Forget Air Force One: Here comes the new first limo
In a dust-up with Boeing last week, President-elect Donald Trump tweeted a threat to cancel the order for the new version of Air Force One. He groused that the new presidential jumbo jet was becoming too expensive. But when it comes to the next president’s ground transportation, it’s a little late for any cancellation. The new presidential limousine was ordered three years ago and is expected to be ready for Mr. Trump’s inauguration next month.
The car that will roll down Pennsylvania Avenue on Jan. 20 will look something like the photo above, according to a rendering done by Autoweek. General Motors (GM) is building the heavily armored vehicle that’s expected to have a front end resembling a Cadillac Escalade SUV. But the Cadillac resemblance ends there. The rest of the vehicle is set on a medium-duty truck frame with custom-made body panels.
Informed estimates put the cost for each vehicle between $1 million and $1.5 million. Compared to the cost of a new Air Force One, that may seem like Trump change. But the president doesn’t get just one of these limos. The Secret Service reportedly maintains a fleet of identical cars so that one can always be flown to the site of a domestic or foreign visit and be ready to transport the president when he arrives.
Public records show the federal government already has paid GM $15.8 million for the project.
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