Presidential limousine
Encyclopedia
The presidential state car is the official state car
used by the President
of the United States
. A variety of vehicles have both officially and unofficially been acknowledged as the presidential vehicle. Since the late 1930s, the U.S. government has specially commissioned vehicles for presidential use, often specifying advanced communications equipment, special convenience features, armor plating, and defense countermeasures. American cars are traditionally chosen for the role. The most recent vehicle to be customized as the presidential car is a GMC Topkick-based, Cadillac
-badged limousine often referred to as Cadillac One and occasionally as Limo One (a reference to the U.S. presidential aircraft, Air Force One
) or as The Beast.
presidential limousine is the first not to carry a specific model name. The vehicle's outward appearance carries many current Cadillac styling themes, but doesn't exactly resemble any particular production vehicle. The body itself seems to be a modification of the immediately previous DTS-badged Presidential limousines, but the vehicle's chassis and driveline are assumed to be sourced from the GMC Topkick commercial truck. Many body components are sourced from a variety of Cadillac vehicles; for example, the car apparently uses Cadillac Escalade
headlights, side mirrors and door handles. The tail of the car seems to use the taillights and back up lights from the Cadillac STS
sedan. Although a price tag has not been announced, there is a rumor that each limousine costs .
of the President's blood type
. Interestingly, there are no key holes in the doors. A special technique, known only to Secret Service agents, is required to gain access to the passenger area.
The car can seat seven people, including the president. The front seats two, and includes a console-mounted communications center. A Remington Arms
shotgun is kept beneath the driver's seat, stashed between his seat and door. A glass partition divides the front from back. Three rear-facing seats are in the back, with cushions that are able to fold over the partition. The two rear seats are reserved for the president and another passenger; these seats have the ability to recline individually. A folding desk is between the two rear seats. Storage compartments in the interior panels of the car contain communications equipment which is called the Limousine Control Package and is operated by the White House Communication Agency. This is the voice and data device that links the vehicle to the WHCA Roadrunner
at the rear of the motorcade allowing command and control (or "C2") functions to be performed from the limo. The Secret Service
refers to the heavily armored vehicle as The Beast. The car is driven by a highly trained Secret Service agent who is capable of performing a J-turn
. This maneuver, taught at the USSS
training facility outside Washington D.C., can turn the limo 180 degrees in matter of seconds to escape any trouble. The President's lead protective agent usually sits in the front passenger seat.
On domestic trips, Cadillac One displays the American
and Presidential Standard
flags, which are illuminated by directional flood lights
mounted on the hood. When the President performs a state visit
to a foreign country, the Presidential Standard is replaced by the foreign country's flag. The limousine is airlifted for domestic and international use primarily by a U.S. Air Force
C-17 Globemaster III
.
The vehicle fuel consumption is about 8 miles per US gallon (3.4 km/L).
The United States government also operates similarly designed limousines for VIP guests, visiting heads of government, and heads of state.
has consisted of about 45 vehicles. While the limousine itself is maintained by the Secret Service, motorcade support vehicles are maintained by the White House Military Office
. At times, the president travels in the presidential Suburban, one of two Chevrolet Suburban
s with the presidential seal on the sides.
was the first president to ride in an automobile, but it was not until the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt
that the first government-owned automobile was used, a white Stanley Steamer
. Roosevelt's successor, William Howard Taft
purchased a White Motor Company
Model M Steamer as his official car, and converted the White House
stable into an automobile garage. Taft also ordered a pair of Pierce-Arrow
s to be used for official state occasions. President Woodrow Wilson
also favored cars over horse-drawn carriages
, and was one of the first chief executives to ride in a Cadillac
during a World War I
victory parade through the streets of Boston. In 1921, President Warren Harding was the first to ride to his inauguration in a car, a Packard
Twin-Six, and a lavish 1928 Cadillac town car was used by his successor, President Calvin Coolidge
.
