Just heard that 40 out of the 500 or so new BMW M5's coming into the UK have been ordered with the £1135 bullet proof glass option.
A few things occur to me:
1)The option sounds reasonably cheap.
2)As the rest of the car presumably is not bullet proof, isn't this a bit of a waste of time.
3) The option is not listed under the "Safety and Security", or for that matter any section on the BMW website (as far as I can see) so how is it marketed.
4) Doesn't this say a lot for BMW's target market.
5) To complete their options list, as opposed to having a winter pack or comfort pack what about:
i) The DD pack, safe in boot for your stash, bullet proof and darkened glass, lowered with a bass rumble to the outside world at all times.
ii) The "pushy exec pack". The active cruise control is tweaked so your car will "safely" maintain position 1 foot from the car in fronts rear bumper with all lights on. Guaranteed to work at up to the cars 155mph limit.
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2)As the rest of the car presumably is not bullet proof, isn't this a bit of a waste of time.
Possibly not, cos I guess if I was trying shoot someone in a car I'd aim for the bits where I could see a person, and not run the risk of shooting through the doors and hitting the reinforcing bars in there. (But I don't often shoot very many people, so I may be talking nonsense).
4) Doesn't this say a lot for BMW's target market.
Given the disdain with which BMW drivers are viewed in the backroom, I think BMW may be onto something here ...
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My biggest client (Motor magazine, Poland) frequently ask me to ride-a-long when they test-drive expensive cars like BMWs or sportscars. Not because they value my opinion, but because I?m big, bald, ugly and tattood. We lost two test cars last year to carjackers with guns, and others have been rammed from behind in an effort to make the driver stop.
Frankly, if I was in the market for a motor like that, I?d have it bullet-proofed as a matter of course.
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To be honest, I reckon less than half of those who take the option "need" it. I think the other half would buy it for posing value so you could say "See this? Bullet proof glass."
I know I would.
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Adam
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Or they're just ordering it as anti theft / vandalism measure.
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That's the more common sense suggestion...
still prefer to pose though ;-)
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Adam
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IIRC the bulletproof glass and similar options were introduced to mainstream 5 series models with the E39 540 "Protection", this model was fully armoured and with bulletproof glass all round. At the time, it was on BMW's new car listings with (IIRC) prices starting around £70K.
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Maybe BMW has seen a gap in the market.Drug dealers and the like need this sort of protection and the safe in the boot can hold drugs and there money.
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The secret of success in knowing your market.......
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4) Doesn't this say a lot for BMW's TARGET???? market.
No pun, I'm sure!!
BUT......wonder how you tell & what warranty you get with it?
Can't really go back to dealer, asking for a refund, 'cos the other Yardie/Gangsta had something more than an air pistol!!
VB
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Looks like we should get some in stock.
Now where did I put my list of bullet proof glass suppliers?
(Glass-Tech)
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I thought that there was some restriction on selling armoured cars? Certainly, the Witham Special vehicles lot who appear on here reasonably regularly had an armoured Omega that they said could only be sold to those holding the necessary permission or some such.
Of course, this may be arrant nonsense...it's Friday, half-term, and I've just handed my notice in!!!!
O
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Jaguar XJS V12 - comes with free personalised oil tanker.
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IIRC the bulletproof glass and similar options were introduced to mainstream
5 series models with the E39 540"Protection", this model was fully armoured and with bulletproof glass all round. At the time, it was on BMW's new car listings with (IIRC) prices starting around £70K.
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Several years ago, the Capetown Waterfront BMW showroom had the 5 series with a bullet proof option on public display.
They also had a door hanging on display with the results of various types of rounds having hit it.
I guess there is a diffent approach in SA.
Ian. Any local update?
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What type of rounds does the M5 glass stop? There are different grades for different weapons as Leon has pointed out.
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>>I guess there is a diffent approach in SA.>>
Have you seen the type and nature of much of the car crime in South Africa?
Truly frightening.
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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I've had a car with bullet proof glass, and kevlar packed doors and various reinforced bits and pieces.
I always wondered what would happen if I ever needed to get out in a hurry or someone needed to get me out.
Rather scarily it came with a document giving times pertaining to how long it could resist each particular type of weapon. Very sobering.
And it wasn't a BMW, it was an Audi.
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I'm assuming that if someone was attacking your car with a crowbar you could give them a cheery wave as they tired themselves out then, but just out of morbid curiosity, can you remember what weapon was listed as getting at the person in the car quickest?
I'm guessing it would be some sort of mortar or something, not that I know much about artillery!
Blue
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Breaking wind? Or does that not count as it comes from within the car?
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I've got the document around somewhere, I'll dig it out.
However, whilst one could cheerily blow raspberries at crowbar wielding hunks and comment on the sexuality and breeding, the time it could withstand anything else was an awful lot less than you might think.
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I suppose it possible that they are popular with drug dealers but, given that the most popular method of breaking into cars is a brick through the window, that is more likely what the purchasers had in mind.
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I am not sure if this is someone having a laugh or if the M5 offers this as a legit option.
Bullet proof glass is a bit of a mis-nomer, it is bullet resistant, the rounds dont bounce off like you see on TV!!!
A couple of things spring to mind. One way bullet resistant glass used to stop a low velocity incoming round from a pistol is around 7 - 10mm thick allowing the occupants to return fire through the glass. Bi-directional bullet proof glass can be upto 75 - 80mm which will resist incoming rounds from a high velocity weapon (round travelling at around 900m / sec) eg rifle. This stuff is pointless unless the rest of the vehicle is made bullet resistant, as rounds which penetrate the bodywork can be ricocheted around in the vehicle with sufficient force to do you lots of damage.
Have had the pleasure of driving a fully bullet proofed omega MV6, and a Jag XJ8 (both Autos) couple of drawbacks, seriously impaired visibility like looking out of your bathroom window, braking and accelerating feels like you are towing a small semi-detatched house, never stop completely if it can be avoided, takes lots of effort to get moving again oh and the windows don't wind down.
Its nothing new across here, we have had fully bullet proofed, cortinas, granadas, escorts, cavaliers, vectra's and mondeos on our roads since about 1968!!!!
Leon
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Worrying name Leon in the context of this discussion!
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Would bullet proof glass be an advantage if someone dropped a brick off a bridge and it hit your windscreen?
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No, it only stops bullets.
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My biggest client (Motor magazine, Poland) frequently ask me to ride-a-long when they test-drive expensive cars like BMWs or sportscars. Not because they value my opinion, but because I?m big, bald, ugly and tattood. We lost two test cars last year to carjackers with guns, and others have been rammed from behind in an effort to make the driver stop.
Yeah, that's a common trick. Big, bald, ugly or tattood - doesn't matter at all because they fear not and even steal from one another.
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I am the only Pole over here.
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The Met had a 1972 (ish) Rover 3500 V8 P6 which was on show at the Scottish All Rover Rally this year.
They've removed some of the plating especially from the doors as the hinges were beginning to drop!
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"pushy exec pack". The active cruise control is tweaked so your car will "safely" maintain position 1 foot from the car in fronts rear bumper with all lights on. Guaranteed to work at up to the cars 155mph limit.
Above is standard kit on all Beemers.
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>>Above is standard kit on all Beemers.
... in lieu of indicators.
I'll get me coat.
-- Lee .. A festivus for the rest of us.
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Would that be the Commisioners car ? - Peter Imbert or the bloke before him who ended up advertising tyres on the TV ?
If so, I used to work with the driver !
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VW owners know that build quality is bulletproof...:-)
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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Oh yeah... Volkswagen = Panzerwagen
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I am the only Pole over here.
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