There must be a spectacular story behind this armored BMW
The Dutch government never tells the story behind the seizure of the cars they auction. With a number of cars you can trace a few things on the basis of news reports, but usually it is not all that exciting. Often it is people who forgot to pay the bill from the tax authorities or night entrepreneurs who are caught up in their merchandise. This BMW 7-series with so-called Bangle Butt intrigues us. And not just because you need a truck driver’s license.
In the photos it doesn’t look much more than a worn-out 7-series, which was exactly the intention at the time. The doors have even thicker glass than Steve Urkel and the cup holders hide gimmicks that Michael Knight would know what to do with. Although Domains is not very generous with the information, we can reasonably conclude based on the photos that this is a BMW 7-series High Security. This is an armored 7-series that you could order from BMW itself.
Serious toys in the BMW 7 Series High Security
The armored BMW would have a safety level of B6 and in some parts even B7. With this, the occupants would be safe against explosives and even armor-piercing bullets (so that they just become ‘bullets’). You can shout something out through an intercom (“stop, stop!”) and set off an audible alarm. In the event of a chemical attack, there is a tank of oxygen on board and an extinguishing system. In addition, in an emergency you can escape through the windshield – it will probably pop out.
Not just an interesting car
On its own, a BMW 7 Series High Security is already an interesting vehicle, but the mystery surrounding it makes it more interesting. For example, the country of origin is unknown to Domains. Did this car show up at the door in a crib? And why is there damage on the side of the vehicle that looks like it came from a crash barrier? Is the car of a runaway dictator who made a steering error during a thrilling chase? Or was it the last ride of a mafia kingpin? Who’s to say…
Is there a V12 in this BMW 7-series High Security?
This BMW weighs 3,850 kilos. So you must have at least a C1 driver’s license. With such a high weight, a potent engine is more of a requirement than a luxury. That is why BMW sold two types: the 745i with a V8 and the 760i with a V12. It is not known which type this is. In a press release from 2003, BMW says that the armored cars are almost as fast as the entry-level versions due to a different final drive. Only the top speed is not 250, but 210 km/h. All High Security models have also been tested at the Nürburgring, the brand reports.
Also read: The Dutch government is auctioning a Lamborghini Diablo SV
Given the current context, we came across something interesting in the press release: ‘It’s important to BMW that security cars don’t go to the wrong people – whether new or used. That is why BMW offers buyers of such cars a buy-back option for surveillance vehicles up to seven years old.” In any case, that action failed well with this armored BMW 7-series. Whatever happened, the previous owner probably belonged to the ‘wrong people’ category. And now can you bid on the car.