In 1938, two Cadillac convertibles dubbed Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth were delivered to the U.S. government. Named after the great ocean liners of the time, the 21.5 ft (6.6 m), 7660 lb (3,474.5 kg) vehicles were equipped with a full ammunition arsenal, two way radios, and heavy duty generators. Durable and reliable, the two "Queens" served Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt
, Harry S. Truman
, and Dwight D. Eisenhower
.
The first car specially built for presidential use was the 1939 Lincoln
V12
convertible
called the Sunshine Special, used by Franklin D. Roosevelt
. The limousine was originally equipped with a siren, running lights, a 2-way radio, extra-wide running boards, and grab handles for Secret Service
agents. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
, the Secret Service became more concerned about potential assassination attempts against President Roosevelt. The following day, 8 December 1941, a heavily armored 1928 Cadillac 341A Town Sedan, originally belonging to gangster Al Capone
, was pressed into use to transport the president to the Capitol to deliver his "Infamy
" speech. The car had been confiscated by the Treasury Department
following Capone's arrest and stored in an impound lot until its ironic final duty. Roosevelt used the Capone car until his "Sunshine Special" was modified to be bulletproof, with armor plating for the doors, bullet-proof tires, inch-thick windows and storage compartments for sub-machine guns. The Ford Motor Company leased the car to the office of the president for $500 a year. It remained in use until 1948, and is now on permanent display at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.
The Secret Service would later use custom-bodied 1956, 1976, and 1983 Series 75 Cadillac convertibles as follow-up command cars into the 1990s.
Two custom built 1950 Lincoln Cosmopolitan
limousines were delivered to the White House in 1950 for use by President Truman. At the suggestion of President Eisenhower one was fitted with a glass roof and was dubbed the "Bubble Top". It was later used by John F. Kennedy
and once by Lyndon B. Johnson
. It was retired in 1965 and is now on permanent display at the Henry Ford Museum. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was known for being fond of automobiles, rode in one of the first Cadillac Eldorado
s during the 1953 Inauguration Day parade.
President John F. Kennedy's limousine, in which he was assassinated, was a 1961 Lincoln Continental
convertible, which also came with a Plexiglas bubble top in the event of inclement weather. The vehicle was custom built by Hess and Eisenhart of Cincinnati, and was known as the SS-100-X
. The car was retrofitted with armor plating, a permanent sedan roof, a new interior, an improved air-conditioning system, electronic communications equipment, bulletproof glass, repainted black and cosmetic alterations to remove damage incurred during the assassination, among other changes. The car is on display at the Henry Ford Museum
.
The Johnson administration used three 1965 Lincoln Continental Executive limousines; two were for presidential use and one for Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara
. A 1968 stretch Lincoln was used in Washington, D.C. and Austin, Texas
, Johnson's hometown. This vehicle is on display at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum
. The X-100 was modified again in 1967. Later, under President Richard Nixon
, the large one-piece glass roof was replaced with a smaller glass area and a hinged roof panel. It remained in service until 1977 and resides in its final configuration at the Henry Ford Museum.
Imperial LeBaron based armored limos (the last to date Chrysler based White House limos) constructed by Hess and Eisenhart and also ordered a 1972 Lincoln Continental model that was stretched to 22 ft (7 m), outfitted with armor plating, bullet resistant glass and powered by a 460 cubic inch (7.5 liter) V8 engine mated to a C-6 3-speed automatic transmission. This model was also altered a number of times during its history, including replacement of the front fenders and grille, in addition to modification of the rear taillight and reflector assembly to match the updated 1977-1979 models. The Lincoln was used by Presidents Ford, Jimmy Carter
and Ronald Reagan
; it was the limousine that Reagan was about to enter at the time of his assassination attempt
in 1981. Ironically, the vehicle's armor proved a crucial factor in causing Reagan's gunshot wound - the president was not directly hit, he was struck by a bullet that ricocheted off the armored side of the vehicle. The car is on display at the Henry Ford Museum.
