A closer look at some of the custom-made cars used by heads of state, monarchs, and religious leaders around the world.
Whose Car Is That? One-Off Automobiles Of World Leaders
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Nicknamed The Beast, the current iteration of the U.S. president’s heavily armored car was introduced in 2018. It is a modified Cadillac with aesthetic updates that make it slightly more car-like than the chunkier earlier version. U.S. media reports say the car includes a refrigerator to carry blood that matches the president’s blood type in case an emergency transfusion is needed. It also reportedly features electrified door handles to shock any would-be intruders who try to get inside. Such is the secrecy surrounding the vehicle that retired models are destroyed by U.S. Secret Service staff.
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Russia’s answer to The Beast is the Aurus limousine, used by Vladimir Putin as Russia’s presidential state vehicle since its unveiling in 2018. The version of the car used by Putin is weighed down with thousands of kilograms of armor plating, bringing its total weight to 6.5 metric tons. Civilian versions of the Russian-made car are available. The cheapest version retails for $245,000.
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The latest model limousine used by Chinese President Xi Jinping is the Hongqi N501. Yet another presidential vehicle that was introduced in 2018, the car was first shown off by Xi that year during a tour of Africa. Apart from the vehicle’s distinctive “waterfall”-style front grill, almost no information about its security features has been made public. Hongqi is China’s oldest car brand.
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The Bentley State Limousine is the official vehicle of the United Kingdom’s Queen Elizabeth II. Two models of the car were built in 2002. Both feature a chunky hood ornament of St. George slaying a dragon. The tires of the flag-bearing armored limousine also are protected by Kevlar -- the same bullet-stopping material used in the helmets of British soldiers.