The United States presidential state car, nicknamed ‘The Beast’.
Credit: iStock Photo
The United States presidential state car, nicknamed ‘The Beast’, was seen plying Delhi roads, escorting Joe Biden to the G20 Summit. The official state car that ferries the President of the United States and travels with him around the world is a Cadillac built by General Motors and the latest version released in 2018 costs over $ 1.5 million dollars.
The car was flown to India from the US in a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, a large military transport aircraft. The nickname ‘beast’ is owed to the wide range of capabilities the presidential limousine boasts.
18 feet in length, the presidential car weighs somewhere between 6,800 to 9,100 kg and can accommodate up to seven people.
Regarded as the world’s safest car, the Presidential car is made up of aluminium, ceramic and steel, and is capable of protecting passengers even in case of chemical warfare. It is equipped with military-grade armour, bullet-proof windows, and a tear gas dispenser. It also features night-vision devices, smoke screens, and oil slicks as defensive measures against attackers.
With each door almost weighing as much as a Boeing 757 door, the Cadillac is unlike any other car in the world. Windows are multi-layered and five inches thick, and the exterior walls are 8 inches thick which can withstand a bomb attack. ‘The Beast’ is safe from any kind of chemical warfare as well. Door handles can be electrified to prevent attackers from entering.
The Cadillac can run on flat tyres as well, as the car uses tyres that are kevlar-reinforced, steel rims, shred and puncture resistant. Pump-action shotguns, rocket-powered grenades, and tear-gas grenades are also part of the presidential car.
Inside the car, there’s always storage of blood in the president's type for an emergency transfusion, while there is a satellite phone connected to the Pentagon and the Vice President of the US. There’s a firefighting and oxygen supply system in the trunk of the car in case there is an emergency.
There are more than one 'beasts' with same registration plate so that attackers are unable to find which one the US President is travelling in.
There might be other security features as well which have not been disclosed to the public.