After the armored version of the X5 unveiled last month BMW released today the details and photos of the new 2008 BMW 5 Series Security. The 2008 BMW 5 Series Security is available in two versions, 550i and 530i.
The 2008 BMW 550i Security is powered by a 4.8-liter 8-cylinder engine that develops 270 kW/367 bhp and 490 Nm of torque. The V8 engine of the BMW 550i Security is equipped with a throttle-free valve control system VALVETRONIC, variable camshaft control Double VANOS for the intake and outlet side and an intake system which operates at two levels.
The 2008 BMW 530i Security packs a 3.0 liter inline 6-cylinder engine under the bonnet that's good for 200 kW/272 bhp and a maximum torque of 315 Nm.
BMW Press Release:
With the BMW 5 Series Security, BMW offers an armored sedan in the premium segment of the upper medium category. Thanks to their unique security concept, the BMW 550i Security and the BMW 530i Security guarantee effective protection from criminal attacks. The two models combine state-of-the-art security technology with the sporty flair, ride comfort and exclusive fittings characteristic of the BMW 5 Series.
The BMW 5 Series provides an ideal basis for a particularly effective security vehicle at the VR4 ballistic protection level. The sedan offers an impressively striking and prestigious design, supreme handling, generous space and uncompromising premium quality. Superior driving dynamics is ensured by the 8-cylinder and 6-cylinder engines available for the security vehicle, the innovative lightweight construction with aluminum/steel body and all-aluminum chassis as well as sophisticated chassis systems such as Active Steering and the roll stabilization function Dynamic Drive. What is more, fittings such as the operating concept iDrive,
BMW Night Vision and Adaptive Headlight including turning light and variable light distribution emphasize the outstanding status of the BMW 5 Series.
8-cylinder and 6-cylinder engines to choose from: supreme power at two output levels.
The BMW 5 Series Security is offered in two model versions, both of which have identical security features. The BMW 550i Security is powered by a 4.8- liter 8-cylinder engine which offers top-class
refinement, supreme power delivery across a wide engine speed range and exemplary efficiency. The V8 engine, with the throttle-free valve control system VALVETRONIC, variable camshaft control Double VANOS for the intake and outlet side and an intake system which operates at two levels, delivers 270 kW/367 bhp and achieves a maximum torque of 490 Nm.
In the BMW 530i Security there is a 3.0 liter inline 6-cylinder engine with a magnesium-aluminum compound crankcase which has an output of 200 kW/272 bhp and a maximum torque of 315 Nm. In the security model, too, it impressively brings out the qualities which are characteristic of BMW 6- cylinder engines – dynamic power delivery, high revving power and exemplary
running smoothness. Both model versions boast supreme driving performance figures in everyday traffic and also have extensive power reserves which allow the driver to escape dangerous situations by means of a swift response. Both the BMW 550i Security and the BMW 530i Security are fitted as standard with a 6-speed automatic transmission.
The BMW 550i Security reaches a speed of 100 km/h from standing in just 6.5 seconds. The corresponding acceleration rate of the BMW 530i Security is 6.5 seconds. Both models have an electronically cut-off top speed of 240 km/h. Extensive protection against criminal attacks.
With its security vehicles, BMW responds to increasing violence and criminal threats (“carjacking”, kidnapping) in numerous regions of the world. This includes Latin America, parts of South-East Asia and the Middle East and some states of the former Soviet Union. The criminal acts in question are frequently random in nature and generally speaking are not directed at the passengers themselves but are committed with the intention of stealing valuables or the vehicle itself. The BMW 5 Series Security is excellently equipped to fend off such attacks since the entire passenger cell is bulletresistant and its armor fulfils the requirements of ballistic protection level VR4.
This means that the BMW 5 Series Security can resist attacks with impact
weapons as well as hand weapons and handguns up to a caliber of
.44 Magnum including .357 Magnum or 9 mm Luger. The appropriate
certification is provided by the German ballistic authority
Beschussamt Mellrichstadt based on the norm for bullet-resistant vehicles,
BRV 1999. At the request of BMW, the ballistic testing goes far beyond
the usual requirements. In addition to the stipulated firing angles of 90° and
45°, the tests include other firing angles in order to make them more realistic,
with the relevant certification being provided.
