1998 Cadillac Deville Professional Limo on 2040-cars

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Vintage photos: How presidential limos evolved from open convertibles to Biden's armored Cadillac

President Ronald Reagan waves from the back of his limousine in 1984.Ronald Reagan Library/Getty Images US presidents used to ride in unarmored convertibles with open roofs. After John F. Kennedy's assassination, presidential cars were customized with safety features. Today's presidential limousine is a 20,000-pound, $1.5 million Cadillac known as "The Beast." US presidents used to ride around in open convertibles. Today, President Joe Biden is driven in a 20,000-pound, $1.5 million armored Cadillac known as "The Beast." Take a look at how presidential limousines have changed through the years. Presidential cars replaced horses and carriages in the early 20th century. President William McKinley rides in an automobile in 1896.Photo12/Universal Images Group via Getty Images President William McKinley, who served from 1897 to 1901, was the first US president to ride in a car, according to the National Archives. The administration of President Theodore Roosevelt, who succeeded McKinley after his 1901 assassination, was the first to include a government-owned car. In 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt became the first president to ride in an armored vehicle — a limousine that previously belonged to gangster Al Capone. President Franklin D. Roosevelt rides in a car with bulletproof glass in 1942.Bettmann/Contributor/Getty Images Roosevelt previously drove around in a 1936 Packard Touring Limousine. Then, in 1941, he upgraded to an automobile with bulletproof glass that the Treasury Department had seized from Capone in 1932, according to the US Secret Service. President Dwight Eisenhower's presidential limousine was a 1955 Chrysler Crown Imperial. President Dwight Eisenhower waves to cheering crowds in 1955.Bettmann/Contributor/Getty Images The car featured a 250-horsepower V8 engine and a sunroof, according to the US Secret Service. President John F. Kennedy's assassination in the back of a 1961 Lincoln Continental changed presidential cars forever. President John F. Kennedy, and first lady Jacqueline Kennedy ride through Dallas in 1963. Minutes later, Kennedy was assassinated as his car passed through Dealey Plaza.Bettmann/Contributor/Getty Images Kennedy's limousine included a hydraulic seat that could be raised 10.5 inches for a better view of the president, but no protective features. After Kennedy's assassination, presidential cars were customized to prioritize the safety of the commander-in-chief with thick layers of armor.

Cadillac prices the 2020 XT6 crossover from $53,690

Cadillac has announced official pricing for its new XT6 crossover, built in Tennessee. The three-row XT6, Cadillac's first big crossover, starts from $53,690 when it goes on sale later this spring. For that, Cadillac offers the "Premium Luxury" trim level model with front-wheel drive; AWD is optional. Above the Premium Luxury is the XT6 Sport, which comes standard with AWD and starts from $58,090. Both prices include destination charges. The sole engine at this point is the 3.6-liter naturally aspirated V6, which produces 310 horsepower and 271 lb-ft of torque; the transmission is a nine-speed automatic. The Premium Luxury and Sport differ visually, with the former offering more chrome and wood, while the latter has blacked-out trim in place of chrome and carbon trim instead of cabin wood. The wheel design is different between the trim levels, and the Premium Luxury has red taillights while the Sport version has clear tails. The Sport model has continuously adjustable shock absorbers. Both models have seven airbags as standard, as well as an HD rear camera, forward collision alert, automatic emergency braking and front pedestrian braking, front and rear park assist, lane change and blind spot alert, lane keeping assist and lane departure warning and rear cross traffic alert. The lighting is LED front and rear; inside, a heated steering wheel is standard, as is a power folding third-row seat and a remotely folding second-row seat. Seven-passenger seating is standard, and a six-passenger setup is optional with captain's chairs for the second row. There are option packages such as the Enhanced Visibility and Technology Package, which adds an eight-inch gauge cluster display and an HUD, both in color, HD surround vision with recording, and automatic parking assist with braking. The Driver Assist package adds adaptive cruise and enhanced AEB, and one can also specify night vision. The XT6 charges phones wirelessly and is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible as standard. It also has a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot with 3GB or three months' worth of data thrown in, and phones are paired via NFC. Cadillac is taking orders for the XT6 starting in March.

Diesel engine will be a no-cost option on 2021 Cadillac Escalade

Pricing for the redesigned 2021 Cadillac Escalade was revealed yesterday, with the various trim levels ranging from $77,490 to $101,290 including $1,295 destination. And while we also learned that all-wheel drive will be a $3,000 option, what's surprising is that the optional 3.0-liter inline-six diesel engine will cost $0, this according to official pricing info released by Cadillac. The diesel is one of two engine choices for the new 2021 Escalade, the other being a 6.2-liter V8. The engine also is coming to the 2021 Chevrolet and GMC full-size SUVs, but it's not yet known what the upcharge will be there, if any. Already, the 3.0-liter I6 diesel is offered in the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500 pickups, where it is currently a $2,500 option over the 6.2-liter V8. The Duramax inline-six turbodiesel is an aluminum-block design with dual overhead camshafts and a single, variable-geometry turbocharger. Cadillac quotes preliminary outputs of 277 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque. The 6.2-liter V8, meanwhile, musters 420 horses and the same torque output. The primary draw for the diesel is expected to be fuel economy. EPA estimates for the diesel engine in the Escalade (and in the GMC and Chevrolet full-size utes) have not yet been released. But in the pickup trucks, the engine returns 23 city/33 highway miles per gallon with rear-wheel drive and 23/29 mpg with four-wheel drive. The 2021 Cadillac Escalade had been scheduled to reach dealerships this summer, but it's not known whether that date might slip due to the current shutdown at GM's assembly plants. Related Video: