Obama to be transported in GMC Topkick "Cadillac"
There's no doubt that the President of the United States needs a safe vehicle to be transported in. Various assassination attempts prove that case rather easily. President-in-waiting Barack Obama will be getting a brand-new armored "car" that will look like a Cadillac, but will really be based on the positively gigantic medium-duty GMC Topkick chassis. Nobody is quite sure what kind of armament the First Car will be equipped with, but let's just assume that there is plenty, including up to five inches of glass and ceramic ballistics materials. That should make this one heavy vehicle. In fact, a couple of heavy vehicles, as General Motors is likely building multiples so that decoys can be used. With all that weight to move around, we'd expect GM to use a version of its diesel engine (running perhaps on biodiesel? No?) and Allison transmission from its line of heavy-duty trucks. Alternatively, Obama could make a green splash by using GM's 2-Mode hybrid system. Just a thought.
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[Source: The Boston Globe]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
Mike Z 11:14AM (11/13/2008)
It will likely be a diesel engine that has been made to burn military JP-8 Fuel. JP-8 is the fuel that the military has standardized on and is used to fuel jets, Humvees, tanks, generators, and even camp stoves.
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why not the LS2LS7? 12:25PM (11/13/2008)
FUG.
I don't get why he needs this.
The guy did speeches in front of 50,000 to 100,000 people a dozen times in the last several months. Now he can't even afford to get in a car out of fear? There was footage of press riding behind the Suburban he was in in Chicago, headed to watch football at a friend's house last weekend.
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Brent 12:34PM (11/13/2008)
This wasn't built for Obama. It was built for the president of the united states, no matter who it turned out to be.
tekd 2:47PM (11/14/2008)
Out of fear? What the heck are you talking about, every president gets custom-made bulletproof/shrapnel proof armored transportation. The last president who insisted on regular cars was probably JFK, and we all know how well that one worked out.
And anyways, Obama's acceptance speech was behind massive slabs of bulletproof glass in case you didn't notice. Plus the secret service has always been checking and double checking every area he's been speaking in for sniper viewpoints. The armored car is for when you're traveling and they can't possibly ensure that there aren't any explosives or sniper viewpoints since there's just too many places.
Every president gets an armored vehicle, whether they've increased the level of security for him I don't know, but if they've been getting a lot of threats I wouldn't be surprised if they adjusted it because of that.
patty 10:11PM (11/15/2008)
All presidents need this for security...even hilary has one...too many wierd people out there
sandra 10:23PM (11/15/2008)
You don't know why he needs this type of car? You must be kidding or just plain stupid! He will be the President of the United States, doesn't that tell you something? What do you think the President should be riding in, a Yugo? Get real and re-think what you wrote.
Eddy Jordan 1:21AM (11/16/2008)
Do you think they built it last week. It's an armoured car because of November 22, 1963.
John Sacks 2:03AM (11/16/2008)
What are you talking about retard?
mizeliah 2:41AM (11/16/2008)
The same way .. I still don't understand why Mrs Palin received $150,000 just to go shopping while others struggle to paid thir bill
Throwback 1:54PM (11/13/2008)
why not the LS2LS7?
You don't get why the President of the USA needs an armored car with security? You are kidding right?
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patty 10:11PM (11/15/2008)
Sadly, I really don't think he's kidding...can ya believe it?
G.G. 1:39AM (11/16/2008)
I have a question....What happens to the Limos of the
previous Pres & Vice Pres????
Joe 2:20AM (11/16/2008)
5 or 6 are sitting at the henry ford museum in Dearborn,Mi....Teddy Roosevelt,FDR,JFK and Ronald Reagan's...i know are for sure
Dave S 11:03PM (11/13/2008)
of all the people in the USA, POTUS is the one person who needs THIS. Obama or otherwise.
Nice tip on the military fuel that's interesting.
Sure would be nice if you could make it out of WVO though.
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claudine 8:48PM (11/15/2008)
Ithink that new automobile is so beautiful, the streamline appearence. Let us all Pray for our presidents saftey, and all his cabinet,plus any one serving in the Nations capitol, all our leaders need constant prayer. Also, lets pray for our military and their leaders, we are living in a serious time. Our president was voted in, he did not jsut walk in and take over, so lets give him full support and he will be agreat leader if he knows we are pulling for him.
Paul 4:57PM (11/13/2008)
Wow, I bet that thing weighs even more than Al Gore's carbon footprint.
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murc 8:52PM (11/13/2008)
that picture is of the one G Dubya rides in.
is obama getting a new one?
Bushes isn't even that old....and I doubt they get a lot of miles on them.
Obama will get to be the first US president to ride in the new helicopter being built....geez, isn't that enough???
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Anton Wahlman 10:47PM (11/13/2008)
The engine is likely a ca. 1970 Corvette engine or equivalent. Why? Because they will use something with as little electronics as possible. The Presidential limousine ("The Beast") needs to survive an electro-magnetic pulse resulting from a nuclear bomb or dirty bomb. Basically, pull the beefiest engine from before the electronics era out of the vault... something like a 7 liter ca. 1970 V8, the old-fashioned kind.
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Derek 8:54AM (11/14/2008)
What you mention is EXACTLY why one would choose a diesel. All gasoline engines have an ignition system that uses electricity. Unless you are going to go back to the early '70's and use breaker points, the ignition is electronic and will be fried by an EMP. Even with the points, your alternator will be fried and then the engine will die as soon as you deplete the battery. I think you'd have to go back to the 1930's and run a megneto to have a gas engine survive EMP
OTOH, diesels until recently were 100% mechanical. The injection pump and governor handled injection timing and quantity with things like springs and centrifugal weights and the injectors were completely mechanical as well, simply opening when the injection pressure exceeded the force of their springs. Incredibly robust and needs absolutely zero electricity of any kind to stay running.
Chris M 4:01AM (11/15/2008)
For electronics to survive an electromagnetic pulse, all that is needed is EM shielding. A wrapping of aluminum foil would be enough, and the steel armorplate is more than enough.