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EspañolPRESIDENTIAL STATE CAR (UNITED STATES)
(Redirected from United States President\'s limousine)
The 'Presidential State Car' is a name that can be given to several Limousines used by the President of the United States.
The current Presidential Limousine is a 2006 hand-crafted, armored version of the stretch 'Cadillac DTS' (DeVille Touring Sedan), first used on January 20, 2005 during the second inauguration parade of George W. Bush. The vehicle was custom built by a team formerly called O'Gara, Hess and Eisenhart, founded in Fairfield, Ohio in 1942, specializing in armoring limousines for presidents and heads of state, and now a subsidiary of BAE Systems.[1]
The vehicle's exterior is that of a Cadillac DTS, however a GM truck chassis with a specialized engine is used. The standard DeVille flush-style door handles have been replaced by a loop-type design, made specifically for this vehicle. The security door handles may only be opened by trained Secret Service personnel. The exterior wreath-and-crest emblems located behind the rear side windows are the only stock components.
Similar to its predecessor, the 2001 Presidential Limousine, the stretch Cadillac features an executive plush interior with a rear foldaway desktop, an extensive entertainment system featuring a 10-disc CD changer and adaptive, massaging cushions. The president sits in the rear seat, facing a console-mounted, secure communications panel which is connected to five antennas mounted on the trunk lid. The vehicle has a United States flag mounted on the right front fender and a Presidential flag on the left front fender. Flush-mounted high intensity discharge (HID) spotlights illuminate the flags at night. Similar to an option available on the standard Cadillac DTS, the presidential limousine is said to have a night vision system, with the camera placed in an undisclosed location.
The exterior is paneled with five inches of ballistic armor, designed to withstand anti-tank grenade launchers. The underside of the car is also armored. The fully functional windows are made of transparent armor of sufficient thickness to block sunlight, requiring interior illumination with artificial lighting. The car has a run-flat tire system utilizing tires custom made twice annually by GoodYear. The limousine is environmentally sealed against chemical and biological attacks.
The presidential motorcade always includes a physician and nurse-equipped ambulance, a secret service communications vehicle and two or three additional Presidential Limousines. The Presidential Limousine uses the call sign "Cadillac One."
Cadillac One is airlifted for domestic and international use primarily by U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III. The President's Limousine is one of the most distinct automobiles in the world with its imposing frame and Presidential Seal affixed to the rear doors. When the President travels on domestic and working international trips, Cadillac One displays the American and Presidential flags. When the President performs a state visit to a foreign country, the Presidential flag is replaced by the foreign country's flag.
While on a June 2007 overseas visit to Rome, Italy, the presidential limousine in which President Bush was riding experienced mechanical failure and stalled during a motorcade. In a video widely available on the internet, the presidential limousine can be seen coasting to a halt while the Secret Service agent at the wheel attempts to restart the engine. The vehicle was not able to be immediately restarted and the President was evacuated from the car and placed into the backup limousine. Secret Service and Italian Police are observed attempting to secure the crowd and form a security cordon during the unscheduled stop; finally, after a period of some time, the President emerges from his original car and is whisked away.
The president occasionally rides in a SUV when the situation calls, such as his visit to the Marine base at Twentynine Palms.[2]
The Vice President of the United States has his own distinct Cadillac limousine, which is currently a 2001 DeVille model displaying the Vice Presidential flag and bearing the Vice Presidential Seal on the rear doors. It is also transported as needed, whether for overseas trips or within the Washington, D.C. area.
President Woodrow Wilson was one of the first chief executives to ride in a Cadillac during a World War I victory parade through the streets of Boston. A lavish 1928 Cadillac town car was used during the Coolidge Administration.
In 1938, two Cadillac convertibles dubbed the "Queen Mary" and "Queen Elizabeth" were delivered to the U.S. Government. Named after the great ocean liners of the time, the 21.5 feet (6.55 m), 7,660 pound (3470 kg) vehicles were equipped with a full ammunition arsenal, two way radios, and heavy duty generators. Durable and reliable, the two "Queens" served Presidents Roosevelt, Truman and Eisenhower.
On December 8, 1941, in the wake of Pearl Harbor, the Secret Service used an armored limousine, originally belonging to Prohibition-era gangster Al Capone, to transport the President to Congress to present his famous Infamy Speech. The car had been confiscated by the Department of the Treasury following Capone's conviction for tax evasion and had been stored in a Washington, D.C. impound lot until its ironic final duty.
