During our second installment about the classic presidential limousines used, we talked about the vehicles used by presidents John F. Kennedy, Gerald Ford, and Ronal Reagan. Both vehicles used by these presidents carried one similarity: both were there when people attempted to assassinate (in the case of JFK, successfully assassinated) the presidents. Now as for the last two limousines, they too have a common bond, which thankfully, didn’t involve any killings. Both were actually the first limousines provided by Cadillac.

The first Cadillac presidential limousine was the 1983 Cadillac Fleetwood. Built again by coachbuilder Hess & Eisenhardt, this limousine was capable of being stretched up to 17 inches. Its roof, on the other hand, could be elevated up to the height of 3 inches. Despite not being pretty to look at, the advantage this vehicle brings is that it provides better visibility. Although this made the president more open to the public, once inside, he’s kept protected by 2 3/8ths inch thick bulletproof glass panes. And to ensure that the president stayed cool under pressure, powerful air conditioning systems were installed. One notable distinction that set this limousine apart from its siblings was that it was able to make its big-screen Hollywood debut courtesy of Clint Eastwood’s movie, In The Line of Fire. Since then, one of them has been returned to GM while the other is on display at the Reagan Presidential Library.

The second Cadillac, and the most recent prior to the latest model used by Obama, is the 2001 Cadillac Deville. Although it’s not as old as the other limousines, we feel that it’s still worth mentioning. Used by George W. Bush, this Cadillac Deville limousine was rumored to be given quite a number of upgrades to ensure the safety of its occupants. First, the body of the limousine was placed on top of a frame used GM’s full-sized SUVs. Second, it’s been given very thick armored doors and bulletproof glass. They’re so thick that these components are able to shut out parts of the light spectrum. Third, it has a self-contained passenger compartment that’s equipped with a secure air supply line. Fourth, its tires were designed with the ability to run flat inner cores. Last, it’s been given a huge 454 cubic inch truck engine allowing the limousine to plow through any obstacles.

And there you have it, the list of limousines used by various U.S. Presidents. Due to their special features and continuous upgrades over the years, it’s safe to say that these are the type of vehicles that every president should consider a must-have.

Sources: Popular Mechanics, Presidential Limousines

Yesterday (and a result of the Obama fever still racking up the globe) we talked about the top presidential limousines used by the various presidents of the United States. For the first entry, the spotlight was focused on the first two limousines used, the 1939 Lincoln “Sunshine Special” used by President Franklin Roosevelt and the 1950 Lincoln Cosmopolitan used by Presidents Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower. For the second installment, we’ll take a look at what President’s John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan rode in when they do their rounds.

The famous limousine JFK used prior to his assassination was the 1961 Lincoln Continental SS-100-X. This four-door convertible was designed by Hess and Eisenhart of Cincinnati. Part of their design scheme was to stretch the vehicle 33 inches between the front and rear doors as well as behind the rear doors. This was done to give the vehicle the illusion of being a limousine. A metal hoop behind the driver was added to give the president something to hold onto should he find the need to stand up during parades. The rear seats were also customized to be raised, to give the crowd a better view of the president. Aside from these features, the Lincoln Continental SS-100-X also sported a 430-cubic inch Lincoln V-8 engine. However, despite its features, this limousine will forever be remembered as the vehicle JFK was riding as he was killed in November 22, 1963. As a result of the successful assassination, the car was given a permanent bulletproof hardtop. Despite bearing the stigma of JFK’s assassination, President’s Johnson and Nixon still used the car until 1977 before it was finally sent to the Henry Ford Museum.

Another presidential limousine which had a brush with assassination attempts was the 1972 Lincoln Continental. This limousine was used by both Presidents Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan. The only difference is that this vehicle was able to provide a safe haven for the two presidents, preventing them from being killed. During both assassination attempts, Secret Service agents were able to push both presidents into the car. We’re assuming that the seats were really comfortable so it wasn’t a problem for either president to have their body fall onto them. While this 1972 Lincoln Continental was later re-modeled to look like a 1978 version, it still sported its 460-cubic inch V-8 engine. It’s also the last limousine to have roof openings.

In the next entry, we’ll be focusing on the last two presidential limousines. What made them so important? Well, the fact that both weren’t Lincolns. More about these rides on our next post.

Source: Popular Mechanics

Obama has been inaugurated as the 44^th President of the United States. The time for wanting for a change is now officially over. The time for expecting a change begins today. Actually, if you were viewing his inauguration, you’d notice that “change” already took effect. However it wasn’t in the form of an economic boost. It was a change in the limousine that the new President will now be using. Since almost every modern-day US President had one (and since we’re still caught up with the Obama festivities), we’d like to share a list of the top presidential limousines, as gathered by the folks at Popular Mechanics. Given that there are about six of them (excluding the one used by Obama, since it’s pretty modern), expect this to be a three-part entry.

The first limousine on the list is the 1939 Lincoln “Sunshine Special.” This presidential limousine was used by then president Franklin Roosevelt. So why was it called the “Sunshine Special?” Well, that’s because the car always had its top down. This was pretty funny since prior to using this car, Roosevelt was almost assassinated while riding a top-down Buick convertible. However, since there was the option to close the roof, it definitely made it safer than the Buick. Under the hood, this vehicle sported a V-12 engine. It had a 160-inch wheelbase and a set of large rear-hinged rear doors. Now to keep the president safe, the car was equipped with an array of armor plated elements and bulletproof glass. The car was used until 1950, even after Roosevelt died, before becoming a part of the Henry Ford Museum in Detroit.

Next is the 1950 Lincoln Cosmopolitan. Used by Presidents Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower, this replaced Roosevelt’s “Sunshine Special” limo. The stretched limo had a 145-inch wheelbase and was provided by Ford for a nominal lease fee. It was then modified to include a large bubbletop canopy. Now if you thought that this was used to keep the president safe from assassination attempts, think again. It was actually incorporated during Eisenhower’s time to ensure that people would still be able to see him. Had they went for its standard top, people would end up seeing only a shadow of him whenever he paraded the streets. The use of the 1950 Lincoln Cosmopolitan lasted until 1965 before it was retired to the Henry Ford Museum.

Now that we’ve gone through the first two Presidential Limos, our next entry will focus on the rides of two of the most popular U.S. Presidents of all time. That would be the ones that carried John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan.

Source: Popular Mechanics