President-elect Barak Obama’s new presidential limousine will be a Cadillac hybrid powered car,  sources have announced recently.  General Motors is working feverishly to get the new hybrid limousine ready for the inauguration in January 2009.  GM began offering American hybrid cars with Sierra and Silverado, for fleet and commercial customers in May 2004.

The presidential limousine will, of course, be fully amoured as would be expected, but the concept of a hybrid powered limosine is seen as a definite effort by President Obama to send a message that he takes the ecology seriously.  It may well also be an effort to display the technological capabilities of American auto makers, at a time when the Big 3 are struggling.  General Motors, along with Ford and Chrysler are coming off one of their worst quarter’s financially and showing the world that they have what it takes to make it in the future is seen as just as important a statement to be made.

Some have speculated that the new presidential hybrid limo is not so much a car as a truck.  Those who have seen the vehicle in testing have commented that the vehicle looks like a “tank on wheels” and that the overall perception that one gets is that of a truck chassis with a Cadillac stretched body.

Little more is known about the car and details of its advanced security features are understandably kept under raps by the Secret service.  Spy photos have been limited in release and so most of us will just have to wait for the inauguration in order to see the final result.