Inside Cadillac One: the Obama-Mobile. Will The Big ‘O’ Run Biodiesel?
The UK’s Daily Mail recently posted this great John Lawson-penned cutaway drawing of the upcoming Cadillac One, the heavily armored limousine that President Barack Obama will be cruising home in immediately after his inauguration.
Explore Cadillac One inside and out (to varying degrees of precision) after the jump.
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The most significant detail of Cadillac One (C1), from an alternative-fuels standpoint, is the limo’s 6.6L Duramax turbo-diesel V8 engine. According to GM, this engine delivered 300 hp and 620 lb-ft of torque when it was offered in GMC’s Topkick commercial trucks. In fact, C1 reportedly shares its chassis with the GMC Topkick C4500 - which you might have seen in last summer’s Transformers movie (below).
The GM Duramax diesel engine powering Cadillac One presents some very interesting alternative fuel possibilities to President Obama. Obama’s pre-election rhetoric was laced with heavy “green economy” overtones, and renewable bio-diesels (along with diesel-electric hybrids) were touted as a readily-available alt-fuel solution for heavy trucks and over-the-road transporters like the GMC commercial trucks … which begs the question: Will Barack Obama’s Cadillac One run on bio-diesel?
Of course it will. Barack Obama has run a flawless political and PR campaign since announcing his candidacy, and is not going to miss this opportunity to generate some easy “feel good” press by topping off Cadillac One with domestic bio-diesel.
Outside, C1 will bear a striking resemblance to GM’s Cadillac sedans - this is both an effective marketing tool for GM’s top brand and a more appropriate ride for a head of state than an oversized pickup (outside Texas, anyway).
Obama’s C1 limo will also make use of Cadillac’s advanced “night vision” heads-up display, giving the President’s highly-trained driver a significant advantage when it might be needed most.
C1’s interior will, of course, offer standard Cadillac luxuries like leather seats and plush carpeting, but C1 will also feature the very latest in communications and electronic tracking, along with the expected heavy armor and damage-resistant wheels/tires. Most heavily-armored vehicles of this level also employ sophisticated recirculating-air systems, which isolate the passenger compartment from chemical weapon attacks (tear gas, mustard, etc.).
Having been involved with several armored car builds in recent years, I’m sure I could post a few more details and educated guesses, but that kind of speculation and sharing might be enough to win me a ticket to Gitmo (at least until January 20th). More details will surely emerge once the car makes its public debut, however, and we’ll do our best to keep you posted.
Image credits: Cutaway illustration by John Lawson and taken from the Daily Mail. Dreamworks Transformers press image via Simon Davison’s photostream under a Creative Commons License.
The driver’s window lowers to pay tolls? Are you kidding me? I don’t think the presidential motorcade has to throw quarters.
@ed
I was wondering as well.
Perhaps it is for buying burgers or pizza at a drive-in ;-).
Bio-diesel is not the solution.
Obama should challenge his team to create a completely green car.
The options exist, here are two to consider:
Fuel cells — http://tinyurl.com/9fjgnm
biofuels — http://tinyurl.com/74plhu
So when do they install the Presidential spinners?
Futile twaddle.
The driver’s window opens slightly, because he occasionally has to confer with somebody outside and needs a backup to the radios. “Paying tolls” is cute.
As for Gitmo — I know you can’t resist the snide swipes, but January 20th doesn’t make a damn bit of difference. If you start publishing details, the Secret Service will ask the FBI (or CIA, if you’re outside the country) to check your background, and learn that you’re doing informed speculation, like some thousands of others. Somebody might call you and ask, and possibly even ask you to tone it down — not that anybody there thinks it would make a bit of difference, since the world is full of that kind of expertise and there are only one or two ways to do a lot of things.
“Gitmo” and Leavenworth are the fever-dreams of self-important assholes. If you were really that smart you’d be helping build it, not sniping from the sidelines.
Regards,
Ric
Just the facts about the vehicle if you please, the Obama tongue bath is not terribly dignified.
Perhaps it is for buying burgers or pizza at a drive-in ;-).
When did it become 1993?
If he’s going to be driving anywhere cold, Pres. Obama better use regular diesel. My Chevy 2500 Duramax ran fine in cold weather in Ohio with regular diesel during the coldest months; in Illinois with biodiesel in the tank, it has to have regular fuel filter replacements, anti-gelling additives with every tank, and be parked out of the cold or it will clog up with gelled biodiesel. My neighbors with diesels have the same problem. It’s a terrible fuel for the midwest.
Perhaps it is for buying burgers or pizza at a drive-in ;-).
When did it become 1993?
Oh, you’re right. Perhaps it is actually for buying Colt 45 and Newports at a drive-thru ;-).