BMW M5 Touring G99 as a Police Patrol Car.

A BMW M5 Touring as a police patrol car is certainly appealing to some patrol officers. How did this project come about?

Sascha Eifel: As with so many things here, it all started with an idea. We’d noticed time and again that visitors were surprised to see patrol cars on our factory premises. After all, hardly anyone – not even within the BMW Group – realises that the development of government vehicles is also based here in Garching. Our powerful M models, on the other hand, are known to everyone. And that was the spark: why not combine both business areas in a show car?

I had already discussed the idea with our former head of development, Dirk Häcker, and, in line with his motto ‘Just do it’, got the go-ahead.

Once we had found a suitable vehicle for the conversion, we quickly realised that the wrapping typically used on BMW 5 Series models wouldn’t fit the wide wheel arches and bumpers of the M5 – no matter how hard we tried. So, there was some adjusting to do.

Makes sense. Which brings us straight to the topic of visibility: what requirements must an official livery for a police vehicle meet?

First and foremost, it’s about being seen. That’s why police vehicles in Germany are wrapped in highly visible blue, neon yellow and retro-reflective white. These high-tech wraps are also used on our BMW M5 Touring, in a specially adapted form. They ensure the best possible visibility, even in very low light. The specific design complies with the relevant specifications set out in the official tenders. We usually offer support from our design team to ensure that the wrapping for each model is both suitable and compliant with the requirements. For example, sensor areas and their fields of view must remain unobstructed, to avoid interference with driver assistance systems.

Is the model equipped with everything required for police work?

No, in its current state, not really. My main priority was to ensure that the vehicle is unmistakably recognisable as a police vehicle. Naturally, wherever possible, we’ve incorporated police-specific components. For the light bar on the roof, we deliberately opted for a flatter, more aerodynamic version than the standard part. We were unable to use the rear extension due to the different geometry of the boot, so we decided against it. And even though the vehicle certainly looks the part: there are no weapons on board.

So, if you look closely, you’ll spot some creative licence here and there. For instance, you wouldn’t find red seats in a patrol car, and on the rear doors, the BMW emblem is incorporated instead of the Bavarian state flag. As long as it isn’t an official police vehicle, we don’t want to give the impression that we’re police officers.

With 727 PS, lack of power is not an issue – certainly no disadvantage for the motorway police. What about the hybrid powertrain of the BMW M5 – would it be an advantage for patrols in urban areas?

I believe that the powertrain of the BMW M5 would certainly be appealing to the police, and to the motorway police in particular. Up to now, more conventional powertrains such as diesel engines have typically been used in that context.

In principle, however, we offer all drive variants for each model. In terms of sales figures, the authorities’ focus is currently still on purely internal combustion engines. Interest in battery-electric vehicles is growing, however.