Question Of The Day: Should Cadillac Build and Sell Obama's Beast?

by Jonny Lieberman

Published: January 20th, 2009

I’ve been following the “coverage” of President Obama’s fancy new limousine for some time now. We’ve known what it will look like for a long time, but that’s about. No, really. Anyhow, seeing the car that the Secret Service has reportedly nicknamed, “The Beast” roll down Pennsylvania Ave, dwarfing the Chevy Tahoe to its left, I couldn’t help but be awed. What a vehicle. And really, what a Cadillac. Say what you want about the Art & Science design motif, but the snouts currently hanging off the front of both the CTS and Escalade are handsome. Not only that, but the Beast’s stance is correct. Imposing, solid, American. The proportions look like a Cadillac should (though the actual size is borderline absurd). Farago has been arguing since 2002 that Cadillac needs to forget about lapping the Nurburgring and get back to building big ass cars that are desirable for their big assedness. Oh, but what about the Great Depression 2.0 and herky-jerky gas prices and the environment? All valid points. But, as a brand, shouldn’t Cadillac be building, well, Cadillacs?

Jonny Lieberman

Cleanup driver for Team Black Metal V8olvo.

More by Jonny Lieberman

Comments

Join the conversation

4 of 41 comments

CarnotCycle on Jan 21, 2009
A V12 is overrated. The most expensive Bentley available has a Turbo 8. BMW has dropped V12s from the 7-series. The LS would need a new 60 degree block design to make the basis for a good V12. The ZR-1 supercharged V8 is the way to go. From an engineering POV, a V-12 isn't "necessary" for anything, though nothing is inherently as smooth or balanced as a V-12. But nothing says you've "arrived" like a V-12 horse pulling your carriage. A snazzy Chevy V-8 (even a coup de grace like the ZR-1's 8) is a little too plebian for the kind of Mega-Caddy contemplated here. The nicest Ferraris always have a 12, ditto for Benz. I am guessing there is no 12 in Bimmers because they've got that V-10 to throw in their nicest rides, and that makes a 12 kind of redundant. The Caddy Sixteen was pretty extreme, but I think the Veyron has already demonstrated there are limits between extreme and absurd when it comes to sixteen-poppers. For the kind of coin these cars command, (or hope to) they need an engine that is unique to that vehicle. I am taking a guess here, but that Bentley Turbo 8 you mention can probably be had in an Audi for considerably less money, which if I were a Bentley buyer, would piss me off. If you spend that kind of money on a car, it should have stuff you cannot get on lesser priced rides.

Like Reply
No_slushbox on Jan 21, 2009
CarnotCycle: The Bentley Turbo 8 is very similar to the small block Chevy. It is a large displacement pushrod V8. However, it cannot be had in anything other than a Bentley (or a pre-BMW Rolls Royce), so that does make it unique. The Bentley W12 is the lesser engine that can be had in VWs and Audis. Ironically the cheap, tacky, Bentleys are powered by overhead-cam W12s, and the expensive, desirable, Bentleys are powered by pushrod V8s. If Cadillac wanted to take on RR or the upper-range Bentleys then it would need a bespoke engine, but that's not something it can do right now. Right Cadillac could produce a very good livery/corporate fleet factory limousine based on the Escalade platform. Similar to the layout of the Presidential limo.

Like Reply
CarnotCycle on Jan 21, 2009
The Bentley Turbo 8 is very similar to the small block Chevy. It is a large displacement pushrod V8. I did not know that Bentley still made their own motor in-house. I figured it was all corporate mothership powerplants at this point. That's pretty cool, actually. Checking their website it looks like the Arnage will be axed and the Azure will remain with this motor. Maybe Caddy can make the DTS Lawyer Edition with a modernized, twin turbo 502...that should do the trick on the ostentatious front.

Like Reply
Ricky Spanish on Jan 21, 2009

"Rich people don't care about gas prices"

Like Reply