The first car specially built for Presidential use was the 1939 Lincoln V12 convertible called the "Sunshine Special" used by Franklin D. Roosevelt. It remained in use until 1950. The vehicle was donated to the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, where it is on permanent display.
A 1950 Lincoln Cosmopolitan called the "Bubble Top" was used by Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy and once by Johnson. It was retired in 1965 and is now located on permanent display in the Henry Ford Museum.
President Eisenhower, who was known as a "car buff," had ridden in one of the first Cadillac Eldorados during the 1953 Inauguration Day Parade. The vehicle was unique as it had the first one piece "wrap-around" windshield, which quickly became a standard in domestic and foreign automobiles.
The John F. Kennedy limousine was a 1961 Lincoln Continental convertible, also 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 X-100. Kennedy chose to have the car refitted with a 1962 grille for aesthetic reasons.
The 1961 vehicle was notorious for its inadequate cooling of the rear of the passenger cabin while the bubble top was in place, particularly in sunshine. In order to prevent excessive heat and discomfort to the passengers, the top was often removed prior to parades, as was the case in Dallas on November 22, 1963.
Though it was always assumed that President Lyndon Baines Johnson had the car destroyed after the assassination of President Kennedy, the X-100 was turned over to the Secret Service, Army Materials Research Center, Hess & Eisenhart, Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company, and Ford Motor Company for retrofitting of armor plating, permanent sedan roof, new interior, improved air-conditioning system, electronic communications equipment, bulletproof glass, a new paint treatment and cosmetic alterations to remove damage which incurred during the assassination, among other changes.
The Johnson Administration also used three 1965 Lincoln Continental Executive Limousines. Two limousines for the President and one for Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, as well as a 1968 "stretch" Lincoln to be used in Washington, D.C., and Austin, Texas. 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.
President Nixon ordered a 1969 model limousine, through Lehman-Peterson of Chicago. This vehicle also had an added sunroof so that Nixon could stand upright when appearing before parade-goers if desired. This vehicle was equipped with several features, such as retractable hand grips and running boards, options later copied by Hess and Eisenhart. This car is now located at the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda, California.
In 1974, Ford supplied a 1972 Continental model which was stretched to 22 feet in length, outfitted with armor plating, bullet resistant glass and powered by a 460 cu. in. V8 engine. This limousine was used by Presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan, and is on display at the Henry Ford Museum.
In 1983 the Reagan Administration received a Cadillac Fleetwood limousine, which resides at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum in Simi Valley, California. George H. W. Bush used a 1989 modified Town Car.
A Presidential Series Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham was delivered to the Clinton Administration in 1993. The Cadillac vehicles were designed, developed and manufactured at General Motors to provide unquestionable protection. No sunroof or running boards were installed in order to minimize external threats. The 1993 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham is located at the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, Arkansas.
A 2001 Cadillac DeVille limousine was delivered to the Bush Administration and was replaced by the current 2006 Cadillac DTS.
The 1993 Cadillac Fleetwood used by Bill Clinton was the final presidential vehicle to be placed on display. Future vehicles will be used for Secret Service security testing and will most likely be destroyed in the process.
Since 2001, when the president travels out-of-town, his motorcade consists of about 35 vehicles. Approximately the first half of the motorcade is called the secure package, which would break off from the rest of the group in the event of an attack. The remainder of the motorcade is composed of staff members and reporters, an ambulance, and more police cars at the end. The ambulance in the rear of the motorcade carries a supply of the president's blood type should it need to be used.[3]
The Presidential limousine is sometimes transported to stops overseas where secure transportation is needed. Sometimes the president uses transportation that is already in the country, either military or in the U.S. embassy motor pool. The president never uses foreign "assets" overseas. [4]
The United States Government also operates similar but differently designed limousines for VIP guests, visiting Heads of Government, and Heads of State.
★ Official state car
★ Cadillac (automobile)
★ Lincoln (automobile)
★ Limousine
★ U.S. Secret Service
★ JFK Limo
★ Vehicle order for Presidential motorcade
★ Infoplease: Who was the president when the White House got its first car?
