With a night-vision system, tear-gas cannons and a blood bank, Barack Obama's car is a "beast" on the road. Here's a look at how Narendra Modi's car matches up
In 1907, Theodore Roosevelt - the 26th President of the United States - became the first American head of state to travel in a US government automobile. The car was a whiteStanley Steamer - an open steam-powered vehicle, in which the steam was generated in a vertical fire-tube boiler mounted beneath the seat. Not the kind of vehicle that can foil terrorist attacks.
When Barack Obama lands in Delhi for the Republic Daycelebrations, he will be taken along the city's prime esplanade in a vehicle fitted with a special night-vision system, tear gas cannons, steel wheels, a blood bank holding the President's blood type and its own oxygen supply. Obama's Cadillac limousine, or the "Beast", as the US Secret Service likes to call it, will be used to ferry him during the course of his visit to India. It is likely that Obama will break protocol and avoid hopping into counterpart Pranab Mukherjee's blackMercedes-Benz S600 for the short ride to Rajpath from the Rashtrapati Bhawan, but, rest assured, the "Beast" will always be around. Mukherjee's ride is a special car in its own right, complete with a ballistic-resistant exterior. It can also survive gun shots and grenades. But obviously, it is not as terror-proof as Obama's vehicle is.
Obama's, however, is not the only fortress on wheels that will trundle down Rajpath. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, long used to the Mahindra Scorpio before making 7 Race Course Road his home, now travels in a BMW 7-Series 760Li Security Edition. Since 2003, the prime minister of India has used versions of this super-fortified car that can withstand attacks from blunt objects, handguns and AK-47s. Here is a comparison between Obama's Cadillac and Modi's BMW.
Cadillac One
(The Beast)
Most details of the car are classified for security reasons, but here are some of the features that have been made public
> Made of titanium, ceramic, steel and aluminum, the Beast has 8-inch thick armour-plated doors. They weigh as much as the cabin door of a Boeing 757 jet.
> It possesses, run-flat tyres reinforced with Kevlar. They are shred and puncture resistant, with steel rims underneath. The car can easily survive if the tyres are blown away. Thanks to the steel rims, the car can drive at high speeds even without the tyres.
> It is equipped with an advanced fire-fighting system, night-vision cameras and tear gas cannons
> The boot has a bank of the President's blood type and an oxygen supply system.
> Inside the car, the President has access to a state of the art satellite phone, which can be connected to the Pentagon and the White House.
> It has also been speculated that the car can fire infrared smoke grenade, in case it is attacked by a rocket propelled grenade or missile.
> It is also speculated that the car's driver has access to a special video system that allows him to drive in darkness, smoke and other no-visibility conditions.
Engine: 8,000 cc (approx)
Power: 800 bhp
Fuel: Diesel
Mileage: 3.4 kmpl
0-100 kmph: 15 seconds
Top Speed: 150 kmph
Price: Rs 8 crore
When Barack Obama lands in Delhi for the Republic Daycelebrations, he will be taken along the city's prime esplanade in a vehicle fitted with a special night-vision system, tear gas cannons, steel wheels, a blood bank holding the President's blood type and its own oxygen supply. Obama's Cadillac limousine, or the "Beast", as the US Secret Service likes to call it, will be used to ferry him during the course of his visit to India. It is likely that Obama will break protocol and avoid hopping into counterpart Pranab Mukherjee's blackMercedes-Benz S600 for the short ride to Rajpath from the Rashtrapati Bhawan, but, rest assured, the "Beast" will always be around. Mukherjee's ride is a special car in its own right, complete with a ballistic-resistant exterior. It can also survive gun shots and grenades. But obviously, it is not as terror-proof as Obama's vehicle is.
Obama's, however, is not the only fortress on wheels that will trundle down Rajpath. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, long used to the Mahindra Scorpio before making 7 Race Course Road his home, now travels in a BMW 7-Series 760Li Security Edition. Since 2003, the prime minister of India has used versions of this super-fortified car that can withstand attacks from blunt objects, handguns and AK-47s. Here is a comparison between Obama's Cadillac and Modi's BMW.