In 1983, the Reagan administration received a Cadillac Fleetwood
limousine. This limousine was first used in February 1983 for President Ronald Reagan's birthday parade in Dixon, Illinois
. This was the last GM car equipped with the Turbo Hydra-Matic 400 3-speed automatic transmission. It resides at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
and Museum in Simi Valley, California
. President George H. W. Bush
used a 1989 modified Lincoln Town Car. It had a 460 Cu. in. EFI V-8 out of a Ford F-250 Heavy Duty pickup truck and an E4OD 4 speed automatic transmission. One model is on display at the George Bush Presidential Library
in College Station, Texas
.
A Presidential Series Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham was delivered to the Clinton Administration in 1993. No sunroof or running boards were installed in order to minimize external threats. It included a 454 cubic inch (7.4 liter) Chevrolet V-8 Engine mated to a 4L80E 4 speed automatic transmission, the same used in the 1993 Chevrolet C2500 heavy duty pickup truck. The car is located at the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, Arkansas
. , the 1993 Cadillac Fleetwood at the Clinton Presidential Center is the final presidential vehicle to be placed on public display. Plans call for the Secret Service to use future vehicles for security testing that may result in their destruction.
A 2001 Cadillac DeVille
limousine was delivered to the Bush administration and was replaced in 2005 by a Cadillac DTS
(DeVille Touring Sedan). The 2005 Cadillac DTS limousine is a hand-crafted, custom built, armored version of the stretch Cadillac DTS built on a GM
four-wheel drive
platform. The vehicle was custom built by Centigon
(formerly O'Gara, Hess & Eisenhardt). It was first used on January 20, 2005 during the second inauguration parade of George W. Bush
. It now serves as an alternative presidential limousine that is frequently used.
Official state car
An official state car is a car used by a government to transport its head of state in an official capacity, which may also be used occasionally to transport other members of the government or visiting dignitaries from other countries. On a state visit, the official state car might be transported...
used by the President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. A variety of vehicles have both officially and unofficially been acknowledged as the presidential vehicle. Since the late 1930s, the U.S. government has specially commissioned vehicles for presidential use, often specifying advanced communications equipment, special convenience features, armor plating, and defense countermeasures. American cars are traditionally chosen for the role. The most recent vehicle to be customized as the presidential car is a GMC Topkick-based, Cadillac
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
-badged limousine often referred to as Cadillac One and occasionally as Limo One (a reference to the U.S. presidential aircraft, Air Force One
Air Force One
Air Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. In common parlance the term refers to those Air Force aircraft whose primary mission is to transport the president; however, any U.S. Air Force aircraft...
) or as The Beast.
Current model
The current presidential limousine entered service on January 20, 2009. According to the manufacturer, General Motors, the 2009 CadillacCadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
presidential limousine is the first not to carry a specific model name. The vehicle's outward appearance carries many current Cadillac styling themes, but doesn't exactly resemble any particular production vehicle. The body itself seems to be a modification of the immediately previous DTS-badged Presidential limousines, but the vehicle's chassis and driveline are assumed to be sourced from the GMC Topkick commercial truck. Many body components are sourced from a variety of Cadillac vehicles; for example, the car apparently uses Cadillac Escalade
Cadillac Escalade
The Cadillac Escalade is a full-size luxury sport utility vehicle sold by the General Motors luxury brand, Cadillac. It was the division's first major entry into the popular SUV market. The Escalade was introduced for the 1999 model year in response to German and Japanese competitors and to Ford's...
headlights, side mirrors and door handles. The tail of the car seems to use the taillights and back up lights from the Cadillac STS
Cadillac STS
The STS is a mid-size luxury sports sedan / executive car manufactured and sold by Cadillac. It is equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission with performance algorithm shifting and driver shift control.- Origins :...
sedan. Although a price tag has not been announced, there is a rumor that each limousine costs .
