Pimp That Ride - Obama Style

WTF!!!!!! Things are getting a bit out of control...but then again...how much fun could you have with a "Beast" like this?

I'd love to hear what your favorite attribute of the car is...mine is its explosive excelleration - 0 to 60 in 15 seconds....now THAT IS HOT!!!


I got this AP story from US News.

Details Emerge on Obama's New Limo
Posted: Jan. 21, 2009 11:01 a.m.

You could outrun Barack Obama's new ride in a Smart Fortwo, but that's alright. Cadillac One isn't designed to get away from incidents at high speed, but to survive anything...anything...and to shoot back.
The newest Presidential Limousine weighs more than 5,000 pounds, goes from zero to sixty in a leisurely 15 seconds, and has a top speed of just sixty mph. But eight-inch thick ballistic armored doors, hermetically-sealed windows of five-inch thick bulletproof glass, and a five-inch thick armor plate underneath make it more impervious to blasts than many tanks. Other unique features, according to Jalopnik, include a gas tank "filled with a specially designed foam which prevents it from exploding even if it suffers a direct hit," tear gas cannons and shotguns built into the doors, and "bottles of the President's own blood, kept on board in case he needs an emergency transfusion."
And those are just the features they tell us about...if those are even true.
The Detroit Free Press reports, "A small team of General Motors designers and engineers" were "part of an insulated group of GM employees who received classified clearance to work on the all-new Cadillac presidential limousine, which was delivered to the Secret Service about eight weeks ago." The car "was designed, developed and tested by specialists who adhered to an extensive set of specifications and followed a rigorous testing regimen. Security measures were undertaken at all times during development."
The U.K.'s Telegraph claims, "The rear passenger area includes an extensive executive compartment with ample seating space, outward visibility and useful mobile office features. Much of the finishing is hand-cut and sewn. An embroidered presidential seal is positioned in the centre of the rear seat back panel, as well as on each rear door trim panel."
Popular Mechanics notes, "Secrecy abounds about the latest POTUS ride," but speculates that Obama's ride is the first diesel-powered Presidential limo. "The engine may be GM's familiar 6.6-liter Duramax turbodiesel V8, or it could be some even more powerful diesel build for large commercial trucks. While the chassis, suspension and drivetrain of the new limousine is all new, most of the body seems to derive directly from the previous DeVille and DTS limousines. However the styling has been revised using pieces from Cadillac's current line. For instance, the headlights, side view mirrors and door handles all come from the Escalade SUV. Meanwhile, the taillights, rear back up lights and third brake light all come from the STS sedan."
Whatever it is, The AP reports, the Secret Service has a nickname for the new car: "The Beast."