Take a look inside 'The Beast,' the $1.5 million bulletproof presidential limousine used by Trump and Biden

When US presidents aren't flying on Air Force One or taking helicopter trips in Marine One, they're driven around in a presidential limousine nicknamed "The Beast."

Weighing in at 20,000 pounds and outfitted with advanced security and communications systems, the newest model of "The Beast" debuted during the Trump administration in 2018.

(The presidential limousine "The Beast" waits on the tarmac as President Joe Biden disembarks Air Force One in Helsinki, Finland, in July 2023. Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz)

US presidents rode Lincoln limousines for most of the 20th century until the 1980s, when the Reagan administration switched to Cadillacs.

The latest model of the presidential limousine was commissioned by the US Secret Service in 2014 and used for the first time in 2018 by President Donald Trump.

Designed to look like a longer version of a Cadillac XT6, the chassis of the car is actually that of a Chevrolet Kodiak truck produced by General Motors, NBC News reported.

 The vehicle weighs around 20,000 pounds and cost around $1.5 million to build.

(Members of the Secret Service open the doors to the presidential limousine in February 2024. SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

While details about the limousine's security measures remain classified, NBC News reported that the vehicle features a night-vision system, tear gas firing capabilities, and door handles that can be electrified to prevent intruders.

The windows are believed to be 3 inches thick and the vehicle's armor around 8 inches thick.

(President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris pose for a photo as they ride in the presidential limousine in March 2021. Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz)

(The presidential seal is seen inside the door of President Joe Biden's limousine as he arrives in West Palm Beach, Florida, in January 2024. ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

(President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden wave as they ride in the presidential limousine in January 2021. Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz)

(The president's limousines are loaded aboard a US Air Force C-17 in preparation for a trip. US Secret Service)

(The US presidential state car, nicknamed "The Beast," at Windsor Castle in June 2021. Pool/Max Mumby/Getty Images)

(Secret Service agents change license plates on Inauguration Day in January 2017. Alex Brandon/AP)

Ref: Take a look inside 'The Beast,' the $1.5 million bulletproof presidential limousine used by Trump and Biden (businessinsider)

 
Photo Credit:  Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz, SAUL LOEB/AFP, CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/ AFP, US Secret Service, Getty Images, AP