General specifications
Most details of the car are classified for security reasons; however, it is known that it is fitted with military grade armor at least five inches thick, and the wheels are fitted with run flat tires that makes the vehicle drivable for a certain length of time if punctured. The doors weigh as much as a Boeing 757 airplane cabin door. The engine is equipped with a Eaton Twin Vortices Series 1900 supercharger system. The vehicle's fuel tank is leak-proof and explosion resistant. Due to the thickness of the glass, much natural light is excluded, so a fluorescent halo lighting system in the headliner is essential. The outside crowd is only heard through internal speakers. The car is perfectly sealed against biochemical attacks and has its own oxygen supply and firefighting system built into the trunk. Unseen at a glance are two holes hidden inside the lower part of the vehicle's front bumper, which are able to emit tear gas. The vehicle can also fire a salvo of multi-spectrum infrared smoke grenades as a countermeasure to a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) or anti-tank missile (ATGM) attack and to act as a visual obscurant to operator guided missiles. This is fired remotely by the USSS countermeasures Suburban which trails the limo and contains the sensors to detect the launch of such an attack. The limo is equipped with a driver's enhanced video system which allows the driver to operate in an infrared smoke environment. This driver's enhanced video system also contains bumper mounted night vision cameras for operation in pitch black conditions. Kept in the trunk is a blood bankBlood bank
A blood bank is a cache or bank of blood or blood components, gathered as a result of blood donation, stored and preserved for later use in blood transfusion. The term "blood bank" typically refers to a division of a hospital laboratory where the storage of blood product occurs and where proper...
of the President's blood type
Blood type
A blood type is a classification of blood based on the presence or absence of inherited antigenic substances on the surface of red blood cells . These antigens may be proteins, carbohydrates, glycoproteins, or glycolipids, depending on the blood group system...
. Interestingly, there are no key holes in the doors. A special technique, known only to Secret Service agents, is required to gain access to the passenger area.
The car can seat seven people, including the president. The front seats two, and includes a console-mounted communications center. A Remington Arms
Remington Arms
Remington Arms Company, Inc. was founded in 1816 by Eliphalet Remington in Ilion, New York, as E. Remington and Sons. It is the oldest company in the United States which still makes its original product, and is the oldest continuously operating manufacturer in North America. It is the only U.S....
shotgun is kept beneath the driver's seat, stashed between his seat and door. A glass partition divides the front from back. Three rear-facing seats are in the back, with cushions that are able to fold over the partition. The two rear seats are reserved for the president and another passenger; these seats have the ability to recline individually. A folding desk is between the two rear seats. Storage compartments in the interior panels of the car contain communications equipment which is called the Limousine Control Package and is operated by the White House Communication Agency. This is the voice and data device that links the vehicle to the WHCA Roadrunner
WHCA Roadrunner
The White House Communications Agency Roadrunner Vehicle is an element of every American presidential motorcade. It is also known as the MC2V...
at the rear of the motorcade allowing command and control (or "C2") functions to be performed from the limo. The Secret Service
United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
refers to the heavily armored vehicle as The Beast. The car is driven by a highly trained Secret Service agent who is capable of performing a J-turn
J-turn
A J-turn is a driving maneuver used to reverse a backwards-traveling vehicle so as to continue driving in the same direction, but with the vehicle pointed forward. The J-turn is also called "moonshiner's turn", based on the evasive driving tactics used by bootleggers. A J-turn differs from a...
. This maneuver, taught at the USSS
United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
training facility outside Washington D.C., can turn the limo 180 degrees in matter of seconds to escape any trouble. The President's lead protective agent usually sits in the front passenger seat.
On domestic trips, Cadillac One displays the American
Flag of the United States
The national flag of the United States of America consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing fifty small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars alternating with rows...
and Presidential Standard
Flag of the President of the United States
The Flag of the President of the United States consists of the presidential coat of arms on a dark blue background. While having the same design as the presidential seal since 1945, the flag has a separate history, and the designs on the flag and seal have at different times influenced each other...
flags, which are illuminated by directional flood lights
High-intensity discharge lamp
High-intensity discharge lamps are a type of electrical lamp which produces light by means of an electric arc between tungsten electrodes housed inside a translucent or transparent fused quartz or fused alumina arc tube. This tube is filled with both gas and metal salts. The gas facilitates the...
mounted on the hood. When the President performs a state visit
State visit
A state visit is a formal visit by a foreign head of state to another nation, at the invitation of that nation's head of state. State visits are the highest form of diplomatic contact between two nations, and are marked by ceremonial pomp and diplomatic protocol. In parliamentary democracies, heads...
to a foreign country, the Presidential Standard is replaced by the foreign country's flag. The limousine is airlifted for domestic and international use primarily by a U.S. Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
C-17 Globemaster III
C-17 Globemaster III
The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft. Developed for the United States Air Force from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas, the C-17 is used for rapid strategic airlift of troops and cargo to main operating bases or forward operating bases throughout...