★ More pics of president's new Cadillac limousine
''This article's main source is the following website:'' The United States Secret Service
1. British company agrees to buy Armor Holdings
2. President George W. Bush aboard Marine One arrives at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, California
3. http://www.slate.com/id/2154626/
4. Ask the White House Ambassador Donald Ensenat
The Presidential State Car carrying President George W. Bush
The 'Presidential State Car' is a name that can be given to several Limousines used by the President of the United States.
| Contents |
| Current Model |
| Previous Presidential Limousines |
| Presidential Motorcade |
| Guest Limousines |
| See also |
| External links |
| References |
Current Model
The current Presidential Limousine is a 2006 hand-crafted, armored version of the stretch 'Cadillac DTS' (DeVille Touring Sedan), first used on January 20, 2005 during the second inauguration parade of George W. Bush. The vehicle was custom built by a team formerly called O'Gara, Hess and Eisenhart, founded in Fairfield, Ohio in 1942, specializing in armoring limousines for presidents and heads of state, and now a subsidiary of BAE Systems.[1]
The vehicle's exterior is that of a Cadillac DTS, however a GM truck chassis with a specialized engine is used. The standard DeVille flush-style door handles have been replaced by a loop-type design, made specifically for this vehicle. The security door handles may only be opened by trained Secret Service personnel. The exterior wreath-and-crest emblems located behind the rear side windows are the only stock components.
Similar to its predecessor, the 2001 Presidential Limousine, the stretch Cadillac features an executive plush interior with a rear foldaway desktop, an extensive entertainment system featuring a 10-disc CD changer and adaptive, massaging cushions. The president sits in the rear seat, facing a console-mounted, secure communications panel which is connected to five antennas mounted on the trunk lid. The vehicle has a United States flag mounted on the right front fender and a Presidential flag on the left front fender. Flush-mounted high intensity discharge (HID) spotlights illuminate the flags at night. Similar to an option available on the standard Cadillac DTS, the presidential limousine is said to have a night vision system, with the camera placed in an undisclosed location.
The exterior is paneled with five inches of ballistic armor, designed to withstand anti-tank grenade launchers. The underside of the car is also armored. The fully functional windows are made of transparent armor of sufficient thickness to block sunlight, requiring interior illumination with artificial lighting. The car has a run-flat tire system utilizing tires custom made twice annually by GoodYear. The limousine is environmentally sealed against chemical and biological attacks.
Vice-President Dick Cheney leaving the National Cathedral in his limousine following Gerald Ford's funeral
The presidential motorcade always includes a physician and nurse-equipped ambulance, a secret service communications vehicle and two or three additional Presidential Limousines. The Presidential Limousine uses the call sign "Cadillac One."
Cadillac One is airlifted for domestic and international use primarily by U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III. The President's Limousine is one of the most distinct automobiles in the world with its imposing frame and Presidential Seal affixed to the rear doors. When the President travels on domestic and working international trips, Cadillac One displays the American and Presidential flags. When the President performs a state visit to a foreign country, the Presidential flag is replaced by the foreign country's flag.
While on a June 2007 overseas visit to Rome, Italy, the presidential limousine in which President Bush was riding experienced mechanical failure and stalled during a motorcade. In a video widely available on the internet, the presidential limousine can be seen coasting to a halt while the Secret Service agent at the wheel attempts to restart the engine. The vehicle was not able to be immediately restarted and the President was evacuated from the car and placed into the backup limousine. Secret Service and Italian Police are observed attempting to secure the crowd and form a security cordon during the unscheduled stop; finally, after a period of some time, the President emerges from his original car and is whisked away.
The president occasionally rides in a SUV when the situation calls, such as his visit to the Marine base at Twentynine Palms.[2]
The Vice President of the United States has his own distinct Cadillac limousine, which is currently a 2001 DeVille model displaying the Vice Presidential flag and bearing the Vice Presidential Seal on the rear doors. It is also transported as needed, whether for overseas trips or within the Washington, D.C. area.
Previous Presidential Limousines
President Woodrow Wilson was one of the first chief executives to ride in a Cadillac during a World War I victory parade through the streets of Boston. A lavish 1928 Cadillac town car was used during the Coolidge Administration.
In 1938, two Cadillac convertibles dubbed the "Queen Mary" and "Queen Elizabeth" were delivered to the U.S. Government. Named after the great ocean liners of the time, the 21.5 feet (6.55 m), 7,660 pound (3470 kg) vehicles were equipped with a full ammunition arsenal, two way radios, and heavy duty generators. Durable and reliable, the two "Queens" served Presidents Roosevelt, Truman and Eisenhower.
On December 8, 1941, in the wake of Pearl Harbor, the Secret Service used an armored limousine, originally belonging to Prohibition-era gangster Al Capone, to transport the President to Congress to present his famous Infamy Speech. The car had been confiscated by the Department of the Treasury following Capone's conviction for tax evasion and had been stored in a Washington, D.C. impound lot until its ironic final duty.
The first car specially built for Presidential use was the 1939 Lincoln V12 convertible called the "Sunshine Special" used by Franklin D. Roosevelt. It remained in use until 1950. The vehicle was donated to the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, where it is on permanent display.
