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Barack Obama's Cadillac presidential limo revealed

 
18 77,941 views Jan 14, 2009

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With president-elect Barack Obama soon to be sworn in as the nation’s leader, a new presidential limousine was in call for and once again General Motors was assigned the task of building it. Nicknamed ‘The Beast’, the limo is based on a number of GM platforms and shares components with several different vehicles.

“Cadillac is honored to again provide a new Presidential Limousine,” said Mark McNabb, North America vice president, Cadillac/Premium Channel. “This is a great American tradition that we’re delighted to renew with an all-new car featuring the best of Cadillac’s dramatic design and technology.”

Its exterior is styled around the Cadillac STS and DTS but underneath the sheet-metal the vehicle is built on a medium-duty truck chassis. The limo has recently been seen testing in prototype form alongside several GMC Topkick pickups, and according to onlookers the wheels and tires on the limo are almost identical to those on the trucks – 19.5in Goodyear Regional RHS tires.


The rest of the exterior includes parts from several Cadillac models, such as headlights from an Escalade, and the grille and taillights from an STS. The panels are comprised of dual-hardness steel, aluminum, titanium and ceramic material to help break up projectiles aimed at the car.

Inside, the car features the same cut-and-sewn handmade leather upholstery found in the CTS. The rear passenger area includes an extensive executive compartment with ample seating space, outward visibility and useful mobile office features. An embroidered presidential seal is positioned in the center of the rear seat back panel, as well as on each rear door trim panel. Presidential seals are also affixed to the exterior rear doors.

Other safety and high-tech features include 8in thick armor-plated doors (each weighing the same as a cabin door on a Boeing 757), an independent oxygen supply and advanced fire-fighting system located in the boot, pump-action shotguns, night-vision cameras and tear-gas cannons, Obama’s own personal storage of blood, Kevlar-reinforced tires that are puncture and shred-resistant, and special steel wheels that can drive without the tire attached.

All of this comes at a heavy weight penalty, with top speed rated at 60mph (96km/h) and fuel-economy expected to be about 8mpg.

Obama will first use the limo when he travels along Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington after his inauguration.

Barack Obama's Presidential Limousine by Cadillac

HI-RES GALLERY: obama presidential limo 005




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Comments (18)

  1. ma_Roy avatar Roy Posted: 1/9/2009 7:39am PST

    ...and when Obama leaves office, we can expect all that's left of GM to market this obscene machine as the Hummer H6. As the price of oil rises beyond 5 dollars a gallon again, such conspicuously consumptive vehicles will be exactly what residents of the New Middle East will be hoping to drive.
     
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  2. ma_Chris avatar Chris Posted: 1/9/2009 2:59pm PST

    roy.. its better than the fuel economy that airforce one gets.
     
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  3. ma_gus avatar Gus Chyba Posted: 1/10/2009 8:22am PST

    We need more positive people like Roy.
     
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  4. ma_SuperSkyline89 avatar SuperSkyline89 Posted: 1/10/2009 10:49am PST

    What they hell do you want? The thing is armor plated and heavy as shit for a good reason, obviously it ain't gonna get good mileage.

    Personally I'd get them to make a CTS-V with all those features with the engine from a ZR1, now that would be badass.
     
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  5. ma_HECTOR avatar HECTOR Posted: 1/14/2009 4:33pm PST

    Some notes:

    1. I didn't vote for Obama but in a few days he will be my President

    2. If it helps to keep him safe when he travels around - including overseas - I will gladly pay my share of his gas bill.

    3. And last but not least... BLING!!
     
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  6. ma_danDAN avatar danDAN Posted: 1/15/2009 5:01am PST

    that's the most possitive thing I've ever read Hector write.

    This thing is hideous though...would think Ford could get the Aston Martin(s) designer to sketch up a limo and what the blue oval on the front of it.
     
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  7. ma_danDAN avatar danDAN Posted: 1/19/2009 10:53am PST

    and incase anyone says Ford doesn't own Aston Martin any more they do still own 10% and have options on stock I believe, as well as with Land Rover and Jaguar. That is why in the Bond films you will still see AM's, RR's and Jags.
     
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  8. ma_Mike avatar Mike Posted: 1/21/2009 9:29pm PST

    ZR-1 engine? I'd have a 572BBC from GM Perf. Parts with forged titanium internals, twin turbos and direct injection. I mean, if you have 8" thick doors and your own blood supply, why not? Geez, armor thickness on WWII Panzer tanks were measured in millimeters!
     
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  9. ma_Countach avatar Countach Posted: 1/24/2009 8:52am PST

    They should use turbine engines as on the M1 Abrams MBT to power this beast! It does look classy tho!
     
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  10. ma_Roy avatar Roy Posted: 1/26/2009 2:38pm PST

    Having now watched the inauguration, I think there were several other limos with classier grilles - some Caddys have those nice wire mesh grilles. Anyway, if those other limos were supposed to be the decoys, there's no reason to have decoys - this one is pretty easy to identify. I like Mike's idea of making this a technological tour de force, except they need something reliable (and literally bulletproof).
     
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  11. Sara Posted: 8/14/2009 1:17am PDT

    I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
    Sara
    http://pianonotes.info
     
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  12. kenneth Nanja Posted: 10/13/2009 3:28am PDT

    After his term in ofice hope they make more like it so i can get myself ONE.
     
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  13. Eric Posted: 6/16/2010 4:39pm PDT

    I don't see why people are getting so upset. I bet by the end of his first term, this thing will have less than 50,000 miles in it. After all, he can't even drive to the airport. That's why he uses his fancy helicopter. By Obama's performance, he may not have a second term. What a shame it is a Presidential tradition to get a new limo upon entering office. The U.S. Government will be even more broke then. But it's good for GM.
     
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  14. Vector Posted: 6/24/2010 10:30pm PDT

    You know, I think people don't give Obama enough credit. He's done WAY more for this country than people admit to. Why is it that the certain media groups try to focus on small thins and inflate them way out of purportion whilst the bigger issues Obama "IS" taken care of get swept under the carpet? It's like the Republicans are paying people off to try and make him look bad. Some kind of personal vendetta maybe? I just don't get why so many people ignore the good he's done & only focus on the small potato's I suppose. :(
     
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  15. Larry Posted: 7/2/2010 5:31pm PDT

    I think Obama needs to clear up his history. Prove he wasn't lying about anything. I do give him credit the ecomomy is turning around.
     
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  16. Mr Limousine Posted: 8/12/2010 4:29am PDT

    Whoa!! thats an awsome looking Luxury Limousine.
    Its a good thing its powered by a diesel, it will have some moving with all that armour.
    At least Barack, Michelle and the kids with arrive safe and in style
     
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  17. car services pa Posted: 11/16/2010 8:58pm PST

    talk about making an impression... this limo is a vampire to gas, does he even know that... guess we have to pay more taxes
     
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  18. fb_1306219431 avatar Anand Tripathi Posted: 8/31/2011 6:38am PDT

    Its my favourite The Beast
     
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