.
The vehicle fuel consumption is about 8 miles per US gallon (3.4 km/L).
The United States government also operates similarly designed limousines for VIP guests, visiting heads of government, and heads of state.
Presidential motorcade
Since 2001, when the president travels out of town, his motorcadeMotorcade
A motorcade is a procession of vehicles. The term motorcade was coined by Lyle Abbot , and is formed after cavalcade on the false notion that "-cade" was a suffix meaning "procession"...
has consisted of about 45 vehicles. While the limousine itself is maintained by the Secret Service, motorcade support vehicles are maintained by the White House Military Office
White House Military Office
The White House Military Office , an entity of the Executive Office of the President, provides military support for White House functions, including food service, Presidential transportation, medical support and emergency medical services, and hospitality services...
. At times, the president travels in the presidential Suburban, one of two Chevrolet Suburban
Chevrolet Suburban
Chevrolet offered a station wagon body, built on the 1/2 ton truck frame. This model was specifically built for National Guard units and Civilian Conservation Corps units. Much of the body was constructed from wood, and could seat up to eight occupants....
s with the presidential seal on the sides.
Early vehicles (1910s–1950)
President William McKinleyWilliam McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
was the first president to ride in an automobile, but it was not until the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
that the first government-owned automobile was used, a white Stanley Steamer
Stanley Steamer
The Stanley Motor Carriage Company was a manufacturer of steam-engine vehicles; it operated from 1902 to 1924. The cars made by the company were colloquially called Stanley Steamers, although several different models were produced.-Early history:...
. Roosevelt's successor, William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
purchased a White Motor Company
White Motor Company
White Motor Company was an American automobile and truck manufacturer from 1900 until 1980. The company also produced bicycles, roller skates, automatic lathes, and sewing machines. Before World War II, the company was based in Cleveland, Ohio.-History:...
Model M Steamer as his official car, and converted the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
stable into an automobile garage. Taft also ordered a pair of Pierce-Arrow
Pierce-Arrow
Pierce-Arrow was an American automobile manufacturer based in Buffalo, New York, which was active from 1901-1938. Although best known for its expensive luxury cars, Pierce-Arrow also manufactured commercial trucks, fire trucks, camp trailers, motorcycles, and bicycles.-Early history:The forerunner...
s to be used for official state occasions. President Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
also favored cars over horse-drawn carriages
Carriage
A carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn; litters and sedan chairs are excluded, since they are wheelless vehicles. The carriage is especially designed for private passenger use and for comfort or elegance, though some are also used to transport goods. It may be light,...
, and was one of the first chief executives to ride in a Cadillac
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
during a World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
victory parade through the streets of Boston. In 1921, President Warren Harding was the first to ride to his inauguration in a car, a Packard
Packard
Packard was an American luxury-type automobile marque built by the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, and later by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation of South Bend, Indiana...
Twin-Six, and a lavish 1928 Cadillac town car was used by his successor, President Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge
John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. was the 30th President of the United States . A Republican lawyer from Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state...
.
In 1938, two Cadillac convertibles dubbed Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth were delivered to the U.S. government. Named after the great ocean liners of the time, the 21.5 ft (6.6 m), 7660 lb (3,474.5 kg) vehicles were equipped with a full ammunition arsenal, two way radios, and heavy duty generators. Durable and reliable, the two "Queens" served Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
, Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
, and Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
.
The first car specially built for presidential use was the 1939 Lincoln
Lincoln (automobile)
Lincoln is an American luxury vehicle brand of the Ford Motor Company. Lincoln vehicles are sold mostly in North America.-History:The company was founded in August 1915 by Henry M. Leland, one of the founders of Cadillac . During World War I, he left Cadillac which was sold to General Motors...
