The administration of US President Donald Trump often repeats the slogan America First, which was supposed to emphasize the support of American products, including cars. However, some authorities do not follow it completely, as pointed out by the website Carscoops. While the Immigration Service (ICE) bought Canadian armored cars, the FBI bought an armored BMW X5 for its director.
Foto: GM Defense
Chevrolet Suburban Shield armored SUV, designed for diplomats.
The premium German SUV should replace the Chevrolet Suburban armored cars used in the fleet so far, which are a frequent choice for civil servants and the security service. According to MS Now, the office immediately purchased a fleet of German premium SUVs at the request of the director, who wanted a less conspicuous car.
FBI Director Kash Patel, appointed by Donald Trump, should now have a fleet of several BMW X5s at his disposal. Although their stealth is open to speculation, according to an FBI spokesperson, the X5 was cheaper to acquire than other comparable vehicles that were considered. And that includes the new Chevrolet Suburban.
Director Patel did not receive the classic BMW X5, but the armored version of the X5 Protection VR6. At first glance, it resembles the classic BMW X5, but it is equipped with bulletproof body panels and glass, which will protect the crew from shooting from weapons such as AK-47. There is also protection for the chassis, tank or special tires.
Photo: BMW
In addition to superior crew protection, the BMW X5 armored vehicles promise off-road capabilities.
The drive is provided by a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 engine, tuned to 530 horsepower. Although the weight of the armored SUV is greater than that of the production models, the car should accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds and its maximum speed reaches up to 210 km/h. If necessary, he should have enough energy to escape from the problem area.
The production of the BMW X5 takes place at the Spartanburg factory, located in the US state of South Carolina. However, cars intended for conversion to the Protection model leave the regular production line and undergo special treatment. This previously took place at the Toluca plant in Mexico, but for the latest generation of the model, the automaker no longer mentions the location of the modification.
