The Presidential Car Known as 'The Beast' Is Quite the Beauty
Genevieve Fraser
· 4 min read
The presidential limousine, commonly referred to as 'the Beast,' is a reported 7.5-ton monster that offers comfort and security to the president and his team. The vehicle accompanies the president wherever he goes around the world.
Even without the enhanced security features, this presidential car is very comfortable and offers the high performance you would expect from a
luxury car
.While the specific security details are not made public for obvious reasons, there is plenty of speculation regarding the Beast’s features.
Speed is sacrificed for a robust design in the presidential car ‘the Beast’
According to
Car and Driver
, the first edition of the Beast was first used in 2009 by President Obama, and a second version was created nine years later, first used by President Trump in 2018.Both Beasts look very similar, like overgrown XTS or CT6 sedans, with Cadillac badging, grille design, and Escalade headlights, according to Car and Driver. However, the underpinnings are heavily modified.
The presidential car prioritizes security over speed and fuel efficiency. Packed with plenty of gear, the original Best was thought to weigh roughly 20,000 lbs. It was based on the Chevy Kodiak in terms of chassis, engine, and transmission, according to
wemotor.com
.The Beast ran on diesel, with a 6.5-liter Duramax engine that is comparable to what is offered on heavy-duty pickup trucks from GMC and Chevy. It can only travel about 62 mph max and acceleration is slow. On top of that, it only got about 8 mpg, which is pretty dismal fuel economy.
Despite these drawbacks, a diesel engine was still a good choice for the presidential car due to its durability and fuel composition.
According to wemotor.com, diesel is a low-volatility fuel that is less likely to explode. Diesel can also be found at any location around the world, which is an important factor for a vehicle that travels so much.
According to Car and Driver, the updated Beast gets its platform from a heavy-duty GMC TopKick truck. It is thought to weigh more than 15,000 lbs, and, like the previous edition, includes a host of security features.
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‘The Beast’ is highly armored and thought to be exceedingly well-equipped
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According to wemotor.com, the original Beast was heavily armored. The new version looks to be much the same, although civilians aren’t able to see inside.
The original had armor plating roughly eight inches thick,
bulletproof windows
that were five inches thick, Kevlar-reinforced run-flat tires, and weighty doors worthy of a Boeing 757.The designers of the Beast prepared it for all manner of potential incidents. The interior was sealed off from the outside world to protect occupants in case of a chemical attack. The fuel tank was insulated with foam to prevent leakage if struck.
The Beast had everything the president would need to travel comfortably, plus life-saving supplies like oxygen and blood in case of emergency. Firefighting equipment, grenade launchers, shotguns, and tear gas were also reportedly included in this presidential car.
We can only assume that the new Beast has all of these features, and, as Car and Driver suggests, perhaps even more high-tech updates.
Additional specs for this presidential car
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The Beast is thought to hold a maximum of seven passengers, and when it travels, there is a minimum of three people in the car: the president, the driver, and a Secret Service agent.
There are reportedly other presidential cars similar to the Beast that are used by high-ranking VIPs who travel with the president. An armored Chevrolet Suburban and a Prevost bus, called Ground Force One, are also at the president’s disposal.
Car and Driver noted that there are multiple versions of the Beast in use, although the exact number is not known.
According to wemotor.com, a C-17 Globemaster airplane carries the vehicles when the president travels, so that he always has the utmost protection wherever duty takes him.
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