Secret Service Agent Responds to Presidential Limo Info (Really)

by Robert Farago

January 16th, 2009 12:07 PM

secret service agent responds to presidential limo info really

“Anyway, about the new limo. The information that is floating around on this new limo, especially from the diagram that has appeared on a number of sites such as TTAC, Autoblog and GMI has a good deal of information that is incorrect. I can’t tell you any real specifications, but since a new thread appeared on TTAC, you could pass to them that much with the diagram and article is incorrect. I can tell you a few things that you could pass on that would be OK…“The ‘chauffeur’ who drives the President or Vice President is a Secret Service Special Agent. In order to drive the President or Vice President, you have to be assigned to those respective details (typically a 4-5 year assignment and who are in the second phase of their career).“Secondly, those agents have to attend and pass an advanced protective operations driving course that the Secret Service teaches and NOT the CIA. As you well know, from speaking to me in the past, some of those agents do attend other driving schools, typically from other Law Enforcement entities.“The engine information is incorrect, as well as the cost. I can’t go into anything further but on both accounts it is off by a great margin (Did this guy just guess?). The performance is excellent.“And by the way, the Limo is not stopping to pay for a toll.”

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4 of 24 comments

Ed2222 on Jan 16, 2009
50merc : What was wrong with the old limo that made it necessary to get a new one? One break down too many maybe? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iX4-a7VBr4c

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Jonny Lieberman on Jan 16, 2009

Like I said...

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CAHIBOstep on Jan 16, 2009

@npbheights President Bush has had two different limos: the first one was a 2001 DeVille, and then the DTS in 2005. How do we know that each president chooses his own limousine? I don't see how President-elect Obama had anything to do with choosing this new one, as he is not even the President yet.

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Jerry weber on Jan 16, 2009

I don't know details, but one thing you can assume is that the new limo is a lot heavier and more armor plated than it's predecessors. This car is so heavy, it is not a car but a truck framed vehicle to handle the weight. Obviously, they don't want to tell us that it can take a 50 pound centex charge only to have someone make a 60 pound bomb. The car is probably for more than just transportation, it would be a mobile fort if it got surrounded and the Pres had to wait for reinforcements. It also has to be a communications center that cannot be breached from nearby. This is a long way from when lincoln, chrysler or caddy just took a stock limo off the shelf and sold it to the secret service.

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