Tuesday, January 20, 2009

2009 Inauguration: Presidential Wheels

When Barack Obama rides down Pennsylvania Avenue during his inaugural parade, he will do so in a brand new limousine that the Secret Service calls "The Beast."  I prefer to call it "Cadillac One."  Look at it! Absolutely stunning!  Truly befitting the world's most powerful leader.

Built on a GM heavy duty truck platform, with at least five inches of armor plating and glass so thick you almost can't see through it (exact specifications are classified), this latest presidential limo is said to weigh more than 10,000 pounds.  It carries forward Cadillac's new, younger appealing, progressive look including the grille and headlights design first seen on the Escalade SUV and CTS sedan.  Just perfect for a young, progressive, historic commander-in-chief.

The new "Cadillac One" was to be a prelude to the next generation full size DTS sedan.  However, GM has reportedly shelved development due to lackluster sales of the current DTS, brought on by sky-high gasoline prices in 2008 and the economic downturn.  We will have to wait and see if things change and a variation of this shows up on Cadillac dealer showroom floors.

With President Obama receiving the brand new model, look for Vice President Biden to inherit the 2005 DTS limousine that President Bush used during his second term.  Not a bad hand-me-down!

Oh, Good Evening!

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