The Republic of Cyprus is paying €14,000 per day to rent 12 armoured limousines brought in specially for the Informal European Council summit, which took place over two days at the Ayia Napa marina and the Filoxenia Conference Centre in Nicosia. The vehicles were rented for a period of 10 days at a total cost of approximately €140,000, working out to €1,166 per limousine per day.
The cars are BMW Series 7 models, comprising eight electric i7s and four 760i variants, fully armoured and equipped with the latest security features. According to official sources, the vehicles carry armour certification and are fitted with bulletproof glass and a reinforced chassis. Protective plating covers the doors, pillars, roof, floor (with mine protection), engine bay and fuel tank. The 12 limousines will be returned to the Pilakouta Group's premises next week before being transported back abroad.
Cyprus intends to seek reimbursement of the costs from the EU budget.
A closed tender with classified specifications
The contract was awarded through a closed tender, a procedure chosen because the vehicle specifications were deemed classified, given that the cars would be used to transport heads of state and senior European Commission officials. The Department of Electromechanical Services at the Ministry of Transport invited offers from the three dealerships in Cyprus capable of supplying such vehicles: BMW, Mercedes and Audi. The tender was won by the Pilakouta Group, BMW's local dealer.
For context, the market rate for renting an armoured limousine ranges from €1,500 to €7,500 per day, depending on the level of armour protection, which is certified under international standards ranging from VR7 to VR10. Vehicles at this level are almost always provided with trained security drivers and typically require a substantial deposit, in some cases up to €15,000, held against the rental.
60 additional BMWs for the presidency
BMW also won a separate public tender, announced in January, for the rental of 60 passenger vehicles to cover the broader needs of the Cypriot presidency of the Council of the EU. The Pilakouta Group came in as the lowest bidder, offering Series 5 vehicles at a total cost of approximately €1 million for a seven-month rental period. The bulk of presidency-related costs incurred by Cyprus over its six-month tenure are expected to be covered by the EU budget.
This is not the first time Cyprus has turned to BMW for this purpose. During its previous EU Council presidency in the second half of 2012, the Pilakouta Group supplied 48 BMW vehicles, including Series 5 and Series 7 models, for the transport of heads of state, ministers and senior officials. That contract included a clause obliging the Republic to purchase the vehicles if they exceeded a set mileage. According to a 2013 report, the group subsequently offered 45 of those presidency vehicles for sale at reduced prices. A similar process is expected to follow once the current fleet of 60 Series 5 vehicles is returned at the end of the contract.