Put Your Hands Together For The Popemobile
Cars built for presidents and monarchs have a much harder job than the average luxury sedan. Some have to crawl through packed streets while keeping their passengers easy to see, while others need armor, secure communications, or interiors built around one particular person. Over the years, carmakers and coachbuilders have turned Lincolns, Citroëns, Bentleys, Toyotas, and plenty of other models into highly specialized state vehicles. Some started with regular production cars, but they were heavily reworked before entering official service. These 20 vehicles show just how much thought and engineering can go into building a car for a head of state.
1. "Sunshine Special"
Franklin D. Roosevelt's 1939 Sunshine Special holds an important place in presidential history as the first car built expressly for presidential use. Its convertible body meant Roosevelt could stay visible during public appearances. As security needs changed during World War II, the Lincoln gained armor plating along with extra protection for its tires and fuel tank.
2. The Presidential Limousine
Built for Harry Truman in 1950, this custom Lincoln Cosmopolitan was enormous even by limousine standards. It stretched nearly 22 feet from bumper to bumper and weighed 6,500 pounds. Dwight D. Eisenhower later had the famous transparent "bubble top" added, so the president could still be seen by crowds.
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3. Phantom IV State Fleet
Spain received three specially built Rolls-Royce Phantom IVs in 1952 for the household of the head of state. The group included two limousines and one open car, which gave officials both enclosed and open-air options for formal events. Decades later, they were still appearing during major Spanish royal ceremonies.
4. "Jubilee"
The Phantom IV was created in celebration of Rolls-Royce’s golden jubilee. The company made only 18 of these vehicles exclusively for royalty and heads of state. In 1954, the royal family received Jubilee, a Landaulette created specifically for them.
5. "Store Krone"
King Frederik IX acquired this long-wheelbase Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith for official royal use. Known as Store Krone, or Big Crown, the 1958 Rolls-Royce became part of Denmark's royal fleet and has stayed there for decades. Even today, it's still used for official transportation.
6. X-100
John F. Kennedy's X-100 started life as a 1961 Lincoln Continental, but received major upgrades before it entered presidential service. The car was cut, reinforced, and lengthened by three and a half feet, giving it the size and layout needed for official duties. After Kennedy's assassination, the X-100 was rebuilt with a permanent roof, armor plating, and bullet-resistant glass.
7. 335 Presidenziale
President Giovanni Gronchi chose a special long-wheelbase 1961 Lancia Flaminia for ceremonial use. The 335 in the name refers to the car's wheelbase in centimeters. Inside, the Flaminias came with Connolly leather, folding rear seats, and an intercom, giving them the comfort and equipment expected from presidential transportation.
8. The Prince Royal
The Prince Royal gave Japan's Imperial Household a limousine developed specifically for imperial service. This car joined the Imperial Household fleet in 1967, giving Japan a homegrown vehicle for some of its most formal transportation needs.
9. Citroën DS 21 Présidentielle
France's 1968 presidential DS came with one very specific requirement: it had to be larger than the limousine used by the American president. The finished coachbuilt car stretched just over six and a half meters, giving it the long, formal proportions expected from a state car.
Davide Oliva from Italy on Wikimedia
10. The Lincoln Continental Upgrades
The 1972 Lincoln Continental Presidential Limousine was heavily reworked for presidential service, complete with armor plating and bullet-resistant glass. It later became part of a major moment in presidential history. After the 1981 assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan, the wounded president was taken to the hospital in Lincoln.
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11. Citroën SM Présidentielle
Two identical four-door Citroën SM convertibles were created for official French ceremonies in 1972. Their bodies were lengthened considerably, turning the already unusual SM into an imposing open-top state car built for public appearances. The pair’s first high-profile job came during Queen Elizabeth II's state visit to France in 1972.
12. Bentley State Limousine
The Bentley State Limousine was created in 2022 to mark Queen Elizabeth II's first 50 years on the throne. Developed with input from the Queen, Prince Philip, and her head chauffeur, this Bentley went far beyond the usual luxury-car treatment. Even some of the smaller details were built around the queen herself, including storage designed for her handbag.
13. Toyota Century Royal
Introduced in 2006, the Toyota Century Royal is an eight-seat vehicle reserved for some of Japan's most important imperial duties. Its assignments are limited to especially formal occasions, including the opening of the Diet and the national memorial ceremony for the war dead.
14. Cadillac Presidential Limousine
Barack Obama's 2009 presidential Cadillac spent two years in development before making its first public appearance on Inauguration Day. It had a heavy-duty chassis, armored materials, an extended body, and secure encrypted communications equipment. The cabin could seat five passengers and even included a fold-out presidential desk, giving the president a working space while traveling.
15. Hyundai Equus Limousine
Three armored Hyundai Equus limousines were supplied to South Korea's Presidential Security Service in 2009. Their arrival added domestically made armored cars to the country's presidential fleet. One of those Equus limousines was used during Park Geun-hye's 2013 inauguration, marking her as the first South Korean president to choose a domestically made car for an inauguration.
16. Lexus Landaulet
Prince Albert II of Monaco's wedding led to the creation of a one-off Lexus LS 600h L landaulet with a huge transparent polycarbonate roof. The conversion required more than 2,000 hours of work, and engineers used honeycomb structures, Kevlar, and carbon-fiber composites to restore strength after the original roof and pillars were removed.
17. Aurus Senat Limousine
The Aurus project grew from a state-backed program created to develop Russian vehicles for transporting and escorting senior national leaders. Its first vehicle made a very public debut at Vladimir Putin's 2018 inauguration. The Senat Limousine was built around the project's luxury modular platform and used a 598-horsepower V8 engine.
18. Bentley Mulsanne
The final Bentley Mulsanne ever built was commissioned by Queen Elizabeth II in 2020. It carried royal coats of arms and discreet emergency equipment, giving it features that went beyond those of a normal luxury sedan. It was an honorable farewell to this iconic model.
19. The Popemobile
Pope Francis received the first fully electric Mercedes-Benz Popemobile in 2024, built specifically for his public appearances. The drivetrain was adapted for the very low speeds common during public events, when the vehicle moves slowly past large crowds. The normal rear bench was also removed and replaced with a centrally placed, height-adjustable swiveling seat.
White House photo by Chris Greenberg on Wikimedia
20. Pindad MV3 Garuda Limousine
Indonesia's 2024 MV3 Garuda Limousine was developed specifically from the MV3 platform for the country's president and vice president. The nearly three-ton vehicle contains composite armor, bullet-resistant glass, run-flat tires, and a long-wheelbase passenger cabin. Its grille also features detailing inspired by traditional Indonesian batik, giving the limousine a design touch connected directly to the country it represents.