V12
V12 engine
A V12 engine is a V engine with 12 cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of six cylinders, usually but not always at a 60° angle to each other, with all 12 pistons driving a common crankshaft....
convertible
Convertible
A convertible is a type of automobile in which the roof can retract and fold away having windows which wind-down inside the doors, converting it from an enclosed to an open-air vehicle...
called the Sunshine Special, used by Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
. The limousine was originally equipped with a siren, running lights, a 2-way radio, extra-wide running boards, and grab handles for Secret Service
United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
agents. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
, the Secret Service became more concerned about potential assassination attempts against President Roosevelt. The following day, 8 December 1941, a heavily armored 1928 Cadillac 341A Town Sedan, originally belonging to gangster Al Capone
Al Capone
Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early...
, was pressed into use to transport the president to the Capitol to deliver his "Infamy
Infamy Speech
The Presidential Address to Congress of December 8, 1941 was delivered at 12:30 p.m. that day to a Joint Session of Congress by United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt, one day after the Empire of Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii...
" speech. The car had been confiscated by the Treasury Department
United States Department of the Treasury
The Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
following Capone's arrest and stored in an impound lot until its ironic final duty. Roosevelt used the Capone car until his "Sunshine Special" was modified to be bulletproof, with armor plating for the doors, bullet-proof tires, inch-thick windows and storage compartments for sub-machine guns. The Ford Motor Company leased the car to the office of the president for $500 a year. It remained in use until 1948, and is now on permanent display at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.
The Secret Service would later use custom-bodied 1956, 1976, and 1983 Series 75 Cadillac convertibles as follow-up command cars into the 1990s.
Age of automobiles (1950–1969)
Lincoln Cosmopolitan
The Lincoln Cosmopolitan is a full-size sedan sold by Lincoln from 1949 to the early 1950s. The Cosmopolitan featured four-speed manual transmission and a 5.5 liter 152 hp V8 as well as an "aerodynamic" hood ornament. Like the Continental of the 1960s, the Cosmopolitan featured suicide...
limousines were delivered to the White House in 1950 for use by President Truman. At the suggestion of President Eisenhower one was fitted with a glass roof and was dubbed the "Bubble Top". It was later used by John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
and once by Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
. It was retired in 1965 and is now on permanent display at the Henry Ford Museum. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was known for being fond of automobiles, rode in one of the first Cadillac Eldorado
Cadillac Eldorado
The 1953 Eldorado was a special-bodied, low-production convertible . It was the production version of the 1952 El Dorado "Golden Anniversary" concept car, and borrowed bumper bullets from the 1951 GM Le Sabre show car...
s during the 1953 Inauguration Day parade.
President John F. Kennedy's limousine, in which he was assassinated, was a 1961 Lincoln Continental
Lincoln Continental
The Lincoln Continental is an automobile which was produced by the Lincoln division of Ford Motor Company from 1939 to 1948 and again from 1956 to 2002...
convertible, which also came with a Plexiglas bubble top in the event of inclement weather. The vehicle was custom built by Hess and Eisenhart of Cincinnati, and was known as the SS-100-X
SS-100-X
SS-100-X was the U.S. Secret Service code name for the Presidential limousine used by the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy. It is the car that Kennedy was riding in when he was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, in 1963...
. The car was retrofitted with armor plating, a permanent sedan roof, a new interior, an improved air-conditioning system, electronic communications equipment, bulletproof glass, repainted black and cosmetic alterations to remove damage incurred during the assassination, among other changes. The car is on display at the Henry Ford Museum
The Henry Ford
The Henry Ford, a National Historic Landmark, , in the Metro Detroit suburb of Dearborn, Michigan, USA, is a large indoor and outdoor history museum complex...
.
The Johnson administration used three 1965 Lincoln Continental Executive limousines; two were for presidential use and one for Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara
Robert McNamara
Robert Strange McNamara was an American business executive and the eighth Secretary of Defense, serving under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson from 1961 to 1968, during which time he played a large role in escalating the United States involvement in the Vietnam War...
