Cadillac presidential limo ready for the inauguration

[Cash_thatswhatiwant]

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Secret Service released the first photos Wednesday of the new Cadillac presidential limousine that will make its debut at the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama on Tuesday.

The 2009 presidential limousine provides the Secret Service with a "valuable asset in accomplishing its protective mission by affording its occupants the highest level of protection," the agency said Wednesday.

"Although many of the vehicles' security enhancements cannot be discussed, it is safe to say that this car's security and coded communications systems make it the most technologically advanced protection vehicle in the world," said Nicholas Trotta, the assistant director for the office of protective operations.

The photos were taken in Arlington, Va., along the Potomac River, across from Washington, D.C. The limo has shiny 16-spoke wheels and a distinctive Cadillac grill -- complete with the GM brand's crest.
The Detroit News first reported on Jan. 6 that the new limousine would make its debut at the inauguration. GM recently delivered the limousine, which replaces the 2006 Cadillac DTS presidential limousine that President George W. Bush has used since his second inauguration in January 2005. The new limousine, dubbed the 2009 Cadillac Presidential Limousine, is the first presidential limousine not to carry a specific model name, GM spokesman David Caldwell said last week.

"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."

"For largely functional reasons, such as optimal outward visibility, the car is slightly more upright than its predecessor," GM said in a statement. "The side and rear profiles of the new Presidential Limousine are classic, elegant forms, evocative of Cadillac's STS and DTS luxury sedans. Inside the cabin, the car includes the finest examples of Cadillac's recent renaissance in design, technology and craftsmanship. The cabin blends modern design and technology with old-world craftsmanship. Major aspects of the cabin are cut and sewn by hand, the same process used in popular Cadillac models such as the CTS sport sedan."

The new limousine has larger windows and better visibility for the president, Caldwell said.

But it is roughly the same size and "footprint" of the previous model -- with "mobile office features," GM said.

Obama will use the limousine during the parade down Pennsylvania Avenue after he is worn in at the Capitol.
Spy shots of a test version of the new presidential limousine made the rounds on blogs this summer, with some suggesting it was built on GM's medium-duty truck platform and had a diesel engine. But those photos didn't have GM production panels.

Another company provides heavy armor that is reportedly at least 5 inches thick for the vehicle. The limousine also has run-flat tires, bulletproof glass and a completely sealed interior to ward off a chemical attack, among many other high-tech security features.
It also has significant electronic communications equipment. Secret Service agents are training with the new limousine at a facility near Washington. It's compared by some to a tank.

Caldwell said it would be a mistake to classify the new vehicle as a truck or a sedan. "The president is not riding in a medium-duty truck, nor he is riding in a sedan," he said, adding that it is a "unique" vehicle. Caldwell said he couldn't give specifications -- even the engine size or type -- in either the current limousine or the new one.

Other facts also are secret like the vehicle's curb weight -- though based on earlier models it is in excess of 10,000 pounds. Cadillac has disclosed in the past that the limo has a 10-disc CD player and hand-stitched leather interiors.

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090114/AUTO01/901140447#

[Jennicut]

1. Its a tank-limo but I am glad that it is for Obama's and his family's sake

[firedupdem]

2. It's funny that I never even paid attention to stuff like this before!

Interesting!

[NYC_SKP]

3. I prefer it to Georgie's last limo.

And SO GLAD that Obama doesn't have to sit where Bush's ass spent all that time.

I hope he's getting a new chair in the oval office, too!

Bush Limo:

[AyanEva]

15. Agreed

The new limo is much more pleasing to the eye. I'm loling at the 10-disc CD player. More like ipod Bose sound dock or something in the new one. lol Who uses CDs? Wonder if they put tv screens in the seats like on Pimp My Ride?

[NYC_SKP]

16. I wish he was rollin' on 28's!

Just some nice slightly oversized rims would be sweet.
:fistbump:

[AyanEva]

20. Spinning rims!

[flvegan]

4. Ugly, but brilliant.

Whatever it takes to keep him safe. Too many nutjobs out there.

I'd have liked the ZR1 engine in the front, with maybe some NOS to boost if needed.

[backscatter712]

19. My bet is that the limo has a big V-12 diesel in it.

You need a big truck engine to move that beast.

[Clio the Leo]

5. Shame he cant have a big open window back seat like the queen has...

... with special privacy glass he could turn off and on.

[AtomicKitten]

6. They can ride in a pumpkin as long as it keeps them safe. n/t

[mgc1961]

7. Nice.

I love sedans. Black with tinted windows is a plus although that one's a little too big for my needs.

[EraOfResponsibility]

8. They can come up with a technological marvel such as this...

but they can't make Obama's Blackberry safe? that makes no sense to me.

[boppers]

11. Blackberry routes messages through Canada.

IIRC, we've gone to war with them at least once.

:sarcasm:

On a slightly more serious note, the PE/President needs to use technologies that aren't currently weakened/monitored/exploited by agencies of the US government, its allies, and its enemies. Since most IM/SMS/etc. methods have well known monitoring and exploitation points, well.... that's the blackberry problem.

[Posteritatis]

18. They can't without taking it off its own network, no

It's easier to make it hard to put a bullet through something; it's harder to make sure that a message going through several different locations in multiple countries can't be tapped at any point along the route.

They're completely unrelated problems.

[Occam Bandage]

9. And with all the poor people in DC who have to take the bus. Obama? More like Snobama.

[FrenchieCat]

10. LOL!

Some here would like for him to be inaugurated in the back of that bus.

[Lithos]

12. How many cup holders?

?

[EraOfResponsibility]

13. oh BTW...

I learned on local news here that even though the Obama rehearsal stand ins got out of their vehicle and walked the rest of the parade route, the ACTUAL Obamas may not do this. :(

[TTUBatfan2008]

14. I support the Secret Service...

I know Barack likes to be amongst the people, but there's a damn good reason the Secret Service are so paranoid. I support their paranoia because I think it makes them do a great job protecting the President. Lord knows the new President is going to need protection like no other in history. The amount of nutjobs out there who have already made threats against him is disturbing, and that was before he won the election.

[Bake]

17. It looks much better with the full paint job

The primer on the early photos was pretty nasty!

I thought it was going to have spinners?

Bake