Presidential Limousines- White House Transportation Agency (2020)-Revised

 

White House Transportation Agency (WHTA)
US Army White House Transportation Agency
Type of Activity	Presidential Transport
Location
Location	Worldwide
Date of Activity	Feb. 17, 1910 to Present
Coordinates	38°53'51.2"N 77°02'20.9"W

 The automobile has been a central part of American culture since the early 1900's--and has been a part of Presidential history for just as long. From the earliest Stanley Steamers 1910 to the special-built Cadillac limousine (referred to by the Secret Service as "The Beast") used by Donald Trump, here is a history of Presidential limousines and the US Army White House Transportation Agency (WHTA).

 "The WHTA provides a fleet of motor vehicles, master drivers and transportation services to the President, Vice President, First Family, White House staff, and official visitors of the First Family in the Washington D.C., area, according to the agency's mission statement. Working closely with the Secret Service, Air Force One and The White House Communications Agency Advance teams to provide all facets of transportation support for presidential motorcades and travel-to include cargo handling for the president and those who travel with him-stateside and abroad, as directed by the White House Military Office.                         

 President Taft's 1911 White steamer

William Howard Taft was in office that the first official Presidential limousine, a Model M Steamer made by the White Automobile Manufacturing Company, The Secret Service agents assigned to protect Taft created the US Army White House Transportation Agency to maintain the automobiles, and when Taft was driven around in one of his cars, Secret Service agents always followed in another car behind him.

 Woodrow Wilson was the first President to ride a car in an official state occasion when he led a World War One victory parade in 1919 in a Cadillac convertible. In 1921, Warren G Harding, the first President who knew how to drive a car, rode in a Packard Double Six to his inauguration at the White House. His successor, Calvin Coolidge, was driven in a 1928 Cadillac Town Car.

 1933-1945: Executive fleet vehicles become known as "Carpet vehicles," because they were carpeted, unlike Army staff cars, which did not have carpet or other creature comforts. For this reason, today's White House Transportation Agency is still referred to as "CARPET."

Then an event happened which changed the nature of the Presidential limousine. In February 1933, Franklin D Roosevelt had just finished giving a speech from the back of an open car in Miami when there was a failed  ed assignation attempt of the President-elect. The Secret Service decided that they needed Presidential vehicles that were better protected. In 1939, the first specially built Presidential limousine was delivered--known as the "Sunshine Special". This was a 1939 Lincoln K-Series convertible V12 with extra-wide running boards and handholds for Secret Service agents. 

1939 Lincoln K-series Sunshine Special, used by Franklin D. Roosevelt.

When Pearl Harbor was attacked in December 1941, the "Sunshine Special" underwent the addition of armor, one-inch-thick (2.5 cm) bulletproof glass, "metal-clad flat-proof inner tubes, a radio transceiver, a siren, red warning lights, and a compartment for submachine guns." After the second set of modifications, the car weighed 9,300 pounds (4,200 kg) and was six feet (1.8 m) longer and was not available for service.

Instead, the Secret Service commandeered the bulletproof 1928 Cadillac Town Sedan that had belonged to gangster Al Capone, FDR rode in Capone's car to the Capitol Building to give his "day of infamy " speech and continued to use the "gangster car" until the Sunshine Special was returned. The Sunshine Special served as the official Presidential limousine for both FDR and President Harry Truman.                                           

1942 Lincoln Custom used by Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry Truman.

 The Lincoln Custom was sometimes called the Sunshine Special although it was the replacement for the K-series by Lincoln, FDR’s office ordered it, but Harry Truman also used this limo until 1950.

In 1950, two custom-built Lincoln Cosmopolitan convertibles were obtained by the Secret Service. During Eisenhower's term, they were modified to add a glass "bubble top" to be used during motorcades. They also carried the names "Queen Mary" and "Queen Elizabeth", this vehicle was the first to use a bulletproof "bubbletop" canopy, which was added in 1954. The car remained in service until 1967.           

1950 Lincoln Cosmopolitan, used by Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, 

and John F. Kennedy.

                    Currently on display at the Henry Ford Museum, 

On October 17, 1957 Queen Elizabeth (II) (the “real person”), arrived in Washington D.C. and rode in a presidential motorcade parade up Pennsylvania Avenue on her way to the White House. Queen Elizabeth’s Washington Parade used both of the 1956 Cadillac limousine convertibles This is the first time that the “Queen Elizabeth II” (the car) and Queen Elizabeth II (the person) ever came together.

Eisenhower’s 1952/56 Imperial Parade Phaeton. Huge difference. While the ’42 Lincoln had been efficient and heavy, safe, and secure in a time when the world was under fire, Ike’s peacetime Chrysler Imperial was open and stylish. It exuded post-war prosperity and optimism. It was one of three built, the other two going to the mayors of L.A. and New York. This one was used by Eisenhower, Nixon “…and a whole lotta astronauts,” said Kendall.                    

