The U.S. President’s state car is known as The Beast. It’s a massive Cadillac that travels around the world with the President serving the protected transportation needs of whomever the President is.
Much of the limousine’s engineering is kept on the down low for security purposes but there’s some solid information AutomotiveMap was able to put together.
There are two different versions of The Beast.
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The U.S. Secret Service has used two different versions of The Beast to transport current U.S. President Donald Trump.
The Beast is built by General Motors
In 2014, General Motors was awarded three contracts to develop the next-generation Beast. Ford elected to not bid on the vehicle. It has been reported that the car rides on a modified platform from a Chevrolet Kodiak.
It cost millions.
U.S. taxpayers shelled out millions of dollars for the presidential limousine. The price tag includes development, testing, building, and delivering a vehicle unlike any other in the world.
It’s a Cadillac.
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The Beast is a luxury limousine that is branded a Cadillac. It features similar design features as the Cadillac CT6, the automaker’s luxury large car with familiar headlight and taillight signatures, grille, and hood design. When it’s not called The Beast, the car is often referred to as Cadillac One.
The Beast weighs around 20,000 pounds.
Various sources put the weight of the car around 15,000-20,000 pounds. The heaviest SUVs on the market today weigh around 6,000 pounds. Why does The Beast weigh more? It’s lined with a host of bullet resistant armor and weighed down with advanced technology.
The car’s armor is made of layers of materials.
The car features layers of thick armor that are made up of aluminum, ceramic, and steel according to NBC News. Its exterior is eight inches thick and windows are multi-layered and five inches thick. The doors are each believed to weight around 40 pounds.
The Beast (allegedly) seats seven.
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Riding inside with the limousine with the President are secret service agents, members of the President’s staff and family, and other elected officials. The Beast needs to have room for them all.
The car’s cabin isn’t quite outfitted like a traditional vehicle.
The area where the President sits is covered in a dark blue cloth rather than traditionally luxurious leather. It has seat belts that start at the center of the vehicle and latch at the exterior, which is likely a safety measure and allow agents to buckle/unbuckle the passengers in the event of an emergency without having to reach across, savings precious seconds.
It travels in style.
The Caddy flies all over the world in a C-17 Globemaster plane. The C-17 is a strategic military transport aircraft that was designed for use by the United States Air Force by McDonnell Douglas.
The Beast doesn’t travel alone.
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You’re likely to never see The Beast on the streets by itself. The limo is usually flaked by a Suburban and other military and police forces surrounding the car. There’s also frequently protective service members running alongside the vehicle in slow speed situations.
There’s a refrigerator full of blood.
According to NBC News, The Beast has a range of medical supplies on board, including a refrigerator full of blood that matches the president’s blood type.
It can protect the President from a biological attack.
The Cadillac is hermetically sealed, which can prevent air, oxygen, or other gases from passing into the cabin. This is especially important in the event of a biological attack.
It has other nifty technology too.
Numerous reports point to the fact The Beast has Kevlar-reinforced Goodyear run-flat tires, night-vision technology, and deployable smokescreens and oil slicks. The car’s door handles can be electrified to deliver a shock if someone outside the car pulls on them. There is also world-class communications equipment that helps keep the President connected to the world any time he’s in the car.
The President doesn’t always use The Beast.
Photo by Getty Images
When it makes better strategic sense, the President travels in a fortified vehicle like a Suburban instead of the Cadillac limo.
