All About Donald Trump’s ‘The Beast’ - US President's Official Car

by Kshitij Rawat | 24/02/2020
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Donald Trump, President of the United States of America, is visiting India for an official tour. Take a look at the vehicle that will be his conveyance here.

US President Donald Trump has finally landed in India. During his maiden trip to our country, he is accompanied by his First Lady, Melania Trump. However, what’s of our real interest here is that Trump is being driven around in his bespoke SUV, nicknamed ‘The Beast’. This vehicle is based on a 2018 Cadillac platform and maintained by the US Secret Service. It has been transported to India in the Air Force One.

Cadillac One SUV Donals Trump's car - The Beast

Cadillac One arrives in India

The Beast is of a custom build, not a regular production model. It weighs nearly 9100 Kg, most of which comes from the heavy-duty armour plating of the vehicle. Although it derives some aesthetic cues from Cadillac CT6, the body seems to be based on an SUV/pickup truck. The limo sports gigantic dimensions, with reports suggesting a passenger capacity of seven people, excluding the driver.

Also Read: Upcoming Luxury Cars In India 2020

The interior of the vehicle is as luxurious as you'd expect, with hand-stitched leather and fabric. Safety is of paramount importance here, quite obviously. The car is built to withstand chemical attacks, and gets 5-inch thick bullet-proof glass on the windows along with 20-inch thick door-armour to protect the occupants from guns and explosions. There are also oxygen tanks onboard. Other than that, the car is reported to also have shotguns, tear-gas cannon, and possibly a grenade-launcher stored inside.

Cadillac One SUV US President Donald Trump's Car

The US Presidential vehicle at the welcome procession in Ahmedabad

As seen above, there are two Cadillac One SUVs at the US President's disposal. One will ferry him and his wife, while the other will follow as a back-up vehicle. There are a few Chevrolet Suburban SUVs as well, one preceding the Cadillacs and the rest following them. For additional safety, Indian security forces will also join the convoy in their own vehicles.

Also Read: Indian Celebrities Who Own Rolls Royce Cars - Sanjay Dutt to Priyanka Chopra

The engine powering the car is a mystery. Although the US Secret Service would probably like to keep it that way, speculations suggest that the vehicle could be powered either by an 8.1-litre naturally-aspirated V8 petrol engine, or a 6.6-litre turbo-diesel engine. Since fuel prices are much cheaper there, the first option would be smart. That said, a diesel-powered car would be a great fit due to two reasons. Firstly, turbo-diesel engines offer a lot of torque at low-rpm, improving drivability. Secondly, diesel has a very high ignition point. In case of an attack or a fire, diesel fuel would not catch a flame, thus making it a safer choice here.

Cadillac One SUV Donald Trump's security convoy in India

US President's security convoy

To prevent any manufacturing secrets from leaking out, every US presidential car is destroyed after its retirement. Since 1983, all presidential vehicles have been built by General Motors under the Cadillac brand. Before that, other presidential cars were also built by Ford Motor Company (via Lincoln and Ford), Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Company, and Stanley Motor Carriage Company.

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