{"id":5647,"date":"2015-04-21T06:26:48","date_gmt":"2015-04-20T20:26:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.privatefleet.com.au\/?p=5647"},"modified":"2020-06-20T01:08:59","modified_gmt":"2020-06-19T15:08:59","slug":"the-president-and-the-beast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.privatefleet.com.au\/blog\/weird-stuff\/the-president-and-the-beast\/","title":{"rendered":"The President and The Beast"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Obama_Limo\"<\/a>\u201cThe Beast\u201d is the nickname of the customized limo of the President of the US of A \u2013 a sort of land-based equivalent of Air Force 1.\u00a0 While the name might make certain groups of conspiracy theorists-cum-Biblical fundamentalists have all sorts of conniptions, The Beast is certainly quite an impressive vehicle.\u00a0 It\u2019s almost worth becoming President for \u2013 or at least becoming the Presidential chauffeur.\u00a0 That\u2019s if you pass the driving test as well as the safety check \u2013 the driver has to be able to do advanced level police-style manoeuvres for evasion if needed.<\/p>\n

Although the official marque of The Beast is (no, not 666) Cadillac, the current Beast is actually based on a Chevrolet Kodiak, which means that although it looks like a limousine, it\u2019s a ute at heart.\u00a0 Looks-wise, it\u2019s got many of the classic Cadillac hallmarks, such as the lights and the overall styling. What you might not know is that the outside of The Beast that you can see isn\u2019t actually metal but removable fibreglass panels that look swish while covering the titanium, aluminium, steel and ceramic panelling underneath.<\/p>\n

The full list of specs for The Beast is classified information, but they\u2019ve let us know a few little bits and pieces about it, either to deter us from attempting to assassinate anybody, to reassure us that assassinations are unlikely or to make us very, very envious. Or not.<\/p>\n

There is not just one Beast but there are 12 identical ones, all tucked away in a very secure underground garage somewhere so they can be trotted out in rotation while the others get fixed.<\/p>\n

The Specs of The Beast:<\/h3>\n

Seating:<\/b> Seven: two front seats, a rear-facing middle row and two in the very back (this is where the President plus his (or, in the future, her) significant other or sidekick sits). A glass partition separates front and rear, and the rear seats can do the lot when it comes to reclining and adjustment. There\u2019s also a table that can fold up and down in between the middle and rear row.<\/p>\n

In-car communications:<\/b> A highly sophisticated communications console is included somewhere in The Beast. For obvious security reasons, the full details are not available, but it\u2019s pretty safe to say that it\u2019s probably a lot better than what you\u2019ve got in your car. One detail that is available to ordinary Muggles like you and me is that there\u2019s a link that talks to everything else in the accompanying motorcade. There\u2019s also a satellite phone with a hotline to the Pentagon and the Vice President.\u00a0 The car has night vision cameras. \u00a0Five antennae can be counted coming off the trunk, so there are probably way more communications networks talking to The Beast. Conspiracy theorists are free to speculate as to whether The Beast is in touch with alien craft.<\/p>\n

Safety and security:<\/b> The Beast can withstand biochemical attacks, bullets, grenades and fire, with 8-inch thick doors and some very serious armour plating, including underneath the car.\u00a0 The bulletproof glass is 5 inches thick and is sealed against biochemical attack.\u00a0 Other passive safety features (i.e. those that kick in after or during an accident) include a chauffeur who is a Secret Service member trained in CPR (although he\u2019s not permanently fitted to the car), a blood bank well stocked with the President\u2019s blood type, and a bodyguard in the front seat. Only the driver\u2019s window opens: to a mere 3 inches down.\u00a0 There are rumours that The Beast is fitted with tear gas cannons.\u00a0 Rumours also abound about grenade launchers but we can\u2019t confirm this.<\/p>\n

Fuel economy:<\/b> The engine (reportedly a V8) manages 29 L\/100 km, so they\u2019d better have a good source of fuel handy (no, we won\u2019t get into the possible politics of this). Diesel is the fuel of choice, as it\u2019s less volatile than petrol and thus less likely to explode if attacked.\u00a0 The fuel tank is surrounded by foam armour so The Beast won\u2019t become a fireball if the tank scores a direct hit. \u00a0\u00a0(Poking around on a few other websites for info suggests that it\u2019s actually run on petrol \u2013 so who really knows?)<\/p>\n

Tyres:<\/b> Kelvar-reinforced run-flats made by Goodyear. The steel wheels can keep going even if the tyre blows out completely rather than merely getting flat.<\/p>\n

Weight:<\/b> that\u2019s classified information but it\u2019s pretty darn hefty thanks to all that armour, so it\u2019s a lot.\u00a0 Smart cookies might be able to work out the weight from a combination of the fuel economy and the 0\u201360 mph time.<\/p>\n

Length:<\/b> 18 feet long<\/p>\n

Performance:<\/b> The 0\u201360 mph time is 15 seconds, which makes underpowered LPG vans looks speedy.\u00a0 Top speed is reportedly 60 mph.<\/p>\n

Ground clearance:<\/b> Could be better, as demonstrated by one incident in Dublin.<\/p>\n