Meet President Trump's New "Beast" - His Bulletproof Limo

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Meet President Trump's New "Beast" - His Bulletproof Limo

White House / U.S. Secret Service

It goes by many names, including Cadillac One and "the Stagecoach," but you can call President Trump's new armored limousine the Beast.

While Trump inherited a similar car from President Obama, the Secret Service debuted a new model this week that has everyone talking.

As Obama revealed, the president's signature set of wheels is "a Caddy, basically, on a tank frame."

And it includes a few special features that you can't get at your local dealer.

President Trump's New Ride

The Beast's latest incarnation is heavily inspired by the Cadillac CT6, but was custom-built by General Motors to suit the Secret Service's needs.

While details about the president's wheels are hush-hush, we know they must share a few features with the old model he shared with Obama.

There are the usual fine details of a luxury car, like hand-cut-and-sewn interiors and a fold-out desk for working on the go.

The Beast
This diagram is based on the Beast used between 2009 and 2018.John Lawson

But the car also features phone, satellite, and internet communication systems so the president is never out of reach.

The model used until earlier this year featured 5-inch thick bulletproof glass, 8-inch thick doors, and a fuel tank armored to protect it from explosions.

In fact, the Beast is built to withstand just about anything you can throw at it, including land mines.

The Beast is a massive vehicle, but it can handle tight situations:

The secret behind its sturdiness is its extra-large armored frame, which is built for a truck, not a regular limo.

But with the layers of armor and all those added features, the Beast is estimated to weigh between "15,000 to 20,000 pounds."

Armed To The Teeth

No matter where the president travels, the Beast is ready and waiting after being air-lifted there by cargo plane.

In fact, the new car was first spotted in action waiting to drive the president to the United Nations building in New York this week.

And when it gets going, almost nothing can stop the beast.

While the previous model was believed to feature an 8.1-liter V8 engine, it had a top speed of only about 60 miles per hour because of its massive size.

But the Beast's heavy duty truck tires are designed to keep gripping the road, even after being punctured by bullets.

The Beast
President Trump steps inside his new limousine.Dan Scavino Jr. - Twitter

And Secret Service agents inside the Beast are equipped for just about any emergency.

The last model featured space for rocket-propelled grenade launchers, shotguns, and sets of night vision goggles.

The limo itself was even equipped with James Bond-style defense systems, including a tear gas and smoke grenade cannon.

The Beast's Special Features

Despite everything we know about the Beast, there are also many closely guarded secrets.

For one thing, the previous model of the car had no keyholes on the doors, and the method for opening them was never revealed except to Secret Service agents.

The Beast.
President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden ride in the Beast.Pete Souza - White House

There are also some rumored features, like oil slick launchers and electrically charged door handles, that have never been seen in use.

But even without them, the limo has quirks that would make other armored car owners jealous.

A small refrigerator in the back is kept stocked with two pints of blood in the president's type, ready for an emergency infusion.

The inside of the Beast is also a hermetically sealed environment - like an airplane cabin - which protects the car's passengers from gas and biological attacks.

Even Kim Jong Un couldn't pass up a peek inside the Beast:

We're sure to learn more about the Beast as Trump spends more time in it, but the presidential car has a long history.

The first vehicle modified by the Secret Service was FDR's Sunshine Special, which boasted inch-thick glass and armored doors - but also a convertible top.

Enclosed, armored cars were introduced following President Kennedy's 1962 assassination, when he was seated in an open-top limousine.

[H/T: Car and Driver, The Drive]

What do you think of President Trump's new car?

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