Presidents and heads of governments are first citizens of nations and are required to be driven in some of the most badass cars their country can offer. In the past, some presidents have been assassinated or attacked while on an official commute and this has led to the production of cars with improved security.
For reduced security worries, some countries fly their official state car for their presidential use when on state visits to other countries. Discoveries and constant technological improvement makes it ideal for new presidents to order new cars that offer the latest and best security features – therefore, this list highlights the 10 most badass presidential cars ever.
10 VLADIMIR PUTIN’S AURUS SENAT LIMOUSINE – RUSSIA
Russian President Vladimir Putin drives an armored Aurus Senat limousine officially. The Aurus Senat is built by NAMI, a Russian state-owned company that also is the leading scientific organization in the Russian Federation in the field of automotive industry development.
Reportedly fitted with a 6.6-liter V12 engine produced as part of the Kortezh project in partnership with Porsche and Bosch Engineering, this project is estimated to have cost $192 million. The car is fitted with state-of-the-art life-saving equipment, while also featuring some cool offensive and defensive tools up to standard with the Federal Protective Service’s requirements.
9 XI JIPING’S HONGQI L5 – CHINA
Xi Jinping, the Chinese Paramount leader uses the Hongqi L5 as his state car. Launched in 1958, the Hongqi was famously used by former China leader Mao Zedong during President Nixon’s state visit in 1970 before it was dropped in the 1990s by Chinese leaders for foreign vehicles.
2012 saw the return of the Hongqi after Xi’s speech in favor of locally made cars for official use. The Hongqi is 5.5 meters long, 2 meters wide, 1.5 meters high and has a wheelbase of 3.4 meters and a 6.0-liter V12 engine that produces 402 horsepower.
8 KIM JONG-UN’S MERCEDES-BENZ S600 PULLMAN GUARD – NORTH KOREA
The North Korea dictator, Kim Jong-Un, who is against all sanctions and trade restrictions actually owns a Mercedes-Benz S600 Pullman Guard. The Pullman is a fortified variant of the Mercedes S-Class. It takes approximately a year and a half to build and deliver the Pullman after it’s been ordered.
The Pullman Guard uses a 5.5 liter, twin-turbocharged V12 engine powering a five speed-speed automatic with an output of 510 horsepower. Kim Jong-Un’s is the 2009 version that was valued at about $1 million on release. It is bomb-resistant and uses a V12 engine similar to that of Maybach-branded Pullmans.
7 BORIS JOHNSON’S JAGUAR XJ LWB SENTINEL – UNITED KINGDOM
The British Prime Minister uses an Armored Jaguar XJ LWB Sentinel. Following government policy that requires government officials to drive locally made cars, the British Prime Minister’s car is built by Jaguar Land Rover, a British multinational car manufacturer.
This Jaguar is a custom-built armored car fitted with a 5.0-liter V8 engine with advanced security features such as the 13mm explosive resistant steel plate flooring, bullet-proof polycarbonate hardened glass, Kevlar and titanium fortified cabins and run-flat tires. For protection against biological or chemical attacks, the car is provided with self-contained oxygen.
6 SCOTT MORRISON’S BMW 7 SERIES – AUSTRALIA
The Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison drives a BMW 7 Series limousine officially – the state car is referred to as C1 while this limousine was first used by former Prime Minister Tony Abbott. The Australian government ensures the car is flown ahead of the Prime Minister on his state visit travels for assured protection.
These cars were originally acquired in 2014 to transport visiting dignitaries for the G20 summit in Brisbane. After the event, they were commissioned for Prime Minister’s official use. This limousine has bulletproof doors, windows, and armored floor. It can withstand a roadside bomb.
5 JAIR BOLSONARO’S FORD FUSION HYBRID – BRAZIL
The 38th and current president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, uses a specially built 2019 armored Ford Fusion Hybrid which shares the same platform as the Mazda G. Although a 1952 Rolls Royce Silver Wraith is used by former Brazil presidents on special occasions, the Ford Fusion is used more for daily commute and other official engagements making it the more recognized state car.
The car is given a 2.7 Ecoboost Turbocharged V6 engine that does 325 hp at 5,500 rpm. It comes with a six-speed gear that shifts smoothly through a seamless continuously variable transmission (CVT) system. This car comes with state-of-the-art security features.
4 RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN’S MERCEDES-BENZ S600 – TURKEY
After some constitutional amendment, the office of the president of Turkey seizes to be a ceremonial post but an executive office with full backing of the Turkish constitution. The incumbent office-holder, Recep Tayyip Erdogan got elected and opted for Mercedes-Benz S600 as his official car.
This car is an upgraded armored version of the S600 with a reinforced body built with titanium alloy and has five inches thick bullet-proof doors that can resist light machine gun fires. The car is completely isolated from the outside to avoid chemical attacks and uses reinforced tires with internal steel cables.
3 DONALD TRUMP’S CADILLAC LIMOUSINE – UNITED STATES
The United States’ presidential state car is a specially built armored Cadillac limousine nicknamed “The Beast”. Introduced on the 24th of September 2018, information about The Beast is more of speculations and assumptions as it was built with the supervision of the United States Secret Service and they made sure that its details are a well-kept state secret.
Nonetheless, The Beast is generally known to have five-inch-thick bulletproof glass, run-flat tires, and also known to be completely sealed off for protection against chemical attacks. It has onboard oxygen tanks, tear gas cannon and night vision optics.
2 ANGELA MARKEL’S AUDI A8 L SECURITY – GERMANY
German Chancellor Angela Merkel stays true to the German range of cars as her official fleet of cars. She does her daily official commute in an armored luxury Audi A8 L security. This car is specially built for the Chancellor and has all the security futures needed to guarantee her safety in public.
It’s powered by a W12 petrol engine which generates maximum power of 500 horsepower and a peak torque of 625Nm. It has VR7 and VR9 ballistic certificates; it’s expected to withstand shots from different kinds of weapons, grenades and even survive land mine blasts.
1 EMMANUEL MACRON'S PEUGEOT 5008 - FRANCE
When the French president made it known he wanted a Peugeot 5008 as his presidential car, the Peugeot team had to take one off its assembly line and build it into a modern car fit to be the president’s official state car. The car was built with “safety” as the top-most feature incorporated into it.
Collaborating with Centigon Security Group, Peugeot got the presidential 5008 lined with armor plating thereby making it both bulletproof and blast-proof. The back seat was redesigned to two and a blast-proof safe was installed for document’s safety during attacks.