. A 1968 stretch Lincoln was used in Washington, D.C. and Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, Johnson's hometown. This vehicle is on display at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum
Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum
The Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum is one of 13 presidential libraries administered by the National Archives and Records Administration. The library houses 45 million pages of historical documents, including the papers of Lyndon Baines Johnson and those of his close associates and others...
. The X-100 was modified again in 1967. Later, under President Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
, the large one-piece glass roof was replaced with a smaller glass area and a hinged roof panel. It remained in service until 1977 and resides in its final configuration at the Henry Ford Museum.
A symbol of the presidency (1969–present)
The White House ordered a Lincoln Continental limousine through Lehman-Peterson of Chicago, which was delivered in 1969 model year trim. This vehicle also had an added sunroof so that Nixon could stand upright when appearing before parade-goers if desired. It was equipped with several features, such as retractable hand grips and running boards, that were later copied by Hess and Eisenhart. This car is now located at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda, California. President Nixon's administration ordered two 1972 (but delivered with 1973 front and rear bumpers) ChryslerChrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
Imperial LeBaron based armored limos (the last to date Chrysler based White House limos) constructed by Hess and Eisenhart and also ordered a 1972 Lincoln Continental model that was stretched to 22 ft (7 m), outfitted with armor plating, bullet resistant glass and powered by a 460 cubic inch (7.5 liter) V8 engine mated to a C-6 3-speed automatic transmission. This model was also altered a number of times during its history, including replacement of the front fenders and grille, in addition to modification of the rear taillight and reflector assembly to match the updated 1977-1979 models. The Lincoln was used by Presidents Ford, Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
and Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
; it was the limousine that Reagan was about to enter at the time of his assassination attempt
Reagan assassination attempt
The Reagan assassination attempt occurred on Monday, March 30, 1981, just 69 days into the presidency of Ronald Reagan. While leaving a speaking engagement at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., President Reagan and three others were shot and wounded by John Hinckley, Jr...
in 1981. Ironically, the vehicle's armor proved a crucial factor in causing Reagan's gunshot wound - the president was not directly hit, he was struck by a bullet that ricocheted off the armored side of the vehicle. The car is on display at the Henry Ford Museum.
In 1983, the Reagan administration received a Cadillac Fleetwood
Cadillac Fleetwood
Lawrence P. Fisher was the Fisher brother most closely involved with Cadillac in its early years. In 1916 he joined the Fisher Body Company which had been formed by two of his brothers in 1908. Larry was one of four of the seven Fisher brothers who brought Fisher Body Corporation under the General...
limousine. This limousine was first used in February 1983 for President Ronald Reagan's birthday parade in Dixon, Illinois
Dixon, Illinois
Dixon is a city in Lee County, Illinois, United States. The population was 15,733 as of the 2010 census, down from 15,941 at the 2000 census. Named for its founder, John Dixon , it is the county seat of Lee County. Located on the Rock River, Dixon was the boyhood home of former U.S...
. This was the last GM car equipped with the Turbo Hydra-Matic 400 3-speed automatic transmission. It resides at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Center for Public Affairs is the presidential library and final resting place of Ronald Wilson Reagan, the 40th President of the United States. Designed by Hugh Stubbins and Associates, the library is located in Simi Valley, California, about northwest of...
and Museum in Simi Valley, California
Simi Valley, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Simi Valley had a population of 124,237. The population density was 2,940.8 people per square mile...
. President George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
used a 1989 modified Lincoln Town Car. It had a 460 Cu. in. EFI V-8 out of a Ford F-250 Heavy Duty pickup truck and an E4OD 4 speed automatic transmission. One model is on display at the George Bush Presidential Library
George Bush Presidential Library
The George Bush Presidential Library and Museum is the presidential library of George H. W. Bush, the 41st President of the United States. It was dedicated on Nov. 6, 1997 and opened to the public shortly thereafter...
in College Station, Texas
College Station, Texas
College Station is a city in Brazos County, Texas, situated in East Central Texas in the heart of the Brazos Valley. The city is located within the most populated region of Texas, near three of the 10 largest cities in the United States - Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio...
.
