The President is much like Batman. He has always needed a nice car. And not just any car. He needs a car to be classy, powerful, and keep him well protected. President’s cars have been specifically modified to be faster, stronger, and anything but ordinary. Usually equip with heavy armor, bullet proof glass, and pretty much anything to make him feel like the man. Throughout the years, Lincoln has been directly associated with some of the most memorable Presidents since they abandoned the good ol’ horse and wagon. Let’s take a look at these special vehicles and a time line of their progression.
In 1939, Franklin D. Roosevelt used what he called the “Sunshine Special.” This beast should have been named “Holy Crap We’re Going So Fast I Think We Passed the Sun” because this Lincoln featured a V-12 engine. And I don’t know about you, but I would imagine a V-12 engine in 1939 would have probably felt like Mr. FDR was strollin’ around strapped to NASA’s first test to the moon.
In 1950, the President’s car was upgraded to a Lincoln Cosmopolitan, also known as the “Bubble Top.” I’m going to take a creative guess, but perhaps it acquired the name because the top…well that looks somewhat like a bubble. This convertible included a V8-engine and was an amazing 20 feet long. It was given to Harry Truman and later Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson would take a joy ride in it.
The next Presidential Limo was known as the “X-100” used by JFK, which was a conversion of a stock 1961 Continental Convertible. We all know the story about this infamous vehicle.
In 1974 President Nixon rode in another Lincoln Continental, which again wisely only had a V-8 engine. The new model’s length grew to 22 feet long and was well armored. Presidents Ford, Carter, and Bush were also ride participants of this luxury vehicle.
The 1989 Lincoln Continental was the last Presidential Lincoln. Unfortunately, the President’s car now is a Cadillac. And a funny one at that. Known as Cadillac One, a creatively clever play off of the President’s jet Air Force One, it has a raised roof and bullet proof glass so thick, it magnifies everything inside the vehicle (Onlookers can almost see what the President ate for lunch.)
