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Spy photos show Trump's new Cadillac-badged rolling fortress

Development on the new presidential limo, oh-so appropriately nicknamed The Beast, is moving along at a GM proving ground. We got a brief glimpse of the Cadillac-badged rolling testament to safety and security late in February thanks to some clever drone work. We now have a new batch of ground-level photos that show the limo cruising around, presumably being put through the vehicle equivalent of boot camp. Currently, President Trump is making do with the first-generation Beast. While still likely safer than anything else on the road, it's starting to be a bit dated. In addition to the updated styling that makes it look like a comically oversized Cadillac CT6, The Beast v2.0 is likely packing a whole new suite of technology and safety equipment. That's just an assumption, as there's no press release with a full list of features. We can't imagine that the government would want everyone knowing what's beneath The Beast's skin. Expect Trump's ride to have reinforced doors, extra-thick glass, and even a filtration system that would protect against a biological attack. There's speculation that it's equipped with tear-gas cannons, similar to one of James Bond's rides. Even the relatively normal-looking tires are likely to be strengthened in some way, allowing them to still roll if punctured. Add up all of the extra reinforcement, and the truck-based ride is likely to have a mass that's equivalent to a small moon. All that tech doesn't come cheap. Expect The Beast to cost taxpayers somewhere around $1.5 million. Hey, it's still less than the new Bugatti Chiron. Related Video: Featured Gallery The Beast 2.0 spy shots View 10 Photos Image Credit: KGP Photography Spy Photos Cadillac GM Trump limousine limo president

2019 Cadillac CT6-V preorders start at $89,785

Cadillac's top-of-range sedan will start at less than $90,000, just barely. At the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Cadillac announced it is opening preorders for the 2019 CT6-V, which will start at $89,785. Keeping things exclusive, Cadillac has 275 preorder slots available to the U.S. market for the CT6-V. It will briefly join the ATS-V and the CTS-V to give Caddy a trio of powerful sedans before the ATS-V and CTS-V bow out after the 2019 model year to make way for new models. Cadillac offers less powerful V-Sport variants, as well. The CT6-V, formerly the CT6 V-Sport, uses a Cadillac-exclusive powertrain. The twin-turbo 4.2-liter V8 makes a claimed 550 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque. This engine is hand-built and nicknamed the "Blackwing." It is linked to a 10-speed automatic transmission, which puts power to the ground through Cadillac's all-wheel-drive system. As an added luxury perk to buying the CT6-V, Cadillac will include 2 days at the V-Performance Academy at Spring Mountain. The trip is essentially all expenses paid, with tuition and luxury accommodation part of the package. Cadillac estimates the first CT6-V models to arrive in mid-2019. Now, it was widely reported that the Detroit-Hamtramck production facility that builds the CT6 would be among those closed by GM. Cadillac President Steve Carlisle told Automotive News, however, that the company is exploring production alternatives to keep the flagship luxury sedan for sale in the United States. Apparently, it was never actually on the chopping block, and instead, officials at the time of the plant closure announcement failed to mention that CT6 production would be moved rather than cancelled. Where that new facility would be has yet to be announced, but Carlisle told Automotive News that moving production to China, where the CT6 Plug-In Hybrid is built, is "the least-preferred option." Related Video:

Cadillac SRX likely to see next-gen built in China

Here's some shocking news to no one: People love crossovers, including those living in China. Since introducing the Cadillac SRX there in 2009, the model's sales have gone through the roof. Now, the brand is considering moving some production of the next-generation model in China to eliminate import tariffs and make it an even bigger player in the market.
According to a recent report in The Wall Street Journal, the crossover is leading Cadillac's Chinese growth, despite its US-equivalent price of over $67,000 after the country's high import tariffs. The CUV's sales are up 23 percent there so far this year, and it's responsible for over 40 percent of the brand's sales. John Stadwick, General Motors' VP of sales, service and marketing in China, told the WSJ that GM could "very possibly" build the next-gen model there.
The SRX is Cadillac's golden goose in China, and it just keeps pushing the brand's sales forward. "It's the vehicle that took us out of being a small niche in the market," said David Caldwell, Cadillac Communications Manager, to Autoblog. Before the CUV, Caddy was selling a little over 20,000 cars a year there, but partially thanks to the crossover's success, the brand sold 50,000 vehicles last year and could reach 60,000 this year. "The SRX is the most popular Cadillac in that market," he said.