U.S. Secret Service Meets with GM to Discuss New Presidential Vehicles

Yahoo

22-03-2025

It's been a week since President Donald Trump praised Tesla, riding in them on the White House Lawn alongside company CEO and Department Of Government Efficiency leader Elon Musk. But when it came time to build a new presidential limousine and a fleet of armored SUVs, the U.S. Secret Service contacted General Motors, and now the next presidential limousine was spotted undergoing testing in September 2024.
The agency said in a tweet on Friday that 'Director Sean Curran met with GM executives to discuss advancements that could benefit the next generation of armored SUVs. Countering evolving threats requires us to constantly explore new innovations and improvements to our armored fleet of protective vehicles.' The meeting took place at General Motors' Global Design Center in Warren, Michigan.
GM was given a $14.8 million contract by the Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security in September to create the next-generation presidential limousine, known as "The Beast," with a potential value of up to $40.8 million through 2029. A photo from Friday's visit with the Secret Service shows a Cadillac Escalade SUV with the presidential flag attached to a sizable presidential insignia, a notable change from the President's usual armored Chevrolet Suburban.
The current presidential limousine is based on the Cadillac CT6, but was constructed on a heavy-duty truck chassis and features 8-inch thick armor and a diesel engine. It was first used one year into President Trump's first term, replacing the one used since 2009. A twin of the Beast is also utilized for motorcades. Until the 1993 Presidential Cadillac Fleetwood built for custom-built for President Bill Clinton, presidential limousines were modified production cars.
The first White House limousine was a $3,000 1909 White Model M, shown below, which was a seven-seat touring car built by the White Motor Company of Cleveland, Ohio, Taft's home state. The Model M was powered by steam and produced 40-horsepower, which was a lot for its time. Taft also bought two Pierce-Arrow limousines and a Baker Electric for the White House fleet. His successor, Woodrow Wilson, bought a 1919 Pierce-Arrow Vestibule Suburban Limousine, although he was chauffeured as he didn't know how to drive. Lincoln supplied President Coolidge with a 1924 Model L, but Coolidge replaced it with a 90-horsepower 1928 Cadillac Series 341 town car. Herbert Hoover chose a 1930 Cadillac V16 and liked it enough to buy it after leaving office.
However, the president's safety only became a concern when an assassination attempt was made on FDR while riding in a convertible during a visit to Miami in 1933. The government then switched to using Al Capone's armored 1928 Cadillac, shown below, which they acquired after Capone's indictment on tax evasion charges.
The government then turned to Lincoln to supply armored presidential vehicles, including a V12-powered 1939 Lincoln Model K, a Brunn-bodied 1950 Lincoln Cosmopolitan Limousine, and, most notoriously, a 1961 Lincoln Continental modified by the Ohio-based coachbuilder Hess and Eisenhardt. Despite its history, the car was modified for security purposes and used until replaced by a 1972 Lincoln limousine that was used until replaced with a pair of Fleetwood limousines in 1983. Since then, all presidential limousines have been Cadillacs.
The term 'Beast' was first used in reference to the custom-built, designed, and engineered limo used by President George W. Bush. A re-engineered version of the Beast, code-named 'Cadillac One,' and featuring design cues from the Cadillac DTS, debuted in 2009 to transport President Obama, shown above.
Having the President ride around in an American-made limo has been a tradition for over 100 years, and likely not one that will change soon. The fact that President Trump didn't opt for an armored Tesla vehicle will likely please those who figured that Elon Musk would use his power to coerce the White House into doing so, especially after documents from last month showed such plans.