Its official call sign is Cadillac One, but it will always be known as the Obamobile.
This is the top-security armoured limousine which has been custom-built to be Barack Obama's presidential car. It will travel with him wherever in the world he goes. The president-elect will have his first ride in the stretch limo when he parades along Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington after his inauguration on Jan 20.
As with the previous presidential limos it is packed with electronic communication systems to allow Obama to keep contact with the outside world. One personal touch will be the remote-controlled 10-CD changer on which he can play his favourite artistes, said to include Stevie Wonder and Bob Dylan.
Despite the protection afforded by Cadillac One, the Secret Service will be taking no chances when Obama is sworn in as the 44th president. A 5km security perimeter will be thrown around the US capital, with no vehicles allowed inside, to prevent a car bomb attack.
Here are the features of Obamobile :
Petrol Tank : Armour-plated and filled with a specially designed foam which prevents it from exploding even if it suffers a direct hit.
Boot : Holds oxygen supply and a firefighting system.
Rear Compartment : Seats four passengers with glass partition – only Obama has a switch to lower it. Windows larger than on previous presidential cars. Panic button installed for Obama to summon help.
Doors : Armour-plated, eight inches thick and the weight of a cabin door on a Boeing 757 jet.
Chauffeur : Trained by CIA to cope in the most demanding of driving conditions.
Driver's Window : Tough enough to withstand armour-piercing bullets. The only window that opens by just three inches so the driver can pay a toll or talk with secret service agents running alongside.
Bodywork : Combination of dual hardness steel, aluminium, titanium, and even ceramic to break up possible projectiles.
Driver's Compartment : Standard steering wheel, but dash board contains a communications centre and GPS tracking system.
Rear Seats : Obama's seat has an executive package featuring a foldaway desktop, laptop computer with wi-fi, state of the art satellite phone and direct line to the vice president and the Pentagon.
Defence Accessories : Equipped with night vision cameras and pump-action shotguns. Also armed with tear gas cannons. Bottles of the president's blood kept on board in case he needs an emergency transfusion.
Chassis : A reinforced five inch steel plate runs under the car for protection in the unlikely event of a bomb placed underneath.
Tyres : Kevlar-reinforced, shred and puncture-resistant, with steel rims underneath, enabling the car to escape at speed even if tyres are blasted away.
Fact file
Price : €300,000
Length : 18ft
Height : 5ft 10in
Engine : 6.5 litre diesel engine
Max speed : 60mph
0 – 60mph : 15 secs
Fuel consumption : About eight miles to the gallon
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