Today is the last day you can visit the BMW Welt before it closes for a five-week renovation. The exhibition center will reopen on February 10 with a fresh look. Meanwhile, during the remaining hours, several police cars are publicly displayed. The iX1 and X3 crossovers and the 5 Series wagon have been outfitted for German police duty.
These models are part of what BMW calls “Authority Vehicles,” which have been available for over six decades. We usually see these cars on the open road or on static display during RETTmobil, an event dedicated to specialty vehicles. The automaker’s dedicated lineup includes cars as small as the 1 Series and as large as the 7 Series. In recent years, fully electric models have been adapted for police and emergency services.
Those who plan to visit the BMW Welt today are in for a real treat, especially if they grew up playing Need for Speed games. The iconic M3 GTR hero car from the 2005 Most Wanted title is there, too. Seeing the legendary E46 in the same building as these police cars should bring back memories of playing NFS MW some two decades ago.
If you find these BMWs a bit boring, the Western Australia Police Force recently received an M4 G82. The authorities Down Under have a long tradition of exciting police cars, including an M3 G80 and an M5 F90 for Victoria’s highway patrol fleet. At one point, there was even an i8 in Sydney.
BMW’s Authority Vehicles fleet goes beyond police cars and emergency vehicles as it also includes armored models. The X5 Protection VR6 and the 7/i7 Protection spring to mind. In addition, the Motorrad division has several bikes configured for police work.
After the BMW Welt temporarily closes later today, vehicle deliveries will also be suspended for the following five weeks.
Photos: BMW Welt / Instagram
First published by https://www.bmwblog.com
