Friday 5 May 2017

Lincoln Limousine – A symbol of American Luxury and Comfort

If there is a car that symbolizes American luxury and comfort, it is probably the Lincoln Limousine. It’s easy to see why it has served as the official car for a number of American presidents. But despite its grandeur and sophistication, the Lincoln Limousine has quite an eventful and strange history. Presidents Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower have travelled in 1950 Lincolns. The roofs of the limos were modified in order to provide extra headroom and accommodate the president’s top hat, which is the fashion for state leaders that time.

President John F. Kennedy also used a Lincoln Limousine. What’s interesting about this limo is that it started out as a 1961 Lincoln Continental 4-door convertible. Hess & Eisenhardt can be credited in turning it into a parade limousine. The customization involved cutting the car in half and adding a 3-and-a-half-foot section to the middle. “X-100” was how the Secret Service referred to the vehicle, and it was known as the most intricate presidential car that was ever built. The limo had a set of 3 removable roofs, which were made of cloth, transparent plastic, and another lightweight material. After JFK’s assassination in November 22, 1963, it quickly became obvious that the Lincoln Continental, despite being elegant, did not provide adequate protection from attacks.

Lessons have been learned, and after the assassination, the limo was rebuilt by Hess & Eisenhardt and polished by Ford. With its reinforced armor plate and special panes, the new presidential limo can already survive a hit from a 30-caliber rifle round. Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, and succeeding presidents used the refurbished vehicle until it was retired in 1977.

Interested in knowing more about the Lincoln limousine? You can check out an exhibit in a museum in Michigan that displays Lincoln limos that have been used by other American presidents such as Ronald Reagan and Theodore Roosevelt.

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