Due to the nature of the job, being a world leader requires a lot of transportation, and whether this is by land, sea, or air, safety is always a top priority, so it's no surprise that these machines cost millions.
While Jacinda Ardern doesn't make the list with her newly-acquired fleet of electric Audi e-trons, the armoured BMW 750iL that ferried Harry and Meghan around the country last year gets a special mention.
5. 'The Beast'
Unless you've been living six feet under for the past few months, you'd probably be aware of the US election and the two parties competing for four years of being ferried around in 'The Beast'.
Now Biden's ride, this Cadillac is actually more of a truck than it is a car, sharing barely any parts with the XT6 that it's modelled on. And due to its heavy armour, the 'Beast' name is quite fitting.
The armour plating found in the doors is reportedly 8-inches thick, and the glass is at least five-inches thick at any given point, making the doors weigh as much as those on a Boeing 757 plane.
Then there's the turbo diesel engine presumably taken from a GM truck. Its power and torque figures are unknown, but we can imagine a hefty amount of torque would be required to push this Beast along.
All up, this makes for a limousine that tips the scales at over 9,000kg and tops out at around 100km/h.
If you are interested, here is every American Presidential car detailed from the '30s, to modern times:
4. Bentley State Limousine
Looking a little more classy than Biden's Beast, Queen Elizabeth gets to ride around in a bespoke Bentley Arnage Limousine that was gifted to her by the British brand on her Golden Jubilee.
Again, this limousine is well-protected with armoured glass and body panels, but doesn't weigh anywhere near what the Beast does, giving it a top speed of 200km/h from its 6.75-litre V8.
Arguably the most interesting aspect of this Arnage is the fact that the bonnet emblem is interchangeable, allowing it to match the car's current duties. In this photo, it is wearing the Queen's personal mascot which depicts Saint George slaying the dragon.
3. Toyota Century Royal
When you're the Emperor of Japan, a country that has bought the world some of the best cars, you're somewhat expected to ride around in something that reflects this.
While the regular Century isn't too much of a rarity over in Japan, you'll notice that this one is missing a roof, as it is a one-off convertible built by Toyota, and costing around $1 million.
2. Mercedes-Benz 600 Landaulet
We've included this car on this list not because it's assigned to one political leader, but because it has been loved by many throughout the years, recognised globally as a symbol of immense wealth.
Most famously, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il used these classic Mercs during military parades, with microphones mounted on the roof, so that he could address his "adoring" fans whilst on the move.
It's hard to tell how armoured these cars were, but considering the Landaulet version is missing most of its roof, we doubt that safety was a top priority when riding around in it.
1. Ground Force One
So this one might not be a car, but we had to include this on the list because it might be the best land-based presidential transport method available.
Also used by the President of the United States, Ground Force One was designed to be the land-based version of Air Force One, being an uber-luxurious bus that can provide money-can't-buy protection.
Due to security reasons, details of Ground Force One remain scarce, but we can imagine that the POTUS' tour bus would have everything you would ever need, plus some more.
No comments:
Post a Comment