Cadillac One
(The Beast)
Most details of the car are classified for security reasons, but here are some of the features that have been made public
> Made of titanium, ceramic, steel and aluminum, the Beast has 8-inch thick armour-plated doors. They weigh as much as the cabin door of a Boeing 757 jet.
> It possesses, run-flat tyres reinforced with Kevlar. They are shred and puncture resistant, with steel rims underneath. The car can easily survive if the tyres are blown away. Thanks to the steel rims, the car can drive at high speeds even without the tyres.
> It is equipped with an advanced fire-fighting system, night-vision cameras and tear gas cannons
> The boot has a bank of the President's blood type and an oxygen supply system.
> Inside the car, the President has access to a state of the art satellite phone, which can be connected to the Pentagon and the White House.
> It has also been speculated that the car can fire infrared smoke grenade, in case it is attacked by a rocket propelled grenade or missile.
> It is also speculated that the car's driver has access to a special video system that allows him to drive in darkness, smoke and other no-visibility conditions.
Engine: 8,000 cc (approx)
Power: 800 bhp
Fuel: Diesel
Mileage: 3.4 kmpl
0-100 kmph: 15 seconds
Top Speed: 150 kmph
Price: Rs 8 crore
Security edition
> The car is fully compliant with VR7 grade of ballistic protection and parts of it comply with a higher VR9 grade of protection as well.
> The cabin of the car can turn into a gas-safe chamber in case of a gas attack and is also equipped with a back-up oxygen tank.
> It has a self-sealing fuel tank that cannot explode in any circumstances. Also on board, similar to Obama's car, is a fire-fighting system, emergency exit and thick bullet-proof windows.
> It also has armour plates beneath to withstand mines and bombs.
> It can run on flat tyres for several kilometres and possesses advanced heat sensors to provide protection from bombs and missiles.
> Modi's BMW is considerably lighter than Obama's Cadillac. making it easier to maneuver. However, the Cadillac One generates greater momentum.
Engine: 5,972 cc
Power: 544 bhp
Fuel: Petrol
Mileage: 4.5-7.46 kmpl
0-100 kmph: 6.1 seconds
Top Speed: 210 kmph
Price: Rs 5 crore
Obama's Cadillac One, nicknamed 'The Beast', is designed to protect the president from terror attacks and keep him connected with his administration on the go. The $1.5m vehicle is a virtual shield, impenetrable by bullets and bombs. The dimension of the vehicle is 18ft in length and 5ft 10 inches in height nad it weighs at 8 tonnes. It sports a 6.5 litres diesel engine and can reach a speed of 100kmph.
Fuel tank:
It is sealed with a specially designed foam which prevents it from exploding.
Rear seat/compartment:
The president's seat has a state-of-the-art satellite phone and a direct line to the vice-president and the Pentagon. It can seat up to four persons. The glass partition can be lowered only by the president.
Defence accessories:
It is equipped with night-vision camera, pump-action shotgun, teargas cannons. The car also has a cache of the first family's blood types.
Tyres:
It has run-flat tyres reinforced with Kevlar and is shred and puncture resistant.
Doors:
Its armour-plating is 8 inches thick. It weighs as much as a Boeing 757.
Driver's compartment:
The car has a standard steering wheel, but the dash board contains a communications centre and GPS tracking system. The driver's window can withstand armour piercing bullets and .44 Magnum. The window can be lowered only 3 inches. The driver is trained by the Secret Service to escape and evade enemy and perform a 180-degree 'J-turn'.
Body work & chassis:
Steel plate runs under the car to protect against bombs or grenades rolled underneath. Body has military-grade armour at least 5 inches thick.
