PRESS RELEASE and PHOTO from General Motors
“Cadillac is honored to again
provide a new Presidential Limousine,” said Mark McNabb, North America
vice president, Cadillac/Premium Channel. “This is a great American
tradition that we’re delighted to renew with an all-new car featuring
the best of Cadillac’s dramatic design and technology.”
The image of an American president greeting crowds from a Cadillac
limousine dates to President Woodrow Wilson and the early days of the
automobile, and continues into a historic new era. The latest Cadillac
Presidential Limousine is a completely new design, succeeding the DTS
Presidential Limousine that debuted in 2004. The new car incorporates
many of the dramatic design and technology features of new and highly
acclaimed Cadillac vehicles in a purpose-built format tailored to
specific and exacting specifications befitting presidential
transport.
Inside and out, the Cadillac Presidential Limousine includes many of
the brand’s signature design elements. Assertive, modern and elegant,
the front of the car includes the intricate, dual-textured grille made
famous by Cadillac’s most popular current models, the CTS sport sedan
and Escalade. Vertical design elements, such as the car’s front and
rear lighting, mirror those used on production models.
For largely functional reasons, such as optimal outward visibility, the
car is slightly more upright than its predecessor. However, this new
Cadillac Presidential Limousine occupies roughly the same overall
footprint on the road as the previous model, with a similar size and
proportion.
The side and rear profiles of the new Presidential Limousine are
classic, elegant forms, evocative of Cadillac’s STS and DTS luxury
sedans. Inside the cabin, the car includes the finest examples of
Cadillac’s recent renaissance in design, technology and craftsmanship.
The cabin blends modern design and technology with old-world
craftsmanship. Major aspects of the cabin are cut and sewn by hand, the
same process used in popular Cadillac models such as the CTS sport
sedan.
Naturally, many purpose-built aspects of the car are specially designed
and prepared for presidential use. The rear passenger area includes an
extensive executive compartment with ample seating space, outward
visibility and useful mobile office features.
The car was designed, developed and tested by specialists who adhered
to an extensive set of specifications. It was subjected to an extreme
testing regimen to ensure performance that achieves precise functional
requirements. In doing so, security provisions were undertaken at all
times during development to ensure the car’s functional capabilities
are preserved and confidential.
An embroidered presidential seal is positioned in the center of the
rear seat back panel, as well as on each rear door trim panel.
Presidential seals are also affixed to the exterior rear doors. The
U.S. flag is placed on the right front fender, and the presidential
standard is located on the left front fender when the president travels
in the vehicle. High-tech LED spotlights illuminate the flags at night.
History – Cadillac and the U.S.
Presidency
Cadillac has built limousines and special vehicles for U.S. presidents,
diplomats, ambassadors and foreign dignitaries since the early 20th
century, an iconic aspect of the brand that continues today.
Cadillac’s central role began during World War I, when many Cadillac
engines and cars were transferred to military and government service
because of their superior durability and power. One of the first chief
executives to use a Cadillac was President Wilson, who rode through the
streets of Boston during a World War I victory parade in 1919. A lavish
1928 Cadillac town car was used in the Calvin Coolidge administration.
In 1938, two Cadillac convertibles, dubbed the "Queen Mary" and "Queen
Elizabeth," were delivered to the U.S. government. Named after the
great ocean liners of the time, the vehicles were 21.5 feet long,
weighed 7,660 pounds and were equipped with a full ammunition arsenal,
two-way radios and heavy-duty generators. Durable and reliable, the two
"Queens" served Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman and
Dwight D. Eisenhower.
President Eisenhower, known as a car buff, rode in one of the first
Cadillac Eldorado models ever produced during his 1953 inaugural
parade. The Eldorado represented a high point in automobile design
history, as it had the first wraparound windshield, a feature quickly
adopted on other new production models.
In 1956, the Queen Mary II and Queen Elizabeth II convertibles replaced
the original series. The vehicles were slightly smaller, but like their
predecessors, were fully armored and featured state-of-the art
communications. Moreover, the vehicles were fitted with narrow rims
inside the tire in case the tires were shot out. The Queen Mary II and
Queen Elizabeth II served not only President Eisenhower, but also
Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. Both vehicles were
retired in 1968.
The Ronald W. Reagan administration was delivered a 1983 Cadillac
Fleetwood limousine and a Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham – Presidential
Series was delivered to the William J. Clinton administration in 1993.
Unlike previous models that typically were Cadillac cars adapted and
modified by independent limousine companies, the 1993 Presidential
Brougham was designed, developed and manufactured totally within
General Motors and Cadillac. This included an extensive set of security
measures to maintain confidentiality, a process that continues today.
Currently, the 1983 Cadillac Fleetwood limousine resides at the Ronald
W. Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, Calif., while
the 1993 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham is at the Clinton Presidential
Center in Little Rock, Ark.
Cadillac has produced two presidential limousines this decade that
remain in service. The first was a Deville Presidential model delivered
to President George W. Bush in 2001. In 2004, President Bush debuted a
new DTS Presidential model. It was the first application of a new
design that launched later that year for the production DTS full-size
sedan.
About Cadillac
Cadillac is a division of General Motors Corp., and a leading luxury
auto brand since 1902. In recent years, Cadillac has engineered an
historic renaissance led by dramatic new designs and global expansion.
More information on Cadillac can be found at www.cadillac.com.
General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM) Founded in 1908, GM manufactures its
cars and trucks in 35 countries. In 2007, nearly 9.37 million GM cars
and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick,
Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac,
Saab, Saturn, Vauxhall and Wuling. GM's OnStar subsidiary is the
industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services.
More information on GM can be found at www.gm.com.
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