It was no secret former President Obama’s official ride, nicknamed “The Beast”, would be retired in the near future. It originally went into service in 2009. Until its replacement arrived it would continue to serve its country as President Trump’s heavily armored limousine.
But it now appears there’s a new “Beast” on duty as the recently shot video from New York City proves. The president is in the Big Apple to meet with world leaders at the annual UN General Assembly. This video shows his extensive motorcade making its through one of many temporarily closed city streets. But if you skip ahead to around the 3:05 mark you’ll notice The Beast looks different than before. That’s because it is.
Meet the all-new Cadillac-based presidential limousine. Let’s call it “The Beast: Part Deux.” We’ve known the presidential limo had been in development since around 2013 at a cost of nearly $16 million in development contracts awarded to GM. As is the case with previous presidential limos, the new vehicle’s specifics are being kept under wraps for security reasons.
What we do know about previous presidential limos is that they featured things like Kevlar-reinforced run-flat tires, fire suppression systems, its own oxygen supply system, emergency medical equipment that includes spare blood for the president in a case a transfusion is necessary, and even a small armory of weapons.
Its body and glass are also bomb and bulletproof. And while The Beast: Part Deux may somewhat resemble a stretched Cadillac CT6, we can assure you it’s not. Like its newly retired predecessor, this limo rides on a truck platform and no civilian version will be built. Last May, Russian President Vladimir Putin received a new limousine of his own, a Russian-built vehicle in place of the old Mercedes-S600. We’d still opt for the latest Beast because America.
