5 Protection VR6 has no weapons, so it’s strictly a fortress on four wheels.
Interior
The typical creature comforts you’ll normally see in a BMW X5 are all included in the interior of the X5 Protection VR6. That said, there are specific features and functions in the cabin that are in line with the extra protection identity of the armored X5. The windows, for example, are unique compared to those you’ll normally see in a standard X5. Apart from being thicker, only the driver’s side windows are power-operated as standard, though electric windows can also be ordered if you’re comfortable enough to get them.These windows also come with “Post Blast Protective Technology,” keeping them in place in times of continuous assault.
The X5 Protection VR6’s interior comes with an intercom system that allows occupants to communicate with those outside the SUV. I’m not sure it’s going to be useful when the X5 is under siege, but it has its use in other scenarios. Speaking of communication systems, the X5 Protection V6 also has an “attack alarm,” which locks the doors, closes the windows, blinks the lights, and lets everyone know, including other cars that could be part of a security detail and convoy, that business is about to pick up.
From a luxury standpoint, BMW didn’t skimp on that stuff, too. This is still, after all, an X5 SUV. Leather and Alcantara occupy most of the interior surface. Even the SUV’s M steering wheel is wrapped in fancy leather.
Heck, if you really want to, the X5 Protection VR6 can also be dressed up by BMW Individual to suit your taste and preferences. I don’t necessarily think it’s a good idea to do that because of the SUV’s unique purpose and identity, but I’m not going to begrudge anyone who wants his ride to look good all the time, even when it’s under attack by people who want nothing more than to blow it up to smithereens.
Rest assured, the BMW X5 Protection VR6 is a legitimate armored vehicle with legitimate defense mechanisms and capabilities. You don’t expect anything less from an automaker who has been tricking out a select number of its rides with armor and steel plating for the last 40 years.
Drivetrain
Unfortunately, all this heavy armor the BMW X5 Protection VR6 is packing has no bearing on the SUV’s engine. You’re still getting the same X5 M50i with the familiar 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine that produces 523 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a powerful SUV and remains fast enough to evade attackers if the situation calls for it. Just don’t expect the X5 Protection VR6 to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds like the standard X5 M50i. That’s not happening with all the extra weight it’s carrying. Those aren’t bad figures at all, even with all that extra added weight.
2019 BMW X5 Protection VR6 specifications
Engine |
4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8 |
---|---|
Horsepower |
523 HP |
Torque |
553 LB-FT |
0 to 60 mph |
5.9 seconds |
Top Speed |
131 mph |
Speaking of the added girth, the X5 Protection VR6’s suspension has been tweaked to accommodate the weight gains. BMW added an adaptive suspension with reinforced steel springs to go along with the sport brakes and active roll stabilization. Even the SUV’s 20-inch wheels can accommodate run-flat tires with reinforced sidewalls so even if those tires are targeted, they remain functional enough to keep you moving when the situation demands that you should.
Final Thoughts
I’ve never been inside an armored car so I can only imagine the kind of anxiety you’d have to be in one. That said, the BMW X5 Protection VR6 exists to keep those anxious moments away. It comes heavy on the armor and, in typical BMW fashion, no space is wasted in ensuring that the SUV can withstand whatever siege it finds itself in. All the added safety and security features are in line with what you’d expect from Bimmer so there shouldn’t be anything to worry about on that end. I do think that a few weapons would come in handy, too, but in all seriousness, I’m not the type who’d want to be driven in an armored car because my life is in jeopardy. I’d prefer the standard X5 M50i with all of its creature comforts and none of this armor. But that’s me. Those who do need armor in their cars have a great option in the X5 Protection VR6. It might not be able to withstand a nuclear blast, but at least you can take comfort knowing that if you find yourselves under attack from forces that wish ill upon you, BMW has your back.
Further reading
Read our full review on the 2019 BMW X5.
Read our driven review on the 2019 BMW X5 M50d.