Car Articles

Barack Obama, the first black President of the United States, was sworn into office on January 20th, 2009 with all the regal splendour that is deserving of the most powerful man in America. The newly elected president proudly paraded down the famous Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C in his super luxurious and highly protective Cadillac Presidential Limousine that has been custom built to deliver the utmost security. Having witnessed several Presidential assassinations over the years and having lived through a long list of unsuccessful attempts on the lives of American Presidents, the American Secret Service, assigned to protect the President, was only too glad to welcome the heavily armoured Cadillac into their group.

The Cadillac luxury brand from General Motors continues its tradition of serving U.S. Presidents with its graciously styled and custom built presidential cars having high-end luxury, advanced technology, and top of the line security. Cadillac’s limousines and ceremonial cars for U.S. Presidents date long back into history and can be chronologically listed to form a unique model line-up that has continuously evolved over decades to suit the requirements of Presidents. The main predecessor to Barack Obama’s spellbinding Presidential Limo was created in 2004 with an all-new design to include several new and innovative features. The body structure is specific and its format is perfectly tailored to serve as Presidential transport.

Much like the Presidential aeroplane which is called ‘Air Force One’, the presidential limousine has the call sign ‘Cadillac One’. It’s often referred to lovingly as the ‘Obamamobile’ by the media and as ‘The Beast’ by the Secret Service due to its appalling size and build. Bulletproof glass and armour plating completely cover the car and it is hermetically-sealed to protect against chemical weapons. Like all presidential Cadillacs, the car contains plenty of electronic communication equipment for the President to keep in touch with the outside world while travelling.

Though it is as much Cadillac as any other Cadillac, the Presidential Limousine is a combination of signature design elements of several brands. The car flaunts traditional styling with a graceful modern appeal. A typical sophisticated dual-textured Cadillac grille is seen at the front. The body profiles both at the front and rear are elegant and reminiscent of Cadillac’s STS and DTS luxury sedans. The rear doors display a bold Presidential seal.

The tyres are shred-proof and puncture resistant as they are re-enforced with steel rims underneath. This allows the car to travel at top speeds even if the tyres have burst away. The right front fender proudly holds the US flag and the left fender carries the presidential standard. At night, the flags are illuminated by high-tech LED spotlights.

For extra strength, the car’s body is developed with a combination of steel, aluminium, titanium, and special ceramic material. The 8-inch thick doors with armour plating weigh as much as the cabin door of a 757 Boeing Jet Plane. The chassis projects a 5-inch steel plate underneath the car to protect against explosives planted on the road and below the car. The petrol tank is armour plated too and is filled with specially designed foam that prevents an explosion even if the tank is directly hit by an explosive.