- Ukrainian troops mounted a rocket launcher to a BMW 7 sedan.
- The E38 trades armor for speed to fire and then quickly escape.
- It follows a 6 Series BMW modded with a machine gun turret.
If you thought converting a slightly scruffy used car into a mobile rocket launcher was something only seen in Mad Max movies, think again.
Ukrainian forces near Bakhmut have done exactly that by transforming a BMW E38 7-Series (yes, the pretty one) into a makeshift multiple-launch rocket system (MLRS) by mounting some deadly hardware where the trunk lid used to live.
Read: NATO Forces Might Soon Roll With This Unrecognizable Chevy Pickup
The upshot is a strange-looking but surprisingly effective “car-MLRS” that fires salvos then disappears before anyone can say artillery battery. This wild adaptation comes from military units that have had to make do with creative solutions amid equipment shortages.
Rather than rely solely on heavy conventional artillery, Ukraine’s 114th Territorial Defense Brigade repurposed a civilian vehicle into something that can lob rockets into enemy positions and then hustle off to avoid Russian drone surveillance and counter-battery fire.
It’s a trade-off that replaces military-grade armor and pinpoint accuracy with speed, concealment and the element of surprise.
Prototype-like camo
Images and video circulating on social media show the odd mashup in action again, after it was first spotted in late 2023. Painted in a grey-green disguise, it blends in with the scenery, its tubes mounted horizontally along the roof as it moves between firing locations.
Once the team has picked a spot, they wind out legs from the launcher frame to keep the BMW stable, crank a handle to point the tubes skyward, and get the hell out of the way before the rockets let rip.
Not the First Weird Creation
The idea of strap-on rocket launchers is not entirely new in Ukraine. Earlier improvised platforms involved mounting launch tubes on pickup trucks and light vehicles to give infantry units short-range indirect fire support.
Also: Ukrainians Modify A BMW 6 Series With A Machine Gun Turret And Give It To The Police
And it’s not even the first BMW-based weapon we’ve come across in the Ukraine war. Back in 2022 we reported how a 6-series convertible had been donated to the cause and repurposed with a heavy machine gun in its trunk.
In a war zone where every advantage counts, even a quirky solution like a rocket-armed BMW can be part of the fight. It showcases an adaptive attitude that combines technical know-how with a can-do spirit, all while giving the internet one of the coolest war-time vehicle mods imaginable.
What car would you sequester to turn into a military weapon? Maybe a Rezvani Tank, a ford Ranger Raptor or Mercedes’ new six-cylinder luxury Unimog? Leave a comment and let us know.
Ukrainian BMW 7 series MLRS firing a 122mm Grad rocket at a Russian target. pic.twitter.com/0i9AQ9wq4Y
Source: https://t.co/D61qr3ftXOhttps://t.co/vLNFi11ED1
In service with Ukraine’s 114th Infantry Brigade: pic.twitter.com/Wrel8iWGsc
