The Beast: what we know about Donald Trump’s Cadillac One presidential car

Airport security can be strict when travelling to different countries but that’s nothing compared to the measures in place to keep Donald Trump safe when he goes abroad.

The US president jetted into the UK this week with not only an entourage of secret service agents, a pair of helicopters and a fleet of armoured SUVs, but also the latest version of Cadillac’s presidential vehicle - nicknamed the Beast.

The Cadillac One, as it’s officially called, has been ferrying Trump around throughout his three-day state visit to Britain, which concludes today.

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The armoured limousine, which shares some of its looks with Cadillac’s CT6 saloon, was specced by the US Secret Service and debuted in 2018 ahead of September’s UN Assembly, the BBC reports.

Although the secret service and Cadillac parent firm General Motors “have remained tight-lipped about the vehicle's special security features”, the Beast is clearly more than just a bulletproof four-door saloon, the broadcaster adds.

So what protection does it offer?

No stone has been left unturned in ensuring the president is protected against attacks when travelling in the Beast.

The car is noticeably taller and wider than a traditional limousine, with protruding pillars around the narrow windows and truck-like wheels. It rides higher than a conventional Cadillac saloon, too.

According to Metro, the Beast has bulletproof windows that consist of five layers of glass and polycarbonate elements, a key component of materials designed to deflect bullets. Meanwhile, the doors are armour-plated and more than eight inches thick, and weigh the same as those on a Boeing 757.

The vehicle’s bodywork consists of a series of reinforced plates made of steel, aluminium, titanium and ceramic. These plates can protect occupants from gunfire and bombs, and are also air-tight to prevent passengers from being exposed to harmful gases in the event of a chemical attack.

Eagle-eyed car fans may notice that the tyres are abnormally round, with no signs of compression at the base, unlike those on a standard car. That’s because the Beast’s tyres are both bulletproof and bombproof, so they’re clearly made of more than just rubber and air.

What else does Trump have at his disposal in the Beast?

As you’d expect from a presidential vehicle, Trump and his agents have a host of gadgets to use in an emergency.

Among the “James Bond-style gimmicks” are a smokescreen, tear gas and a feature that enables to car to “lay down an oil slick to send vehicles chasing it out of control”, says NBC News. The doors can also be electrified in case someone other than Trump’s entourage tries to open them.

And in the event of a sudden outbreak of global war, Trump can “dispatch the codes necessary to fire nuclear weapons” using the car’s “expansive array of communications technologies”, the US broadcaster adds.

Other security features include an arsenal of guns, a direct line to the Pentagon, a panic button and an oxygen supply. There’s even “bags of the President’s Rh-negative blood type on board” in case he needs a transfusion, according to Metro.

How did it get to the UK?

The Beast, along with a fleet of SUVs, motorbikes and helicopters, were transported to the UK aboard several C-17 Globemaster transport planes ahead of Trump’s visit this week, the BBC reports.

How much did the special car cost?

A lot, unsurprisingly. NBC News claims that the US government and Cadillac spent $15.8m (£12.4m) developing the latest version of the Beast, with each model costing around $1.5m (£1.2m).

Given that the secret service typically brings one or two extra vehicles to act as decoys, the cost of these cars alone on a standard presidential trip exceeds $4.5m (£3.5m).