Auto enthusiasts await Barack Mobile C1

Automobile enthusiasts in the city are awaiting the Barack Mobile C1, the “ultimate vehicle on the planet” that is likely to accompany US president Barack Obama, on his two-day visit to Mumbai.

“It is a rare chance to see the vehicle for real,” said Ankit Kumar, a vintage automobile enthusiast.
Touted as the biggest visit to any country, the Cadillac One limousine, also called the C-1 or simply ‘The Beast’, will be transported in the Air Force One, accompanied by six armoured vehicles.

The president will travel in the “most-protected” seven-tonne vehicle on city’s roads. Built by General Motors, it is the latest in the line of Cadillacs, and given its special character and features — like a body of military grade steel armour — it is the most protected vehicle in the world. The windows of ballistic glass are said to be five inches thick.

Nitin Dossa of the Vintage and Classic Car Club of India said, “I own four Cadillacs. Staying on the first floor of my Peddar Road flat, my window will give me the best view.” He is also chairman of the Western India Automobile Association.

Jigar Kumar Desai, another enthusiast, said even a glimpse of the vehicle would be a lifetime memory. “We have heard that the Caddy also has its own air-generating system and is completely sealed to protect the president from chemical or biological attacks,” he said.

The Cadillac limousine is equipped with a mini-communication centre to enable Obama to be in touch with the White House and the US strategic command.