Eisenhower’s 1952/56 Imperial Parade Phaeton

1953-1961: During the Eisenhower administration, civilian chauffeurs are completely phased out, and the Secret Service assumes the duties of driving the president,

President Eisenhower in a Cadillac presidential parade car

Two identical presidential Cadillac limousines were built by GM using the Cadillac Fleetwood 75 convertible which were then modified and customized. Each of the Cadillac presidential parade cars were 21 feet long and weighed 7,000 pounds.  They had a Series 56-86 commercial chassis characterized by a 158-inch wheelbase and a 365 cubic inch, 305 horsepower V-8 engine.  The cars reportedly could reach speeds of up to 115 miles an hour.                                                          

These presidential convertibles were equipped with a large externally mounted siren, oscillating grill mounted red lights, a built-in gun rack, pistol holders and “run flat” tires as well as special communications equipment installed by WHCA.

In 1961, President John F Kennedy received a 1960 Lincoln Continental Model 74 limousine. Known as the SS-100-X, the car was custom-built in Ohio. It was 33 inches longer than a standard Lincoln, had seats that could be raised for better visibility, and could be fitted with a clear plastic bubble top. One thing the car lacked, however, was air conditioning, and Kennedy disliked the bubble top because it made the car too hot. While riding in this car without the bubble top in Dallas, Texas, in November 1963, Kennedy was shot and killed.                             

       1961 Lincoln Continental SS-100-X used by John F. Kennedy. Currently on display at the Henry Ford Museum            

President Kennedy’s limo with Bubble Top

Oct. 1, 1964: The U.S. Army Transportation Agency is established as a Class I activity under the jurisdiction of the commanding general, Military District of Washington. Operational control remains with the White House Military Office. The agency is later renamed the White House Transportation Agency. Today's personnel and fleet numbers, as well as the executive support functions the agency provides, remain relatively unchanged from those of the Kennedy and subsequent administrations.

After the assassination, additional armor and a fixed hard roof was added to the car, and it was used by Lyndon Johnson until it was replaced by two 1965 Lincoln Continental Executive limousines.

1965 Lincoln Continental used by Lyndon B. Johnson.

 In 1969, President Richard Nixon received a new Lincoln Continental, with its hard top fitted with a sunroof, through which Nixon could wave to people during motorcades. 

                                                             

 President Nixon in the last Limousine with an open Roof

1969 Lincoln Continental used by Richard Nixon.

 1972 Lincoln Continental, used by Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan. It was ordered as a 1970 model (it has a 1970 serial number) with the 1972 body style and updated later to match 1977-1979 models. It was involved in the 1975 assassination attempt of President Ford, as well as the 1981 assassination attempt of President Reagan.

1972 Lincoln Continental, used by Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan.

This Limo was ordered as a 1970 model (it has a 1970 serial number) with the 1972 body style and updated later to match 1977-1979 models. It was involved in the 1975 assassination attempt of President Ford, as well as the 1981 assassination attempt of President Reagan.

After decades of presidential Lincolns (named, of course, after a president), Cadillac was finally given the chance to produce a limousine for the secret service in the early 1980s. Appearing in 1984 were a pair of 1983 Fleetwood’s built by Hess & Eisenhardt. Since the coachbuilder started with production Fleetwood limousines, the cars were stretched only 17 inches and their roofs raised three inches. Power for both came from Cadillac's own massive 500 cubic-inch V8.                              

1983 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham, used by Ronald Reagan 

Though awkward in appearance, the Fleetwood provided excellent visibility for the president. Large greenhouses were made possible by the develop of 2 3/8ths inch thick bulletproof glass and powerful air conditioning systems that kept the cabin cool. 

Upon their retirement, of one Fleetwood it was returned to GM who lent it out to producers of the 1993 Clint Eastwood film In The Line of Fire. The other Fleetwood is on display at the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.                            

1989 Lincoln Town Car, used by George H.W. Bush 

George H.W. Bush brought Lincoln back to the White House with a classic, the Town Car. 

More Town Cars became limousines than any other vehicle in the 80’s. The Town Car was once a trim of the Continental, but by the 80’s Lincoln saw fit to give Town Car its own line. The ’89 was no slouch under the hood. Off the line, it hammered 180 horses with its 4.9-liter V8. 

Cadillac, who would not let their brand get pushed away so fast, built this Fleetwood from the ground up for the then-new president, Bill Clinton. Every presidential car up until this point was a modified production car.                                                                                                             

1993 Fleetwood is on display at the Clinton Presidential Library.

By the time of George W. Bush's inauguration, Cadillac no longer produced a full-frame rear-drive car suitable for conversion into a presidential limousine. Meanwhile, the Secret Service's safety requirements for the limousine had grown ever more ambitious and, well, weighty. So, when the Bush DeVille debuted--it really was not much of a DeVille at all.                   

2001 Cadillac Deville used by George W. Bush 

Equipped with five-inch thick armored doors and bulletproof glass so thick it blocks out parts of the light spectrum, Bush's DeVille was rumored to feature a self-contained passenger compartment with its own secure air supply, run flat inner cores inside the tires, and a big 454 cubic inch truck engine so the 14,000-or-so pound monster could push through any obstacles. 

