The 2006 Cadillac Presidential Limousine is a hand-crafted and armored version of the Cadillac DTS (DeVille Touring Sedan) stretch sedan for the President of the United States.
The new Cadillac DTS was first utilized during the second inauguration of George W. Bush in the January 20, 2005 parade.
The vehicle was custom built by O'Gara, Hess, and Eisenhart, armored vehicle builders who have been building armored presidential limousines since the 1960s. The base platform is a Cadillac DTS, but little of the original vehicle remains. For example, DeVille's flush-style door handles have been replaced by a loop-type design apparently borrowed from the 1992-99 generation Buick LeSabre, doubling as grab-handles for the Secret Service agents running alongside the car. Exterior examination suggests that the head/tail lights, and the wreath-and-crest emblem atop the grille are some of the few stock components.
Similar to its predecessor, the 2001 Presidential Limousine, the stretch Cadillac features an executive leather interior with a rear foldaway desktop, an extensive entertainment system featuring a 10-disc CD changer, and adaptive, massaging cushions. The president sits in the rear, facing a console-mounted secure communications panel connected to five antennas mounted on the trunk lid. The vehicle has a flag of the United States mounted on the right front fender, and a Presidential flag on the left front fender. Flush-mounted high intensity discharge (HID) spotlights illuminate the flags at night. Like a standard Cadillac DTS, the presidential limo is said to have a night vision system, but the camera moved to an undisclosed location.
This is the most heavily armored presidential vehicle to date. The jet-black skin has 5 inches worth of ballistic armor, and is said to be able to withstand anti-tank grenade launchers. The underside of the car is also armored. The windows, which do not open, are transparent armor thick enough to block sunlight, which is the reason the interior is illuminated with fluorescent lighting. The vault like doors require automatic systems to open. Any casual observer can see the rolling fortress with the white rims on the tires, completing the armoring with a run-flat tire system. The limousine is also environmentally sealed against chemical and biological attacks.
A secret service communications vehicle (toting most of the commmunications equipment) and a paramedic-equipped ambulance aides the limousine as a part of any presidential motorcade.
The new Cadillac DTS was first utilized during the second inauguration of George W. Bush in the January 20, 2005 parade.
The vehicle was custom built by O'Gara, Hess, and Eisenhart, armored vehicle builders who have been building armored presidential limousines since the 1960s. The base platform is a Cadillac DTS, but little of the original vehicle remains. For example, DeVille's flush-style door handles have been replaced by a loop-type design apparently borrowed from the 1992-99 generation Buick LeSabre, doubling as grab-handles for the Secret Service agents running alongside the car. Exterior examination suggests that the head/tail lights, and the wreath-and-crest emblem atop the grille are some of the few stock components.
Similar to its predecessor, the 2001 Presidential Limousine, the stretch Cadillac features an executive leather interior with a rear foldaway desktop, an extensive entertainment system featuring a 10-disc CD changer, and adaptive, massaging cushions. The president sits in the rear, facing a console-mounted secure communications panel connected to five antennas mounted on the trunk lid. The vehicle has a flag of the United States mounted on the right front fender, and a Presidential flag on the left front fender. Flush-mounted high intensity discharge (HID) spotlights illuminate the flags at night. Like a standard Cadillac DTS, the presidential limo is said to have a night vision system, but the camera moved to an undisclosed location.
This is the most heavily armored presidential vehicle to date. The jet-black skin has 5 inches worth of ballistic armor, and is said to be able to withstand anti-tank grenade launchers. The underside of the car is also armored. The windows, which do not open, are transparent armor thick enough to block sunlight, which is the reason the interior is illuminated with fluorescent lighting. The vault like doors require automatic systems to open. Any casual observer can see the rolling fortress with the white rims on the tires, completing the armoring with a run-flat tire system. The limousine is also environmentally sealed against chemical and biological attacks.
A secret service communications vehicle (toting most of the commmunications equipment) and a paramedic-equipped ambulance aides the limousine as a part of any presidential motorcade.