The highly effective protection of the BMW 5 Series Security derives
from its integrated protective systems which are installed by hand with
painstaking care by highly qualified experts at a special plant in Toluca (Mexico).
A precisely defined combination of casings, moulded parts and panels is used
to armor the vehicle. These are largely made of materials which are bulletresistant
but nonetheless of low weight. At critical points such as the gaps and
borders of the synthetic fibre mats, rust-proof chrome-nickel steel is used. This
provides optimum all-round protection for the passenger cell. On request, a
shatter protection element can be integrated in the underbody.
In order to ensure seamless protection and still preserve a lower weight, highquality
and extremely carefully finished fibre mats are used for the armourplating
of the BMW 5 Series Security. Aramid mats are thus used for the roof
and the body columns and for the front wall to the footwell and the back wall to
the luggage compartment. This material is the same as that used for bullet proof police vests. Not only is it bullet-resistant, it also resilient to heat, fire and
acid. The protective mats in the areas of the doors are made of the even lighter
and equally bullet-proof material polyethylene, which absorbs the impact
energy of a projectile especially well due to its structure. Chrome-nickel steel is
used for bordering the protective mats, sealing the gaps in the door sections
and reinforcing window edges.
The security glazing of the BMW 5 Series Security consists of a 22 mm thick
compound of plastic and glass. The multi-layered glass is also bullet-resistant
according to VR4 ballistic protection levels and is resilient to attack by impact
weapons. The window panes also have a polycarbonate coating which provides
shatter protection for the vehicle interior.
In contrast to retrofitted armour plating, which frequently leaves security gaps
and leads to excessive weight strain on vehicle parts, the integrated protection
concept for BMW Security Vehicles covers all potential weak points. This
includes body joints, door gaps and the transitions between metal and glass.
Due to the model-specific conception of the protective features, which also
includes gap sealing, care is taken to ensure that neither projectiles nor
shattered glass can penetrate into the interior of the vehicle at critical points.
Low additional weight, unconstrained comfort, inconspicuous
exterior.
In spite of the extensive security features, the generous interior of the
BMW 5 Series Security is preserved virtually without limitation due to the
intelligent space concept, with almost the entire range of extensive
comfort features still available. The additional weight does not impair
the dynamic character of the BMW 5 Series and the security vehicles thus
provide the sporty feel which is characteristic of BMW. The additional weight as
compared to the corresponding serial production vehicles is just 250 kg. This is
significantly less than that of comparable security vehicles produced by
competitors in the premium segment.
From the outside, the BMW 5 Series Security is virtually indistinguishable from
its serial production counterpart, since many customers attach great
importance to discretion and anonymity.
Active safety and top-level handling.
The chassis of the BMW 5 Series Security is perfectly adapted to the additional
weight. For this purpose, specific chassis components such as springs and
dampers are fitted, as well as a particularly high-performance brake system.
The electronics box in the engine compartment is protected by means of
aramid panels so as to ensure it continues to function even in extreme situations. The BMW 5 Series Security also has tyres with emergency running
properties. This means that the tyres remain operational even in the event of a
complete loss of pressure – for example after being fired at or when driven over
sharp objects. Even with a full load, these tyres enable the vehicle to be driven
for a further distance of some 50 kilometres at a speed of up to 80 km/h.
Perfect handling in demanding driving situations is ensured by the innovative
chassis technology of the BMW 5 Series. The driver of a BMW security vehicle
also benefits from this in extreme conditions. In the BMW 5 Series Security, as
in the serial production models of the BMW 5 Series, the driving dynamics
regulation system Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) is fitted, offering a wide
range of functions. DSC suppresses both oversteering and understeering in
difficult situations on the road. The system also includes a so called anti-fading
support: any decrease in brake power at extremely high temperatures is set off
by increasing brake forces accordingly. Moderate build-up of brake forces also
enhances brake standby in situations which may require spontaneous
deceleration. Regular dry braking optimizes performance of the brakes in the
wet, while the start-off assistant facilitates the process of setting off on an uphill
gradient.
