10 little-known facts about the US President's 'Beast' vehicle.
The US presidential car costs around $1.5 million, with approximately 12 of them actually in existence.
1. President Trump is still using Obama's The Beast.
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| According to American tradition, each president uses a different limousine; however, at his inauguration earlier this year, Donald Trump used the Cadillac The Beast that had previously served Obama. The current US president continues to travel in this limousine. It is unclear which limousine President Trump will use during his upcoming visit to Vietnam in a week. Photo: Flickr. |
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| According to American media reports, President Trump's new limousine is still undergoing testing. Photo: Motorauthority. |
2. Not quite a Cadillac.
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| The "Beast" bears the Cadillac logo, but the vehicle is developed on the chassis, diesel engine, and transmission of the Chevrolet Kodiak, another brand of General Motors. Some exterior details that make the car look most like a Cadillac include headlights from the Cadillac Escalade and taillights from the STS model. Photo: Autos-ef. |
3. Shipped by private jet.
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| The U.S. Secret Service uses C-17 transport aircraft to carry limousines to locations where the U.S. president will be visiting. Alongside the limousines are Chevrolet Suburbans, nicknamed Roadrunners, which serve various purposes such as communications, logistics, and security. Photo: Flickr. |
4. "Bulletproof" isn't enough to describe The Beast.
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| Leftlane claims that no bulletproof vehicle in the world possesses the unique capabilities of the US president's "Beast." Its armor plating is over 20 cm thick, and its doors weigh as much as a Boeing 757. The car's windows alone are nearly 13 cm thick, composed of at least five layers to absorb impact from the outside. The tires are Goodyear run-flat tires, the size of bus tires, reinforced with Kevlar, allowing the vehicle to continue driving for a certain distance even after a puncture. The interior is completely insulated from the outside to prevent chemical weapons. A protective layer surrounds the fuel tank to prevent impact and explosions. Photo: Brooks Kraft. |
5. Ultimate Equipment
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| The vehicle is equipped with everything from a fire suppression system and oxygen tanks to a blood bank that matches the President's blood type. Guns, grenades, and tear gas are also available for combat. Photo: Flickrs. |
6. The car has 7 seats.
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| The front row includes the driver and Secret Service agents protecting the President. Behind the President's seat are four additional seats: three facing the President and one next to him. These seats may be for guests or family members. Naturally, the vehicle also has a folding table for the President to work at. Photo: Palmbeachpost. |
7. There isn't just one The Beast.
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| The US Secret Service has ordered many The Beast vehicles for use; the exact number is not publicly available, but US media reports suggest that around 12 have actually been built. Typically, when the President travels, there are two The Beast vehicles: one to carry the President, and the other for camouflage and backup. Photo: Roadandtrack. |
8. Vehicles using diesel engines
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| The Beast is said to use a Duramax diesel engine, the same one General Motors uses in large pickup trucks from its subsidiary brands Chevrolet and GMC. Diesel engines have the advantage of being durable and reducing the risk of fire compared to gasoline engines. Fuel is readily available worldwide, while high-quality gasoline is not always available everywhere. Photo: Bfmtv. |
9. Rigorous driver training
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| The driver for the U.S. President is a Secret Service agent specially trained at a military base, under the guidance of engineers and driving experts from General Motors. The driver must master crucial skills such as making sharp J-turns and escaping dangerous areas as quickly as possible. Photo: Time. |
10. Technical Specifications
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| Besides its bulletproof body with a thickness of up to 20 cm, the vehicle also weighs a massive nearly 9 tons, resulting in an acceleration from 0-96 km/h in about 15 seconds, and a top speed of only about 96 km/h. Depending on the situation, the vehicle consumes 29-64 liters/100 km. Photo: Bá Đô. |
According to VNE
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