Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Obama's Beast: Owned by a hill!

iStudentUK said:
I think it is ugly as hell!
Click to expand...

I do too.

iStudentUK said:
It's obviously very subjective, but I don't like the big boxy limo, I much prefer the more sleek cars of the British and Germans above.
Click to expand...

If it was all about looks, the Beast would be the worst state limo outside of China...but it is emphatically not about looks. The reason that the Beast looks like a hideous lowered armored truck is because that is exactly what it is. It's a function-over-form design. Without exact spec lists I can't compare it directly to other armored limos but I think it's safe to say that no state limo is more robust than this one. And that's all it's for.
 
JoeG4 said:
You mean like these?

http://www.allpar.com/trucks/ram/ram-chassis-cabs.html

At the end of the day though, it was the secret service that decided upon the specifications for the presidential limos so it might've well been due to that.

That, or just a chance encounter. Not unlike having a flat tire, lol.
Click to expand...

I knew about the Ram 4500, but not the 5500. Interesting..... Either way, I think the Top Kick platform is superior. There is a reason why it's Iron Hide. :D ;)

gmc-trucks-ironhide.jpg
 
quagmire said:
I knew about the Ram 4500, but not the 5500. Interesting..... Either way, I think the Top Kick platform is superior. There is a reason why it's Iron Hide. :D ;)
Click to expand...

Mechanically it's a good platform, but it was used to make the most offensively vulgar and unnecessary pickup known to man, so that really counts against it. :rolleyes: ;)

Someone in my neighborhood owns one of those silly things. It's the automotive equivalent of a clown outfit - cartoonish and ridiculous.
 
Lord Blackadder said:
Mechanically it's a good platform, but it was used to make the most offensively vulgar and unnecessary pickup known to man, so that really counts against it. :rolleyes: ;)

Someone in my neighborhood owns one of those silly things. It's the automotive equivalent of a clown outfit - cartoonish and ridiculous.
Click to expand...

In typical Ford fashion( Excursion vs Suburban), I think the F-650 tops the Top Kick in terms of most unnecessary pickup known to man. ;)

ford%2Bf-650.jpg
 
quagmire said:
In typical Ford fashion( Excursion vs Suburban), I think the F-650 tops the Top Kick in terms of most unnecessary pickup known to man. ;)
Click to expand...

I'd call it a draw, since I don't think it's possible to be worse than either. ;) Perhaps Ford wins because their middle finger with wheels is still on sale.
 
lol that IS ridiculous.

Also:
obama-exiting-limo-getty-580.jpg


eurp_0908_03_z+bmw_7_series_security+armored_door.jpg


I'm fairly sure the BMW limo would lose.
 
The doors are 8" thick on the beast. Considering the weight of this thing, 8 MPG isn't bad for fuel economy. :p

107807d1231628824-pic-day-2-some-may-slightly-nsfw-article-1109082-02fd57b3000005dc-983_468x310_popup.jpg
 
iStudentUK said:
I think it is ugly as hell!

Compare it to other countries and I think it's horrid. The Germans have a great Merc, the British have a Jaguar, the Japanese Emperor has a limo that looks much better than "The Beast"!

They still manage to have armour, bullet-proof glass, internal oxygen systems etc. I'm particularly jealous of the UK PM's 1200 Watt B&W 7.1 surround sound system in his car!

It's obviously very subjective, but I don't like the big boxy limo, I much prefer the more sleek cars of the British and Germans above.
Click to expand...

But none of those other cars are as capable as the POTUS's "Beast", at least for protection and telecommunications from the car. ;) There's a reason it's so big --- it holds a lot of armour, and other technology. The interior is actually quite small.

Again, for what it is, it's not an ugly car. Mind you, all limos are ugly, but the added functionality of this limo hasn't made it any less ugly.
 
Abstract said:
But none of those other cars are as capable as the POTUS's "Beast", at least for protection and telecommunications from the car. ;) There's a reason it's so big --- it holds a lot of armour, and other technology. The interior is actually quite small.

Again, for what it is, it's not an ugly car. Mind you, all limos are ugly, but the added functionality of this limo hasn't made it any less ugly.
Click to expand...

Have a look at this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cu6F4aYJDBY

There's some on the Mercedes Guardians. Also in terms of telecommunications: have you seen BMW's range of Heads Up Displays and In car Internet solutions present on common everyday cars? Let alone what you could spec up on one of these babies :)
 
garybUK said:
Have a look at this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cu6F4aYJDBY
Click to expand...

Video seems to have been removed.

I have no doubt that the armored Mercs and BMWs are world-class. But I'm sure The Beast is just as good. More importantly, this vehicle was completely tailored to a single job - protecting the US President - and in that sense it is the best choice, since it was designed as part of a system rather than just as an armored limo. The Beast is completely integrated into the Secret Service's motorcade, and some of its defenseive functions can be remotely controlled from the motorcade's mobile command center. Still, since much of the specs are classified, we can't fully judge its capabilities.

Either way, it's a pretty high-tech limo. :eek:
 
But why should the president of the US be riding around in a foreign-made limo? Does the queen? No. She demands a Land Rover or Jaguar made at an English plant. The leader of Japan rides around in a state Toyota.. South Korea uses a Hyundai Equis (however that's spelled) now that they make such a car.

