It's not quite The Beast, the legendary armoured limousine that protects the US President, but it can stop an AK-47 round or a roadside bomb blast.

And the hulking BMW armoured car worth at least $500,000 is now carrying Tony Abbott on his daily travels, delivering him to the Prime Minister's XI cricket match in Canberra on Wednesday.

The Cadillac "Beast" used by US President Barack Obama.

Amid the heightened current terrorism alert, Mr Abbott's new ride is one of nine BMW armoured cars the government has bought under a $6.3 million contract, replacing the 12-year-old prime ministerial limo fleet of customised Holden Caprices.