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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

Cadillac Super Cruise needs subscription after free trial period

Not long ago, Motor Trend broke the news that Cadillac's Super Cruise is only free for the first three years, after which the Level 2 autonomy system moves to subscription pricing. MT's report came on the eve of 2018-model-year Cadillac CT6 buyers being asked whether they wished to retain access to their Super Cruise. A few days after that report, Cadillac said it would give those first-year buyers of the technology — "the helpful adopters" — another free year, so they'll need to make a decision in August 2021 along with the 2019MY CT6 buyers. After a bit of digging by other outlets, it seems Motor Trend broke the Super Cruise news primarily to members of the media (including us); the details in the report have been communicated to customers in fine print in at least two places. First, let's clarify that the subscription is for OnStar, not Super Cruise only. Cadillac has made clear since the beginning that the tech needs an active OnStar plan, a Wi-Fi Hotspot, a working electrical system, cell reception, and a GPS signal to work. Knowing that, and knowing OnStar is only free for one month on new vehicles — GM shortened the free trial last year from three or six months — before requiring a subscription, might have encouraged someone to ask the question before now (we didn't...). In response to Jonathan Gitlin at Ars Technica asking Twitter about who knew, Bozi Tatarevic responded, "It might not have been released in the press materials but I remember reading about it in the order guide documents for the CT6 and noting that it was tied to OnStar and would eventually require a plan that started at like $25 per month." And Tatarevic pointed to this snippet in The Philadelphia Inquirer review of the CT6 from 2018: "The Super Cruise feature is part of OnStar and is free for three years. OnStar advertises subscriptions from $24.99 to $59.99 a month." If Super Cruise is only free as long as OnStar is free, then new car buyers now will get the tech for one month. Owners who cancel OnStar or choose a plan that doesn't include Super Cruise will still benefit from adaptive cruise control and lane-centering.   The automaker hasn't said what Super Cruise pricing will be, but the OnStar site apparently reveals the answer. There are six plans listed on the Compare Plans page, but two are combinations of other plans.

Both BMW and Audi shutter vehicle subscription programs

Both BMW and Audi are either cancelling or pausing their respective vehicle subscription programs, Automotive News reports. This is yet another blow to what was once a growing and burgeoning group of automakers introducing pay-as-you-go vehicle subscription options in a number of cities across the U.S. Both Mercedes-Benz and Ford shut down their services last year, and Cadillac turned off the tap in 2018. BMW’s program — Access by BMW — was only ever offered in the Nashville area. A BMW spokesperson explained the companyÂ’s decision making to Automotive News. "Our intent with the pilot was to learn about the viability of the subscription model and gauge customer interest. We are in the process of developing the next iteration of the program,” he said. When that next iteration will arrive is still uncertain. Audi doesnÂ’t claim that a comeback is on the way. Instead, the companyÂ’s website simply says its services are ending on January 31 this year. Audi limited its subscription service to the Texas area throughout its whole campaign. CadillacÂ’s subscription service was promised a reboot a long time ago, and today is the first time weÂ’ve heard some rumbling. ANÂ’s report claims that Cadillac is testing a rebooted version of the service in a dealer pilot now. WeÂ’ve reached out to Cadillac to see if it can provide any further details. As of today, the official Book by Cadillac website says Cadillac “will be debuting a new program in early 2020.” ItÂ’s now early 2021, so Cadillac is officially a year late on its announcement. A number of OEM-run vehicle subscription services still exist (Porsche, Volvo, Lexus, Nissan), but instead of the market expanding, itÂ’s shrinking these days. Related video: Audi BMW Cadillac Car Buying Ownership Luxury