You may or may not care for the person sitting in the back seat, but there's no getting around how sweet of a ride the President of the United States gets driven around in. In the entire history of the automobile, the distinction of manufacturing the president's personal transportation has only been bestowed to two companies, Lincoln and Cadillac. Every presidential limo was tailored to the specific tastes of whichever head of state it was transporting and was the pinnacle of what was possible for American luxury car manufacturing.

Let's take a good look back at the limousines of American history to see what your favorite President was chauffeured in. 

Before The Presidential Limo

Via: Trains.com

Surprisingly, before the Franklin Roosevelt administration, the automobile was a mode of transportation perceived as below the status of the commander-in-chief. Before the late 1930s, the transportation of choice for U.S presidents was by rail. President Lincoln's body was transported from Washington D.C to Springfield, Illinois, after his assassination in 1865 aboard his own ultra-lavish rail car dubbed the Ferdinand Magellan.

Franklin Roosevelt used his own rail depot, hidden from the public underneath Grand Central Station in Manhattan. Now Abandoned, his railcar still sits parked underneath the station, according to urban legend.

Built For A President, Fit For A Gangster

Via: vanarama.com

The first limousine purpose-built for an American president wouldn't look out of place with Al Capone in the back seat. The 1939 Lincoln K Sunshine Special was also the first limo to transport a president under wartime conditions. This is reflected in the bulletproof glass and tires, as well as the cubby hole specifically sized for Thompson machine guns.

Sitting under the hood of the big Lincoln was the famed 150 hp V12 that could zip around at 100 miles per hour, at a time when some cars still struggled to do 60.  The Sunshine was replaced by the 1942 Lincoln Custom, which served Franklin Roosevelt until his death and his successor Harry Truman. It notably came with an early power boosted braking system to help bring the seven thousand plus pound armored limo to a stop.

Related: 17 Cars Regular People Turned Into Limos (And Don't Regret It)

The Lincoln Cosmopolitan

Via: vanarama.com

Legend has it that president Harry Truman wanted something truly unique when his turn came to spec out his own custom Limo. Legend also says that Truman's personal grudge against General Motors for not loaning him a car during the 1948 campaign cycle led him to give the nod to Lincoln once again. The Lincoln V12 was now stroked to 5.8 liters and put out a healthy 150 horsepower.

President Dwight D Eisenhower added the famous bubble top in 1954. The Cosmopolitan came equipped with more armor plating than ever before and was the pinnacle of 1950s American excess.

The Shot Heard Around The World

The Lincoln Continental SS-100-X is probably the most recognizable presidential for the most unfortunate of reasons. Of course, this was the limo in which the 35th President John F. Kennedy lost his life in November 1963. Needless to say, this marked the end of open-top presidential limousines. The SS-100-X would also serve under the Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald. Ford, Jimmy Carter, and finally the Ronald Reagan administrations with consistent upgrades. Despite this illustrious service record, this V8 powered 350 horsepower beast will always be synonymous with JFK and the tragedy of his assassination.

Related: 1320Video Rides Six Deep in Turbocharged Limo Drag Racer

Cadillac Gets The Call

After allegedly snubbing Harry Truman almost 40 years previously, General Motors finally got the chance to build a custom limo for Hollywood movie star and 39th U.S president Ronald Reagan. Gone were the days where the president's limo was exposed to potential threats. Instead, this custom 1983 Cadillac Fleetwood was completely encased in composite armor and thick bullet-proof glass.

This was also the first presidential limousine to use a proprietary custom chassis built from the ground up for presidential transportation. Every president from Reagen to the present day has emplored the use of Cadillac Limousines.

Related: World Record 100 Foot Long Limo Gets New Lease On Life

Ground Force One

Via: The Drive

President Barack Obama opted for a larger form of transportation for his 2012 re-election campaign. This custom diesel-powered tour-bus gained its nickname from Air Force One, the president's personal Boeing 747 airborne command station. Ground Force One is more like a tank on wheels than a tour bus and features an integrated fire suppression system and armor plating that absorbs almost all small arms fire. There's also an extra supply of the president's blood on board just in case of emergency.

The Beast

Via: Business Insider

This is the vehicle the president has the privilege of riding around in. Described not so subtly as a bunker on wheels, the beast is a custom Cadillac body sitting on top of a special built GM truck chassis. The beast sports more composite-ceramic armor than any presidential limo before it. Specialized rubber compounds are lined with kevlar to make a tire so strong it can withstand rifle fire. The Beast gained fame around the world as it accompanied state visits to places like the U.K and North Korea.

Whoever ends up riding backseat in The Beast this upcoming inauguration will have the privilege of sitting in the best the American auto industry can build. It'll definitely be exciting to see who that ends up becoming.

Sources: www.vanarama.com, Business Insider, Time.com

Next: Watch The Presidential Limo "The Beast" Kick Off The Daytona 500