Latest news with #CadillacCT6
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Think car costs are high? Price, what to know about Trump's presidential limo 'The Beast'
If you think car prices are bad, consider how much it costs to replace the presidential limo. The Secret Service posted on X it met with General Motors executives to discuss building a new presidential limousine. While a GM spokesman said the company would not comment on current or future government contracts, in September, the Homeland Security Department and Secret Service awarded GM a $14.8 million contract for development of the next-generation presidential limousine. Here's what we know. "Countering evolving threats require us to constantly explore new innovations and improvements to our armored fleet of protective vehicles. Director Sean Curran met with GM executives to discuss advancements that could benefit the next generation of armored SUVs," the Secret Service posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. A Secret Service spokesman confirmed for the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, on March 21 it had contracted with GM to produce a new presidential limousine, though it declined to discuss how the vehicle might differ from the current one or offer other details about Curran's discussions with GM. "The U.S. Secret Service is always exploring emerging technology to enhance our protective operations," said Nate Herring, lead public affairs specialist for the Secret Service. "Director Curran's visit to the General Motors Tech Center in Warren (Michigan) was to discuss new advancements that could benefit the next generation of armored SUVs. The U.S. Secret Service employs a variety of vehicle platforms. "Due to operational security, we are unable to discuss the means and methods used for our protective operations," he added. In September, the Homeland Security Department and Secret Service awarded GM a $14.8 million contract for development of a next-generation presidential limousine. The contract could be worth up to $40.8 million through 2029. The last vehicle constructed for presidents debuted one year into Trump's first administration. The Secret Service said the 2018 custom-built Cadillac, modeled after the Cadillac CT6, entered the presidential fleet and shuttled Trump around New York to United Nations General Assembly meetings. The limo also has a twin used for motorcades. The 22,000-pound, armored Cadillac is built on a heavy-duty truck chassis, powered by a diesel engine and has armor 8 inches thick. In 2024, Jay Leno, in an exclusive episode of "Jay Leno's Garage," talked about the presidential limo with Secret Service agents Jay Nasworthy and Steve Abel, who shared insights and stories about the most-secure vehicle in the world. Not all of the car's secrets were revealed but info shared included: The presidential limo is probably the safest vehicle in the world. Tires have run-flat capabilities. The Secret Service "takes at least two" of the vehicles wherever the president goes in the world, transporting them on either a C17 or C5. Each presidential limo has "probably an 8-year shelf life." Prior presidential limos are destroyed after a new one is built. Everyone involved in building and designing the presidential limo needs to have top-secret clearance. As technology advances, "we try to incorporate the latest and greatest of everything." The limo has "robust capabilities." The windows do not go down. The rear seats where the president rides has heating, cooling and massage functions. Secret Service calls the limo a parade limousine. "It's a car and it drives like a car." But, agents said, it can be difficult to see out of it and it has several blind spots. "It needs space." Wood surrounding the presidential seal inside the limo is from a chestnut tree planted by George Washington. The first American president planted 13 trees, one for each colony, in Fredericksburg, Virginia, between his sister's and mother's homes so they would have shade walking between their homes. The last tree, representing Georgia, died in 2004 and has been used in the presidential limo. "In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson rode in a Series 53 1916 Cadillac limousine during a parade in Boston to celebrate the end of World War I," GM said. "Two Cadillac convertibles — dubbed the 'Queen Mary' and 'Queen Elizabeth' — served Presidents Roosevelt, Truman, and Eisenhower. First used in 1938, the 21.5-foot, 7,660-pound vehicles were equipped with a full ammunition arsenal, two-way radios, and heavy-duty generators." Cadillacs also were used by Presidents Ronald Reagan (a Fleetwood) and Bill Clinton (a Fleetwood Brougham.) "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." Since the early 1980s, the presidential limo has been a Cadillac. President Trump said in a September 2024 speech in Michigan that his father, Fred Trump, liked Cadillacs. 'I learned so much from him, and he loved Cadillac,' GM said on its website. "His biggest luxury in life was to get a brand new, dark blue Cadillac every two years. And he would. He would get that car, and he would say, 'look at this car.' He didn't know about a Rolls Royce. All he liked was Cadillac, and I love it. I think it's a great car. 'My father liked Cadillacs and that's good enough for me,' President Trump said. Presidential limousines are nicknamed 'The Beast,' a term first used in 2001, in reference to the limo used by President George W. Bush. "Unlike its predecessors, this one was custom-built, designed and engineered by a research and development team at General Motors. GM designed the vehicle to the exacting standards of the U.S. Secret Service, while maintaining signature design cues from the Cadillac DeVille," GM said. GM has described the president's limo as "a custom-built, highly secure fortress on wheels that proudly wears the Cadillac crest." "In December 1941, Franklin Roosevelt became the first president to use an armored vehicle," according to the Secret Service. ➤ Miami Beach lot where Al Capone's house stood (and where he died) on market for $23.9 million "Originally belonging to infamous gangster Al Capone, the car was seized by the Treasury Department in 1932 on an income-tax evasion charge. "The car's armor actually was comprised of only bulletproof glass; the body of the car was still vulnerable. The vehicle was used until limousines in the presidential fleet — such as the 1939 Lincoln 'Sunshine Special' — were armor-plated in the early part of 1942." Contributors: Jackie Charniga, Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press This story was updated to add new information. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Presidential limo, the Beast: Secret Service, GM talk new Trump car
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
U.S. Secret Service Meets with GM to Discuss New Presidential Vehicles
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.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Next-gen 'Beast': GM to build Trump's new presidential limousine