The DSC system also includes the special mode Dynamic Traction
Control (DTC). Activated by pressing a button, this mode raises the response
thresholds for driving stability regulation and thus makes it easier to set off on
snow or loose sand, for example. DTC also enables the driver to take bends in
a highly sporty style.
The chassis system Dynamic Drive also reduces roll movements of the
BMW 5 Series Security on bends to a minimum. In this way, both agility and
comfort is increased at all speed ranges, as well as providing optimum selfsteering
and load alteration response. The optional feature Active Steering is
also available: this varies steering transmission in relation to road speed. At low
speeds, Active Steering enables the vehicle to be manoeuvred into a parking
space with very little movement of the steering wheel, for example, while at high
speeds a more indirect steering response optimises drive stability.
Optimum visibility: Xenon headlamps, BMW Night Vision and camera
systems.
The BMW 5 Series Security can be optionally fitted with xenon headlamps and
Adaptive Headlight. This ensures that curves in the road are illuminated
accordingly. The swivel direction of the headlamps is derived from the position
of the steering wheel, the yaw rate and the speed of the vehicle. This feature
also includes the turning light function, which adapts the direction of
illumination at speeds of less than 40 km/h.
What is more, visibility on straight stretches of road is optimised by the new
variable light distribution function. This innovative control system, which like the
turning light is part of the special equipment feature Adaptive Headlight,
automatically enlarges the field of vision by specifically expanding the light cone
in relation to the road speed. In urban light mode at speeds under 50 km/h,
identification of objects on the left-hand side of the road is facilitated by means
of a wider light distribution, for example. In motorway light mode, the field of
vision is expanded by an elongation of the light cone and a more intensive
illumination of the area to the left. As soon as the driver activates the fog lamps
in addition, the variable light distribution function applies a wider light
distribution in the speed range up to 70 km/h, as well as brightening the area
close to the vehicle. At higher speeds, both the breadth and range of the light is
increased.
An even higher degree of safety for nocturnal driving is provided by the
optionally available system BMW Night Vision. The core of this system is a
thermal image camera which detects people, animals and objects at the edge
of the road at a distance of 300 metres and transmits a contrasting image to the
central Control Display which is also used by the navigation system. In this way,
the driver’s attention is drawn to possible dangers which cannot be identified
with the naked eye.
An additional option for the BMW 5 Series Security is a rear view camera.
This video system facilitates parking and manoeuvring in spaces where this
limited room or poor visibility. The high-resolution images of the rear view
camera with wide-angle lens are displayed by the system in colour and
with optimised perspective on the Control Display. Interactive track lines also
indicate to the driver the optimum steering angle and tightest possible
turning circle. Early detection of dangerous situations ahead of the vehicle is
facilitated by the innovative system Side View. It operates using two cameras
integrated in the front wheel arches which allow early observation of sideon
traffic. The images from these cameras are transferred to the Control Display
and not only offer an additional convenience when manoeuvring the vehicle but
also provide an advance view of what is happening to the left and right of the
vehicle when exiting driveways with limited space or poor visibility or when
driving out of a multi-storey car park.
Security technology off the production line: Intercom system and
alarm system.
The BMW 5 Series Security is fitted with an intercom system and an attack
alarm. This means that it is possible to hold conversations with people outside
the vehicle without having to open doors and windows. When the attack alarm is triggered, windows and doors are automatically locked, and both acoustic
and visual alarm signals are set off.
The standard range of equipment also includes sun blinds for the rear and side
windows which obstruct the view into the passenger area, as well as two side
airbags at the rear. At the front, the BMW 5 Series Security is fitted with front,
pelvis and thorax airbags as well as curtain airbags at the side.
Virtually all the other comfort options available for the BMW 5 Series are
likewise available for the BMW 5 Series Security. In addition, individual wishes
can be taken into account which go beyond the special equipment program
and the integrated protection features. In this way, the sedan combines
the outstandingly high level of security ensured by the integrated protective
features with extensive individualisation options.