Trump's Armored Presidential Limo: Inside The $1.5 Million Beast Packed With Cutting-Edge Features

Once Donald Trump swears in on Jan. 20 as the new U.S. President, he will receive the Presidential state car, a custom Cadillac nicknamed “The Beast” that he drove during his previous term as well.

About The Beast: The current state car debuted in 2018 and was used by Trump during his first term. NBC News then reported that the limo weighs about 20,000 pounds, is heavily armored to defend against any potential attack, and has a refrigerator of the president’s blood type in case of emergencies.

The report also noted that the doors of the vehicle are as heavy as those on a Boeing 757 jet and that it uses a mix of steel, aluminum, and ceramic armor.

The car, built by General Motors Co. GM, was commissioned by the United States Secret Service and cost $1.5 million.

The Presidential State Cars Before: General Motors has a long history of building state cars. The state car before the current, which went into service in 2009 and drove 44th U.S. President Barrack Obama from his first inauguration to the inaugural parade, was also a Cadillac. Former President Bill Clinton used a Cadillac Fleetwood as his Presidential state car prior to that.

In the late 20th century, however, a few Lincoln vehicles were also used as Presidential state cars. In fact, the very first President car to be built to the Secret Service’s specifications was the Sunshine Special – a modified 1939 Lincoln Model K limousine. Lincoln is a brand by GM’s rival Ford Motor Co.

Cadillac Sales: In 2024, Cadillac had its best year in terms of sales since 2016. The brand sold 160,204 vehicles in the U.S., marking a year-on-year growth of 8.8%.

Cadillac currently manufactures both electric and internal combustion engine vehicles. The brand has 8 offerings in the U.S., including two electric offerings in the form of its Lyriq SUV and the Escalade IQ EV.

Check out more of Benzinga’s Future Of Mobility coverage by following this link.

Read Next:

• FTC Bans General Motors From Sharing Driver Data Following Allegations That It Sold Sensitive Consumer Information

Photo courtesy: Wikimedia