(Image source from: Meet Narendra Modi's official car - BMW 7 Series 760Li})

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had to give up his Scorpio for a swanky BMW due to security reasons. Modi was driven to the Rashtrapati Bhavan for the swearing-in ceremony in an armoured Scorpio but after assuming office he had to bid goodbye to his favourite SUV.

The prime minister had been driven around in a Scorpio during the election campaign. And when Mr. Modi became the PM designate, Mahindra & Mahindra had sent a written request that he continue to use the Scorpio as his official car. In his request Mahindra stated that Indians would feel proud and honoured if their PM uses a car that is designed, developed and made in India.

However, the Special Protection Group (SPG) had other plans to ensure the security of India's prime minister.

The SPG opted for the BMW 7 Series 760Li Security Edition – considered to be the most secured vehicle in India at present.

BMW Security Vehicles have been designed to counter a range of three risk situations – street crime, organised crime and explosions. In case there is street crime when the PM's convoy is passing, the BMW has safety features to withstand attacks with blunt objects and handguns up to a calibre of .44 Magnum. The BMW 7 is fully capable to secure the PM in case of an organised crime, where he might be attacked with an AK-47, the most commonly used automatic weapon across the world. Besides, this high security vehicle is also designed to protect the PM against attacks with explosive devices and armour-piercing weapons.

Other safety feature includes run-flat tyres (the car run on flat tyres up to 80 kilometers per hour), a self-sealing fuel tank (does not explode under any circumstances), an attack alarm and an intercom system to enable the occupants to communicate with the outside world without leaving the vehicle or opening the windows or doors.

The vehicle is powered by a V12 engine and can travel 0-100kmph in 6.2 seconds. The highest speed is electronically limited to 210 kmph.

Hindustan Ambassadors had been the official car of the Indian prime ministers till 2003, when Atal Bihari Vajpayee took the decision to replace them with BMWs. At present the PM's fleet has more than half-a-dozen BMW 760Li limousines (including decoy vehicles), which are surrounded by a dozen BMW X5 SUVs used by the SPG.

(Picture Source: iloveindia.com)

(AW: Pratima Tigga)