DETROIT − General Motors executives met with the head of the U.S. Secret Service in Michigan this week to discuss building a new presidential limousine, the agency said on social media Friday. The news comes just days after U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick urged people to buy Tesla stock and about a week after President Donald Trump touted the virtues of Tesla and sat inside several vehicles with the company's billionaire CEO Elon Musk on the White House South Lawn. A GM spokesman said the company would not comment on current or future government contracts. The Secret Service said on social media site X that Director Sean Curran met with GM 'to discuss advancements that could benefit the next generation of armored SUVs.' A Secret Service spokesman confirmed for the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, on Friday it had contracted with GM to produce a new presidential limousine, though it declined to discuss how the vehicle might differ from the current one or offer other details about Curran's discussions with GM. "The U.S. Secret Service is always exploring emerging technology to enhance our protective operations," said Nate Herring, lead public affairs specialist for the Secret Service. "Director Curran's visit to the General Motors Tech Center in Warren was to discuss new advancements that could benefit the next generation of armored SUVs. The U.S. Secret Service employs a variety of vehicle platforms. Countering evolving threats require us to constantly explore new innovations and improvements to our armored fleet of protective vehicles. Director Sean Curran met with GM executives to discuss advancements that could benefit the next generation of armored SUVs. — U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) March 21, 2025 "Due to operational security, we are unable to discuss the means and methods used for our protective operations," he added. In September, the Homeland Security Department and Secret Service awarded GM a $14.8 million contract for development of a next-generation presidential limousine. The contract could be worth up to $40.8 million through 2029. Presidential limousines are nicknamed 'The Beast,' a term first used in 2001, in reference to the limo used by President George W. Bush. The last vehicle constructed for presidents debuted one year into Trump's first administration. The Secret Service said that 2018 custom-built Cadillac, modeled after the Cadillac CT6, entered the presidential fleet and shuttled Trump around New York to United Nations General Assembly meetings. The Beast had a twin that traveled in Trump's Washington, D.C., motorcade. The 22,000-pound, armored Cadillac built on a heavy-duty truck chassis, powered by a diesel engine and armor 8 inches thick, was reportedly worth millions. More: A rare limo that once carried Jackie Kennedy and LBJ just sold to a private collector Since the early 1980s, the presidential limo has been a Cadillac. GM won contracts worth $15.8 million for two phases of the development of the limo from 2014 through 2017, Reuters reported, citing federal contracting records. In 2010, GM won a $35 million contract from the Secret Service for more presidential limousines. Jackie Charniga covers General Motors for the Free Press. Reach her at jcharniga@ This article originally appeared on USATNetwork: GM to build new Trump limousine
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
GM recalling over 90,000 cars because wheels could lock up
General Motors isissuing a recall for 90,081 vehicles related to a transmission problem that can cause the front wheels to lock up, boosting the risk of a crash. Why you should care Therecall covers 2019-2020 Cadillac CT6, 2020-2021 CT4, CT5, and 2020-2022 Chevrolet Camaro vehicles with a 10-speed transmission. General Motors mentioned in arecall reportprovided to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that the 10-speed transmission may suffer "excess wear" long term that may result in a brief lock-up of the wheels in "rare cases." RELATED: Kia recalls late model Sorentos over possible headlight, taillight issue The NHTSA noted in its report that a temporary lock-up of the wheels while the recalled cars are in motion may increase the risk of a crash. FOX Business, citing the recall report, noted that there was one report of an alleged accident potentially tied to a valve defect. What you can do Car dealers will install transmission control module monitoring software for free. Owners of the recalled vehicles can expect notification letters that will be mailed starting April 21, 2025. Car owners may also call Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N242480630, per theNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) letter. RELATED:Subaru recalls over 20,000 SUVs for defective wheels Meanwhile, car owners can call the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or go to Car owners wondering if their vehicle is part of the recall can visit theNHTSA recall page and enter the license plate number or 17-digit VIN. The Source Information for this story was provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's recall report and FOX Business. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
GM recalls 90,000 Cadillac, Chevy Camaro models over transmission issues
March 17 (UPI) -- General Motors plans to recall more than 90,000 Cadillac and Chevrolet Camaro models due to transmission control valve issues which could cause lock tires and lead to a crash. "This recall only involves vehicles equipped with the 10-speed transmission," according to a report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. "Vehicles equipped with other transmissions are not affected by this recall." The NHTSA says of the estimated 90,081 potentially affected vehicles, about 1% have been estimated to have the defect, which can come as a result of excessive wear and could cause pressure issues that result in harsher shifting. "In rare cases, the wheels may experience a momentary lock up," the administration said in a recall notice, adding it increased the likelihood of a crash. It said the affected models were the 2020-21 Cadillac CT4, 2020-21 Cadillac CT5, 2019-20 Cadillac CT6 and the 2020-22 Chevrolet Camaro. GM told FOX Business that "safety of our customers is the highest priority for the entire GM team" and that GM was "working to remedy this matter through a software update as quickly as possible." The recall stems from the driver of a 2021 Cadillac CT5, who reported in September that the front tire locked up, the agency said. Previously, GM officials looked into the issue but because lock-ups lasted typically less than 150 milliseconds, GM determined after no reported accidents that it was not sufficient time for a vehicle to lose control. GM then ended its investigation, according to NHTSA. However, a reopened probe in November revealed at least 115 reports of lock-ups and one reported accident, which led GM's Safety Field Action Decision Authority on Feb. 27 to conduct a recall. Starting April 21, affected owners will be notified on about a new transmission software designed to detect the issue.
