We’re back with more Tesla Cybertruck-related news as BMW decided to capture some attention on Twitter and channel it on one of its most spectacular products by throwing some shade at the Cybertruck.
As you know, BMW will sell you, on special request, the so-called X5 Protection VR6, a heavily armoured vehicle packing 530 horsepower and the ability to withstand gunfire coming from an AK-47. This sort of badassery allowed BMW to troll Tesla and Musk for the “armor” widows gaffe that took place during the pickup truck’s live reveal.
We’re pretty sure you know this story by now, but we’ll repeat it nonetheless. During the Tesla Cybertruck’s live unveiling in Los Angeles, Must was keen to show off the truck’s ultra-strong exoskeleton-like body by having it pounded with a sledgehammer. So far so good, as the truck’s door passed that test. But the Cybertruck is also said to come with “Tesla Armour” windows, and to prove that, Musk had his chief designer throw a metal ball at the said windows. That didn’t go as planned, as the windows shattered (both the front and the rear ones) but without coming apart or letting the ball pass through. And that, folks, was the blood that attracted every Twitter shark out there. That and the truck’s design, of course, which we are not going to discuss here.
Is BMW in the position to troll Tesla? Well of course!
BMW went for a classier response, but equally ruthless. BMW's social media department took to Twitter, where it posted a photo of the BMW X5 Protection VR6, followed by the message: “Comes with bulletproof windows and offers protection in case it gets hit by a metal ball: The new BMW X5 Protection VR6.” Hilarious? You bet. Especially since the said X5 is not something you want to sneeze at.
Shown earlier this year at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show, the X5 Protection VR6 is BMW’s idea of an armored SUV.
The 4.4-liter V-8 with 523 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque on tap will help whoever’s driving the X5 VR6 escape the bad guys in no time. The SUV can sprint from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 5.9 seconds when needed despite all the extra weight pushing down on its shoulders. But, hey, armored steel plates might be able to keep Kalashnikov rounds at bay, but they’re not exactly the definition of lightweight, right?
As spartan-tough as it might be, the BMW X5 Protection VR6 still retains that familiar luxury vibe offered by the high-trim variants of the BMW X5, which is something we’re yet to see in a Tesla. So from where we’re standing, it’s 2-0 for BMW. Oh, and in case Tesla wants to revise its “armor” window game, the BMW has a technology called PBPT (Post Blast Protective Technology), which keeps them in place in the event of a continuous assault in addition to not allowing dangerous splinters to fly and injure the occupants.
Final Thoughts
We can’t tell you for sure whether Tesla’s windows blunder was a staged moment or not. Elon Musk is, however, well-versed into the art of creating hype, so we’ll leave that as a possibility for now. What’s more, Tesla’s numero uno even came up with his own explanation as to why the windows broke, blaming the previous sledgehammer test, which apparently broke the windows’ frames, thus weakening their entire surface and “letting” the metal ball do some serious damage. Then again, we’ll probably never know the real cause, but it’s still good to see carmakers having a stab at each other; as long as they keep it classy, of course.