The world has gotten smaller, but it has grown in danger. We must never forget that the world’s most prominent Prime Ministers, such as Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, and Presidents, such as Abraham Lincoln and John F Kennedy, were assassinated.
As a result, the only option to ensure the safety of the world’s leaders is to provide them with the most powerful convoys conceivable. So, here are some of the cars driven by world leaders around the world:
- India: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s convoy now includes a Mercedes-Benz S650 Pullman Guard armoured vehicle, an improvement from the BMW 7-series, Range Rover Vogue and Land Cruiser. Modi’s S650 Pullman Guard is custom-built, and its body and large glass can withstand AK-47 gun bursts and bullets. SPG is dedicated to providing security to the Prime Minister and assessing the threat perception before choosing the vehicle. The automobile is valued at roughly 4 crores.
- USA: President Joe Biden’s convoy is the Beast. The Beast is an 18-foot Cadillac limousine that weighs between 6.5 and 8 tonnes. The car has bullet-proof glass, a separate oxygen supply in case of a chemical assault, and two pints of the president’s blood type. Secret Service drivers have had considerable training to operate the vehicle. The automobile is valued at $1.5 million.
- Russia: President Vladimir Putin’s convoy is NAMI’s Aurus Senate. The car’s details have not been revealed because it is Russia’s state limousine. However, it is just as capable as the Beast. The vehicle is equipped with a bomb- and bullet-proof system. A variety of protective systems are also installed on board the limo. A civilian version of this car is being developed and will cost $245,000 to purchase.
- France: President Emmanuel Macron travels in DS 7 Crossback Élysée. It manages the multimedia interface, MirrorScreen, and DS CONNECT functionalities, as well as working with the navigation system. The automobile is valued at $40000.
- UK: Prime Minister’s Boris Johnson travels in Jaguar XJ ‘The Sentinel’. The automobile can withstand a blast equivalent to 15kg of TNT thanks to strengthened steel armour. Despite its armour, the Sentinel has been damaged by roadside infrastructure — it was notoriously dented by a high kerb in Salford, and it was also involved in an incident in 2020 when a Range Rover failed to stop in time and crashed with the back of the Prime Minister’s luxury saloon. The automobile is valued at £300,000.
- China: The bulletproof Hongqi L5 is the vehicle of choice for President Xi Jinping and his crew. The most costly car in China is the Hongqi, which costs about 5 crores. It can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in approximately 8 seconds.
- Germany: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has chosen the Mercedes S 680 Guard armoured automobile complied with the VR10 safety classification’s stringent standards. The Mercedes S 680 Guard starts at $801,624. The VR10 accreditation is also the result of a test in which 300 bullets were fired at the car without injuring the dummies inside. A fresh air tank is also installed in the vehicle to shield passengers from irritating fumes or smoke.
- Japan: The Prime Minister of Japan travels in a Toyota Lexus LS 600h L. This vehicle is incredibly safe and is equipped with several useful and innovative safety features. The Lexus LS600h L is protected by a thick layer of steel armour that wraps around the vehicle. It also has windows that are entirely made of polycarbonate. This window protects the occupants in the event of an attack on the vehicle. The average cost of this motorcar is $25,485.
Security orders two identical cars, one of which will be used as a ruse. For security to be effective, it must be well-planned, with its sophisticated nature – manpower and equipment – left to the attacker of a possible attack to guess at. This is a security management tenet.
A security detail is designed to indicate something else, such as the presence of extra cops implying the person’s prominence, so elevating his or her esteem.