29 Oct Collection In Action: Madiba BMW

In the seat of greatness. Mike Monk recalls driving Madiba’s personal BMW that was purchased by FMM, the proceeds of which going to the Mandela Day School Libraries Project…

It looks pretty much like any other long-wheelbase E67 BMW 7 Series, its Black Sapphire metallic paintwork glistening in the sun. But open the door and you soon realise this is not your everyday stretched Beemer. The door feels like it weighs a ton, and the glass is, well, clearly, not your average toughened and tinted pane – it is no less than 57 mm thick. The reason? This 760Li is a Security Edition and was former president Nelson Mandela’s official transport during his HIV/Aids campaign undertaken between 2004 and 2009.

Carrying such features as a high-strength floorpan, an emergency exit through the windscreen and an on-board fire-extinguishing system, the car’s overall appearance lacks any form of ‘flash’, which is perhaps indicative of Madiba’s personality. Bullet-proofing the car has naturally made it very heavy, around three tons is the guess, but the standard 6,0-litre V12 engine has enough power – 327 kW – and torque – 600 N.m – to still provide rapid, unstressed performance, vital if ever a threatening situation arose.

When driving the car, its mass is only mildly apparent, but with all the car’s power-assisted driver aids it in no way feels unwieldy. In fact, the weight seems to cosset the damper controlled ride probably even more than the standard car’s – certainly none of the road irregularities I drove over were felt in the cabin. I’m sure that the President’s chauffeur would have been made well aware of any handling limitations the car might have had, and been taught how to compensate accordingly. The Dunlop tyres were well up to their task without exhibiting any squeal.

Capable of sustaining substantial damage and still keep running, the car was nevertheless fitted with a special communications system with GPS tracking to facilitate immediate assistance and extraction in a crisis situation. A satellite module on the tunnel console affords the driver control over a number of flashing lights – including a pair of what are today deemed notorious blue lights behind the BMW’s kidney grille – strobes, sirens and push-button calls to police and emergency centres. Sat-nav was also fitted.

The presidential office returned the car to BMW South Africa at the end of its service life and was revitalised to its original fully operational condition– it has covered only around 50 000 km. BMW donated the car to the 46664 Mandela Day School Library project and the car put up for auction, the proceeds of its sale going towards supplying fully-stocked container libraries to disadvantaged schools. FMM was the successful bidder.

At the time, Robert Coutts was CEO of the 46664 BANGLE Initiative, and as he rightly pointed out prior to the auction, “We often forget the critical nature of transport and the time it affords us to clarify thinking and congeal plans, while being whisked away to another location. Security and safety are of the utmost importance, and throughout modern history the presidential transport has been a critical component in facilitating the daily hurried schedule of many a country’s leader”.

The car was more than safe transport: it acted as a place of sanctuary where Madiba could gather his thoughts while travelling from venue to venue. A presidential communications console is mounted in the rear-seat fold-down armrest, and in the left-front seat-back there is a fold-down tray and a clip-out padded clip board. Foot rests are provided and the long wheelbase affords plenty of room to stretch out and relax. It is the only known car to have been signed by Mr Mandela and the facia section was removed and mounted and displayed in the BMW boardroom.

This 7 Series was used by the most famous and revered statesman of our generation and the sense of driving a piece of our nation’s history was not lost on me. And yes, I also sat in the back, raised all the window blinds and contemplated for a while on the great man for whom this car was personal transport in his quest to bring some much-needed relief to the then HIV/Aids pandemic-affected people of his nation. That the car later generated substantial funds to support the education of the country’s younger generation merely adds to its provenance. A humbling experience for sure…

The 2004 Madiba BMW 760Li Series Security Edition is currently on view in Hall C.