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Presidential Limo Contract To Be Up For Grabs, Will Cadillac Be Able To Keep It?

Perhaps the most alluring feature of the presidential limousine is that the program is classified. Even though the current presidential limo, Cadillac “The Beast” One, has been in service since 2008, most of the vehicle’s specifications remain a mystery. But it seems that those specifications could be in need of a replacement, as The Department of Homeland Security plans on awarding a new presidential limo contract by September 29, 2013.

Is the sun setting on The Beast? According to Motor Trend, nobody is speaking of what to expect. Will General Motors and Cadillac be awarded the contract to build a new model? Again, nobody is talking. Is Lincoln in the running? Chrysler? Surprise, surprise, nobody is talking.

Cadillac has been the brand consecutively representing presidential limousines since the Clinton Administration in 1993, so it could be time for a change. On the flip side, the brand also stands as America’s most luxurious brand today without question, and a vehicle resembling a Cadillac XTS would sure look mighty fine parked in front of the White House.

Former staff.

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Comments

  1. Who wants to be the first to lock this thread due to conflicting political views?

    Nevertheless, Cadillac can’t afford to pass this one up. “The Beast” itself is reminiscent of the 2nd gen CTS’s A&S styling. If there was a new Cadillac presidential limousine, the present A&S styling would be propelled to the forefront of the world’s stage.

    A new TopKick sourced car that looks like a stretched 2014 CTS? If GM didn’t just can the flagship project, a car not unlike the Ciel would have been an exceptional presidential limousine.

    To be honest, I just don’t want to see the contract go to Lincoln. 😉 The car won’t look right no matter what Ford does to it.

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  2. I hope Cadillac keeps it. Like Grawdaddy states, if they hadn’t just cancelled a project What would they use? I’d like to see a glorified XTS livery type vehicle like used in the big cities.

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  3. Ok, let’s get this straight. GM did not cancel the Cadillac flagship (LTS) planned to take on the S Class and 7 Series. They canceled a car above it like a Bentley. So with the flagship coming, we know it will be amazing, I would like to see the next Presidential limo take strong influence from that and the 2014 CTS. Either that or just give him the next Escalade. I hate the current one, it’s like an Escalade car. It’s ugly. I can’t see Lincoln or Chrysler getting this.

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  4. At the rate they are going it may not make any difference.

    The fact is the next one may just be a big SUV as they had to create the Monster as it is now on a truck frame. Also many times the present President has been using an armored Suburban for many trips..

    The present car also has issues with ground clearance and got hung up in England and they had to make a fast transfer.

    I ponder that the next one will be a Escalade or other large SUV.

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    1. …or maybe they will just use a suspension system that can be raised and lowered accordingly…

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      1. With that kind of weight and the way they have to train to drive it I would not expect that.

        Keep in mind this is really a truck with a custom armored car body on it.

        The biggest thing is they just need to learn to better plan their trips as they should have caught that and it was a Big Secrete Service screw up. Someone may have been spending too much time with the hookers and not doing their job. LOL!

        I suspect it will be another Cadillac and it will be a car but not anything production just as we have now. This one is a Escalade grill with a truck frame and a custom car body we will see the same again.

        Lincoln has other issues and Chrysler is owned by Fiat now so I wonder if that would make them shy away.,

        Besides the present admin will want to show their support of GM since they bailed them out and that may have an influence on who gets the deal. Besides GM can do the car in house as they did this one.

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  5. It will be styled after the K2XX Escalade.

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  6. It won’t go to Lincoln, I think the bid states the company has to be in business in 2015.

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    1. I certainly prefer Cadillac, but I don t mind any of our 4 (yes, four) home teams. The Chrysler 300 platform looks fantastic, and I still do remember the 2008 LA Autoshow where Chrysler had no money for lighting, but they had a brand new Chrysler Imperial concept car at their stand.

      And who is that fourth home team? It is Tesla of course. ( I think Obama would love that idea 🙂 (and believe me, I am no liberal, but I love Tesla just as much as our other 3 home teams)

      If Lincoln could expand on their MKZ design theme and produce a Presidential Limousine as a concept for its own new flagship sedan, that would be great. Let us face it, Presidential Limousines are one-off cars anyway.

      And to wrap up, a Cadillac LTS design theme teaser as a Presidential Limousine would certainly be the ultimate.

      (Only 8 months left until I will get my new Cadillac CTS. I can t wait 🙂

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  7. Cadillac is the Top of the Line American Auto brand without question. I definitely hope to see a Cadillac. It just fits.

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