President’s Day: Cadillacs that Hauled Presidents
Cadillac has been a staple in American luxury for many years. If a Cadillac is good enough to transport a President, of course, it’ll be more than adequate for your commute! At Landers Chevrolet Cadillac of Joplin, Missouri, we have all the latest Cadillac models in stock and ready to be purchased today!
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The first president who used a car for transportation was William McKinley, who rode in a carriage steam car in 1901. In the 1920s, President Herbert Hoover had a Cadillac V-16 which was the top-of-the-line Cadillac model at the time! Unfortunately, that was the last of the Presidential Cadillacs for a while because legend has it that Harry S. Truman held a grudge with General Motors because GM wouldn’t give Truman the use of their cars during his run in the 1948 Presidential Election. Truman chose Lincoln as the presidential state car and it remained the same for several years.
Fast forward to 1983 and you’ll see that Cadillac was chosen for the presidential state car, with a 1983 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham used by Ronald Reagan. This Cadillac Fleetwood was 17 inches longer and 3 inches taller than the stock model to account for the added armor and bulletproof glass. These presidential state cars were distinctively styled with a raised roof and more interior room and even had oversized wheels and tires, heavy-duty brakes, and an automatic leveling suspension to deal with the weight.
President Bill Clinton used a 1993 Cadillac Fleetwood as his presidential state car. It’s currently on display at the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, Arkansas!
In 2001, the Cadillac presidential limousine had to be reworked. No longer did Cadillac make a car suitable for the armor and amenities. A research and development department of GM took the chassis from the full-size SUV and put the body of a stretched Cadillac Deville body on the frame. It featured five-inch armored doors, bulletproof glass so thick that it blocked out part of the light spectrum, independent air supply, run-flat tires, 454-cubic-inch V8 engine, foldaway desktop computer, and reclining rear seats with adaptive massaging cushions. This car was rightfully nicknamed the Beast weighing in at over 14,000 pounds! The Beast served through George W. Bush’s and Barack Obama’s presidency. The newest presidential vehicles have bodies by Cadillac but are completely custom underneath with the best and most reliable parts that General Motors pieces together.
At Landers Chevrolet Cadillac of Joplin, Missouri, we pride ourselves on having the best Cadillac selection in Southwest Missouri. We’d love to find a Cadillac that fits your needs! Contact us today if you have any questions about the current Cadillac models.
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