10 cool things you should know about Obama's 'beast'
The Beast goes wherever the United States president travels. So whether or not Barack Obama follows protocol and hops into his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee’s ride to head out for the Republic Day parade, the potently-luxurious limousine will be around the corner.
Here are 10 things you should know about Cadillac One, the US president’s official car:
Windows: The windows on Obama's limo are reportedly 5 to 6 inches thick, bomb-proof, and can withstand armour-piercing bullets. Compared to previous versions of the presidential limos, this newer model has more window space providing better outward visibility. The driver’s window is the only window that opens, at only 2.75 inches, so the driver can speak with secret service agents outside the vehicle.
Doors: The doors, which were seen both in photos of the vehicle leaked prior to Inauguration Day and afterwards on the finished product, are armour-plated and 8 inches thick–three inches thicker than President Bush’s limo doors. These doors are the same weight as a Boeing 757 cabin door. An additional safety feature includes steel overlaps between the seams to protect against bullets entering in the space between the doors and body.
Interior: The interior of Obama’s limo is rumoured to be completely sealed in case of a chemical attack. Another safety feature that may possibly be included on the car is a lock-safety mechanism that, in case of emergency, seals off the entire car similar to how a bank vault can be locked during a robbery.
Driver: Obama’s driver is not just a regular chauffeur, but a CIA agent specially-trained for situations ranging from driving during challenging situations to regular types of mechanical break-downs as well as how to handle any emergency that may come up. The driver also has access to helpful equipment such as a communications system and GPS unit in his compartment.
Fuel Tank: The limo’s fuel tank is armour-plated to help repel bullets. As a second line of defense, similar to what race cars use, the fuel tank on Obama’s limo is filled with a special foam that prevents it from exploding even if it sustains a direct hit.
Six-year-old Siya Singh was in awe when she saw 'The Beast' - the car that the US President Barack Obama rides in.
When Barack Obama arrived for the Republic Day parade at Rajpath today in his bullet-proof, hi-tech vehicle, her mother held her above her head so that she could see the armoured limousine.
There inquisitive looks and a silence when the 'The Beast' (also known as 'Cadillac One') arrived near the ceremonial dais until someone in the crowd shouted, "There it is, the Beast".
Siya's mother Sonia Singh says she came to the parade along with her daughter and friends and their children also because they "wanted to see President Obama, and the Beast".
When Barack Obama arrived for the Republic Day parade at Rajpath today in his bullet-proof, hi-tech vehicle, her mother held her above her head so that she could see the armoured limousine.
There inquisitive looks and a silence when the 'The Beast' (also known as 'Cadillac One') arrived near the ceremonial dais until someone in the crowd shouted, "There it is, the Beast".
Siya's mother Sonia Singh says she came to the parade along with her daughter and friends and their children also because they "wanted to see President Obama, and the Beast".
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"And, it's a pretty impressive one" she said.
10-year-old Ojas Dabas from Gurgaon, who also came to the see the Republic Day Parade along with his family. He said, "his entire class at the school were jumping about it ever since they heard about his (Obama's) visit."
"When I came for the parade, I knew I had to get the best seat to get the best view of the Beast. And I saw it. It was awesome," Ojas said.
His sister Anjali, a student of Class 10, said the media played a great role in making people know about the vehicle.
"I had no idea about what the 'Beast' was but I have read so much about it that I wanted to see it. And I think it's a good thing that the media talked about it," she said.
10-year-old Ojas Dabas from Gurgaon, who also came to the see the Republic Day Parade along with his family. He said, "his entire class at the school were jumping about it ever since they heard about his (Obama's) visit."
"When I came for the parade, I knew I had to get the best seat to get the best view of the Beast. And I saw it. It was awesome," Ojas said.
His sister Anjali, a student of Class 10, said the media played a great role in making people know about the vehicle.
"I had no idea about what the 'Beast' was but I have read so much about it that I wanted to see it. And I think it's a good thing that the media talked about it," she said.
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