A Presidential Series Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham was delivered to the Clinton Administration in 1993. No sunroof or running boards were installed in order to minimize external threats. It included a 454 cubic inch (7.4 liter) Chevrolet V-8 Engine mated to a 4L80E 4 speed automatic transmission, the same used in the 1993 Chevrolet C2500 heavy duty pickup truck. The car is located at the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
. , the 1993 Cadillac Fleetwood at the Clinton Presidential Center is the final presidential vehicle to be placed on public display. Plans call for the Secret Service to use future vehicles for security testing that may result in their destruction.
A 2001 Cadillac DeVille
Cadillac DeVille
The de Ville was originally a trim level and later a model of General Motors' Cadillac marque. The first car to bear the name was the 1949 Coupe de Ville, a prestige trim level of the Series 62 luxury coupe. The last model to be formally known as a de Ville was the 2005 Cadillac Deville, a...
limousine was delivered to the Bush administration and was replaced in 2005 by a Cadillac DTS
Cadillac DTS
The Cadillac DTS is a full-size luxury sedan produced by General Motors, an American automobile company. The DTS replaced the Cadillac DeVille as General Motors' largest luxury car for the 2006 model year...
(DeVille Touring Sedan). The 2005 Cadillac DTS limousine is a hand-crafted, custom built, armored version of the stretch Cadillac DTS built on a GM
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...
platform. The vehicle was custom built by Centigon
Centigon
Centigon is today a division of the Carat Security Group but it traces its roots back to coach builders O'Gara-Hess and Eisenhardt and Sayers & Scovill....
(formerly O'Gara, Hess & Eisenhardt). It was first used on January 20, 2005 during the second inauguration parade of George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
. It now serves as an alternative presidential limousine that is frequently used.
See also
- Ground Force OneGround Force OneGround Force One is the code-name for the black armored buses used to transport the President of the United States and other dignitaries. The two modified Prevost coaches were purchased by the United States Secret Service from Hemphill Brothers Coach Company of Tennessee for US$1.1 million each in...
- Bentley State LimousineBentley State LimousineThe Bentley State Limousine is an official state car created by Bentley for Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of her Golden Jubilee in 2002.The vehicle's twin-turbocharged, 6.75-litre V8 engine has been modified from Bentley's Arnage R version to produce and of torque. Its maximum speed is . The...
- Federal vehicle fleet
- List of official vehicles of the President of the United States
- Official state carOfficial state carAn official state car is a car used by a government to transport its head of state in an official capacity, which may also be used occasionally to transport other members of the government or visiting dignitaries from other countries. On a state visit, the official state car might be transported...
- PopemobilePopemobilePopemobile is an informal name for the specially designed motor vehicles used by the pope during outdoor public appearances without having to employ the antiquated and often impractical sedia gestatoria. The Popemobile was designed to allow the pope to be more visible when greeting large crowds...
- Sunshine Special Presidential State Car (United States)Sunshine Special Presidential State Car (United States)The Sunshine Special was the official state car used by Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States. It is said to have been the "First Presidential car to acquire its own personality" although the exact origin of its nickname is unknown...
- Air Force OneAir Force OneAir Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. In common parlance the term refers to those Air Force aircraft whose primary mission is to transport the president; however, any U.S. Air Force aircraft...
, the US Presidential aircraft - Marine OneMarine OneMarine One is the call sign of any United States Marine Corps aircraft carrying the President of the United States. It usually denotes a helicopter operated by the HMX-1 "Nighthawks" squadron, either the large VH-3D Sea King or the newer, smaller VH-60N "WhiteHawk", both due to be replaced by the...
, the US Presidential helicopter
External links
- President Gets New Convertible, September 1950, Popular Science detailed article on special Lincoln convertibles ordered for President Truman in 1950
- http://defenseautos.yolasite.com/usapc.php
- Vehicle order for Presidential motorcade
- "Who was the president when the White House got its first car?"
- "The Obamamobile: New presidential limo is unveiled"
- Popular Mechanics June 2001 article about the 2001 Cadillac DeVille presidential limo.
- "Obama Rolls in an Armored Cadillac Stagecoach"