The 2001 DeVille President G.W. Bush ordered was his first term limo. Cadillac started making DeVille’s in ’59, but the 8th generation saw the first major redesign since the 1994 model. The 2001 was a V8 (4.6 Liter), of course, but came with 300 horsepower off the line. The 8th generation would be the last. Cadillac replaced them with the DTS. 

By the time of the Bush's second inaugural in 2005, Cadillac was ready with an updated fleet of limousines that featured styling that mimicked the DTS production sedan. 

2005 Cadillac DTS Presidential State Car used by George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

The 2005 Cadillac DTS Presidential State Car was the official state car used by President George W. Bush of the United States during the second term of his administration. Analogous to the President's use of an airplane designated Air Force One, the automobile—traditionally a limousine—is informally known as "Cadillac One". The limousine model was replaced on January 20, 2009, upon the inauguration of President Barack Obama, although both models are still in use.      

The model is a 2005 hand-crafted, custom built, heightened-roof, and armored vehicle designed with the styling of the Cadillac DTS sedan built on a GM four-wheel drive platform. It was first used on January 20, 2005, during the second inauguration parade of George W. Bush. 

It sports a tall roofline, an all-wheel drive set up based on that of the Cadillac Escalade, red and blue emergency lights built into the front grille, and is fitted with red strobe lights in the headlights and rear brake lights The standard door handles have been replaced by those of a more loop design. The vehicle is completely fitted with military grade armor 5 inches (130 mm) thick for maximum protection. The windows do not open, the wheels are fitted with run flat tires, and five antennas are mounted on the trunk lid. Due to the thickness of the glass, much natural light is excluded, so a fluorescent halo lighting system in the headliner is essential.

The car can seat seven people, including the President. The front seats two, and includes a console-mounted communications center.  A glass partition divides the front from back. Three rear-facing seats are in the back, with cushions that are able to fold against the partition. The two rear seats are reserved for the president and another passenger; these seats have the ability to recline individually.  A folding desk is between the two rear seats. Storage compartments in the interior panels of the car contain communications equipment.

This was also George W. Bush’s limo. It had a special name everyone called it “Cadillac One”, reflecting the name given the presidential plane: “Air Force One”, and Presidential helicopter “Marine One”.

President Obama's new ride a 2009 Cadillac is not much larger than Bush's Cadillacs, but it is apparently much heavier. A look at photos released by GM reveal a limo-looking behemoth running on Goodyear Regional RHS tires--that's rubber usually reserved for medium- and heavy-duty trucks.

2009 Cadillac "The Beast", used by Barack Obama and Donald Trump.

Although rarely deployed in Presidential travel, a pair of heavily modified and thickly armored buses were procured by the Secret Service around the turn of the decade. The joint project between Prevost Car and Hemphill Brothers Coach Company, known as the model X3-45 VIP 3, allows the President to travel more efficiently by road in rural areas when many stops are on the schedule. 

Once delivered, these roving White Houses were painted gloss black and had advance communications installed to interconnect them with Roadrunner and the world beyond, as well as other improvements like what you would find in the Presidential limousine. Both limo buses were used leading up to the 2012 election, Codename Ground Force One they can easily replace the Beast at any time in the motorcade!                                    

Ground Force One (2012 Campaign)

                  

2018 Cadillac used by Donald Trump.  

It contains encrypted voice and data communications equipment allowing the President to keep contact with the rest of the government. For security, it is heavily armored against bullets and explosions, has special tires that can run even when flat, and is sealed against chemical and biological weapons (it carries its own air supply). The car even carries a stockpile of the President's particular blood type. 

President Donald Trump has officially arrived at a public event where he debuted his new 2018 presidential limo—"The Beast," as it is known colloquially. Like the previous Beast, first used by President Barack Obama in 2009, the new version is built by General Motors and visually denoted as a Cadillac, and its latest iteration adopts more modern styling cues and surely packs more advanced technology.

The latest addition to the Presidential motorcade is a Chevy Suburban-based limousine, joining the fleet alongside “The Beast,” the renowned Presidential limousine introduced several years ago. This new Suburban limo stands out with its raised roofline, a design feature that could serve multiple purposes. While the exact reason for the modification is unclear, it likely provides easier access to the vehicle's deep cabin and may also compensate for the extra space taken up by advanced armor on the roof and underside. The growing threat from drones in recent years may have prompted the need for heavier topside protection.

  The new Presidential Suburban is somewhat of a rare model even before its modifications. It is a 2500 HD model, with heavy-duty running gear.
 

Although the Secret Service’s heavily armored Suburban limousines don’t receive as much attention as the traditional Presidential limousines, they play a vital role, especially during domestic travel. The Vice President, in particular, is frequently seen riding in them. The use of large SUVs for transporting both the President and Vice President began in the early 2000s, and today, these vehicles are interchangeable with the iconic Beast limousines for many of their trips.

Like all vehicles in the Presidential Motorcade, these new super-SUVs will lead remarkable lives, carrying the first and second families across the globe. They are regularly transported by air, aboard C-17 and C-5 aircraft, making them some of the most well-traveled vehicles in the world.