President-Elect Barack Obama To Get New Presidential Limousine

January 6, 2009 3:22 p.m. EST

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - As president, Barack Obama will ride in a brand new heavily armored, super-sealed vehicle with eight-inch thick doors that can withstand most anything.

General Motors is building an undisclosed number of the new vehicles to carry the president whenever and wherever he needs a car.

It recently delivered one of the new presidential limousines to the U.S. Secret Service to replace the 2006 model Cadillac DTS presidential limousine that President George W. Bush has used.

Ed Donovan, a Secret Service spokesman, told the Detroit News that after he is sworn in, the new president will ride in one of the new limousines during the parade down Pennsylvania Avenue.

Joe Funk, a retired Secret Service agent who was President Bill Clinton's driver during part of his career told CNN news that once inside the limo, that Obama will feel like he is in a cocoon, completely isolated with no exterior noises, and yet able to communicate with anyone worldwide by the telephones, satellites and Internet at his fingertips.