So our president, the leader of a country that has several car companies and produces lots of cars, should be riding around in a BMW because that's the social status quo in Hollywood? I suppose in that case he should be out wrecking Ferraris while drunk because that's the famous people thing to do too.

As much as I'm against corporate endorsement and all of that, it would be pretty crazy to have our leader riding around in a foreign car. What does that tell everyone else? Hey guys! Go aspire to own a BMW! Cadillac is crap anyway.. well..

.. wait

All of ya'll think that anyway. xD Heck, I love my 300C and I would probably take a BMW over a Cadillac although I'd rather have a CTS or a STS over a 3 series or a 7 series. Something about not wanting to pay $70,000 for a car that's worth barely $20,000 3 years later..

Then again, when I happen to be going by a "hood" and see someone poor driving a 300 V6 I don't think "ugh.. peasants driving my car"! I think "Man that guy has great taste!" But ofc, I see all kinds of people driving 300s.. including Obama, and like.. the old Japanese lady that runs the sushi place here. not just old white guys and thugs with 25" wheels XD

hrmm..

I still think he should've had a 300 limo :p
 
JoeG4 said:
All of ya'll think that anyway. xD Heck, I love my 300C and I would probably take a BMW over a Cadillac although I'd rather have a CTS or a STS over a 3 series or a 7 series. Something about not wanting to pay $70,000 for a car that's worth barely $20,000 3 years later..
Click to expand...

Ugh the STS. Bland styling and a horrible interior........ Good thing that it's dead now( along with the DTS as well). :D The third gen CTS will take the STS's place. Unfortunately, the upcoming XTS will replace the DTS( another FWD Caddy...... Boo!!).
 
quagmire said:
Ugh the STS. Bland styling and a horrible interior........ Good thing that it's dead now( along with the DTS as well). :D The third gen CTS will take the STS's place. Unfortunately, the upcoming XTS will replace the DTS( another FWD Caddy...... Boo!!).
Click to expand...

Someone needs to impose the following rule at GM: There is no such thing as a FWD Cadillac.
 
Lord Blackadder said:
Someone needs to impose the following rule at GM: There is no such thing as a FWD Cadillac.
Click to expand...

If Buick didn't exist, I wouldn't exactly mind Cadillac having a full line of luxury vehicles consisting of FWD and RWD vehicles( although it hasn't worked out for Lexus). But, Buick does exist so they need to distinguish between the two luxury marques. The 2nd gen SRX and XTS are stepping on Buick's toes.

I was looking forward to the upcoming Cadillac ATS( replacing the CTS in the lower 3 series slot), but I have been hearing it's a big heaping pile of crap

Cadillac just continues to piss me off.....
 
If that does indeed have an air suspension it sounds like it popped. Perhaps a ballast broke. I assume that the air springs are cross linked for better articulation / easier control if one blows (both are then blown).
 
The STS wasn't the most exciting car in the world, but it was a pretty damn good looking car because it didn't try to look like those awful looking BMWs I see everyone driving.

Also: You guys keep forgetting the presidential limo is a very heavy vehicle - essentially a tank. The second it got some air it came down HARD. If you watch it a few times it seems a bit unnatural for a car, sure, but again this is generally an 8" thick mess of steel and ceramic and such. Very very heavy vehicle.

The thing I didn't like about the STS or any other Cadillac for that matter is how the side windows cut about 2" into the body instead of being lined up with the hood/trunk. Very few manufacturers actually can do car bodywork properly >>

2005_Cadillac_STS_ext_1.jpg


Also, there's no way the CTS will replace the STS because the CTS is a very small car - 185" wherabouts vs a 200" car. The DTS was a 210" car!

What was so bad about this interior anyway?
cadillac_sls_05.jpg


Not perfect, but fairly decent for what it was. At least it didn't have iDrive, lol.

I believe most Cadillac hate is because of the stereotypes and celebrity dictated status quo, not informed decisions. That's just me though - and again, not a huge fan of the cars ,but seriously.. what's such a big turn on about this?

nmo3607_mp_opt.jpg


It's a similarly sized car (200" long, 75" wide, 121" wheelbase, ~4300-4500lbs) to the STS and 300c. Similar power, costs 2x as much, arguably more common and uglier looking than its competition lol.
 
JoeG4 said:
Also, there's no way the CTS will replace the STS because the CTS is a very small car - 185" wherabouts vs a 200" car. The DTS was a 210" car!

What was so bad about this interior anyway?
Image
Click to expand...

The CTS is 191" long and the STS is 196" long. The 5 series is 193" long.

Also, that interior is the chinese SLS not the STS interior.

This is the STS interior......

cadillac_sls_21.jpg


I like the CTS. It represents what Cadillac should be. I would love to have a CTS-V Coupe. The 2nd gen SRX fails because it is a FWD. Thankfully that anemic 3.0 liter V6 is being replaced by the 3.6 liter V6 for 2012. The XTS isn't what Cadillac should be aiming at with that Premium Epsilon platform it will be riding on( same platform as the upcoming Impala). It should be on GM's global RWD platform Zeta.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back