President Eisenhower in 1950 Lincoln limousine
A 1950 Lincoln Cosmopolitan called the "Bubble Top" was used by Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy and once by Johnson. It was retired in 1965 and is now located on permanent display in the Henry Ford Museum.
President Eisenhower, who was known as a "car buff," had ridden in one of the first Cadillac Eldorados during the 1953 Inauguration Day Parade. The vehicle was unique as it had the first one piece "wrap-around" windshield, which quickly became a standard in domestic and foreign automobiles.
President Kennedy in 1962 Lincoln limousine in Dallas, November 22, 1963
The John F. Kennedy limousine was a 1961 Lincoln Continental convertible, also 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 X-100. Kennedy chose to have the car refitted with a 1962 grille for aesthetic reasons.
The 1961 vehicle was notorious for its inadequate cooling of the rear of the passenger cabin while the bubble top was in place, particularly in sunshine. In order to prevent excessive heat and discomfort to the passengers, the top was often removed prior to parades, as was the case in Dallas on November 22, 1963.
Though it was always assumed that President Lyndon Baines Johnson had the car destroyed after the assassination of President Kennedy, the X-100 was turned over to the Secret Service, Army Materials Research Center, Hess & Eisenhart, Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company, and Ford Motor Company for retrofitting of armor plating, permanent sedan roof, new interior, improved air-conditioning system, electronic communications equipment, bulletproof glass, a new paint treatment and cosmetic alterations to remove damage which incurred during the assassination, among other changes.
The Johnson Administration also used three 1965 Lincoln Continental Executive Limousines. Two limousines for the President and one for Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, as well as a 1968 "stretch" Lincoln to be used in Washington, D.C., and Austin, Texas. 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.
1969 Lincoln limousine
President Nixon ordered a 1969 model limousine, through Lehman-Peterson of Chicago. This vehicle also had an added sunroof so that Nixon could stand upright when appearing before parade-goers if desired. This vehicle was equipped with several features, such as retractable hand grips and running boards, options later copied by Hess and Eisenhart. This car is now located at the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda, California.
In 1974, Ford supplied a 1972 Continental model which was stretched to 22 feet in length, outfitted with armor plating, bullet resistant glass and powered by a 460 cu. in. V8 engine. This limousine was used by Presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan, and is on display at the Henry Ford Museum.
In 1983 the Reagan Administration received a Cadillac Fleetwood limousine, which resides at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum in Simi Valley, California. George H. W. Bush used a 1989 modified Town Car.
A Presidential Series Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham was delivered to the Clinton Administration in 1993. The Cadillac vehicles were designed, developed and manufactured at General Motors to provide unquestionable protection. No sunroof or running boards were installed in order to minimize external threats. The 1993 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham is located at the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, Arkansas.
A 2001 Cadillac DeVille limousine was delivered to the Bush Administration and was replaced by the current 2006 Cadillac DTS.
The 1993 Cadillac Fleetwood used by Bill Clinton was the final presidential vehicle to be placed on display. Future vehicles will be used for Secret Service security testing and will most likely be destroyed in the process.
Presidential Motorcade
President George W. Bush boarding the Presidential limo, with Air Force One in the background.
Since 2001, when the president travels out-of-town, his motorcade consists of about 35 vehicles. Approximately the first half of the motorcade is called the secure package, which would break off from the rest of the group in the event of an attack. The remainder of the motorcade is composed of staff members and reporters, an ambulance, and more police cars at the end. The ambulance in the rear of the motorcade carries a supply of the president's blood type should it need to be used.[3]
The Presidential limousine is sometimes transported to stops overseas where secure transportation is needed. Sometimes the president uses transportation that is already in the country, either military or in the U.S. embassy motor pool. The president never uses foreign "assets" overseas. [4]
Guest Limousines
The United States Government also operates similar but differently designed limousines for VIP guests, visiting Heads of Government, and Heads of State.
See also
★ Official state car
★ Cadillac (automobile)
★ Lincoln (automobile)
★ Limousine
★ U.S. Secret Service
External links
★ JFK Limo
★ Vehicle order for Presidential motorcade
★ Infoplease: Who was the president when the White House got its first car?
★ More pics of president's new Cadillac limousine
References
''This article's main source is the following website:'' The United States Secret Service
1. British company agrees to buy Armor Holdings
2. President George W. Bush aboard Marine One arrives at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, California
3. http://www.slate.com/id/2154626/
4. Ask the White House Ambassador Donald Ensenat
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