Presidential cars: from electric classics to supercars
The personal cars of U.S. presidents: from early EVs to V8 icons and supercars
Presidential cars: from electric classics to supercars
Explore presidential cars beyond limos: personal rides U.S. presidents chose, from early electric models to V8 classics and 1990s supercars. See the eras.
2025-12-08T22:20:07+03:00
2025-12-08T22:20:07+03:00
2025-12-08T22:20:07+03:00
When the conversation turns to presidential cars, armored limousines usually steal the spotlight. Yet the more revealing choices are the ones America’s leaders picked from the heart, not by protocol—sometimes against common sense.The tour begins with William Taft and a 1912 Baker Electric. It is a reminder that electric cars didn’t arrive with the 21st century: in the early 1900s they were quiet, convenient, and decidedly respectable, especially for city use. Next comes Herbert Hoover and the ultra-rare early-1930s Cadillac 452-B V-16—sixteen cylinders, the gloss of the jazz age, and near museum-level exclusivity. Set against the Great Depression, that choice lands with extra contrast.Franklin Roosevelt is remembered not only for policy but for personal engineering adaptation: his 1936 Ford Phaeton carried hand controls because of polio. It shows how a car can become a tool of freedom. Alongside it stands the 1939 Lincoln Sunshine Special, a sign of the shift toward vehicles designed with presidential safety in mind.Dwight Eisenhower also ties into electric propulsion with a 1914 Rauch & Lang—another reminder that America’s electric past ran deeper than we tend to think. Lyndon Johnson, by contrast, made his mark with an Amphicar, an amphibious curiosity prized for its surprise factor. That purchase was less about status than pure theater and the owner’s temperament.Richard Nixon favored a 1950 Oldsmobile 98, a big American V8 that doubled as a political message about being one of the people. Ronald Reagan’s choice was the Subaru BRAT—practical, slightly eccentric, and cleverly packaged—fitting for ranch life and a carefully maintained down-to-earth image.Bill Clinton’s 1967 Ford Mustang Convertible stood as a slice of classic Americana he valued as a personal treasure rather than a badge of office. Joe Biden’s 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray with a manual gearbox is the kind of machine that delivers raw, old-school V8 appeal for anyone who lives for the drive.The final flourish is Donald Trump’s 1997 Lamborghini Diablo VT Roadster, a 1990s supercar icon in a rare specification—an emphatic example of a personal garage doubling as a public persona.The takeaway is simple: these cars aren’t about motorcades; they’re about their eras. Through them you can watch technology, taste, and ideas of status evolve—and see how the very notion of a cool car keeps changing.
presidential cars, US presidents vehicles, electric car history, V8 classics, Baker Electric, Lincoln Sunshine Special, Ford Phaeton, Amphicar, Subaru BRAT, Corvette Stingray, Lamborghini Diablo
2025
Michael Powers
articles
The personal cars of U.S. presidents: from early EVs to V8 icons and supercars
Explore presidential cars beyond limos: personal rides U.S. presidents chose, from early electric models to V8 classics and 1990s supercars. See the eras.
Michael Powers, Editor
When the conversation turns to presidential cars, armored limousines usually steal the spotlight. Yet the more revealing choices are the ones America’s leaders picked from the heart, not by protocol—sometimes against common sense.
The tour begins with William Taft and a 1912 Baker Electric. It is a reminder that electric cars didn’t arrive with the 21st century: in the early 1900s they were quiet, convenient, and decidedly respectable, especially for city use. Next comes Herbert Hoover and the ultra-rare early-1930s Cadillac 452-B V-16—sixteen cylinders, the gloss of the jazz age, and near museum-level exclusivity. Set against the Great Depression, that choice lands with extra contrast.
Franklin Roosevelt is remembered not only for policy but for personal engineering adaptation: his 1936 Ford Phaeton carried hand controls because of polio. It shows how a car can become a tool of freedom. Alongside it stands the 1939 Lincoln Sunshine Special, a sign of the shift toward vehicles designed with presidential safety in mind.
Dwight Eisenhower also ties into electric propulsion with a 1914 Rauch & Lang—another reminder that America’s electric past ran deeper than we tend to think. Lyndon Johnson, by contrast, made his mark with an Amphicar, an amphibious curiosity prized for its surprise factor. That purchase was less about status than pure theater and the owner’s temperament.
Richard Nixon favored a 1950 Oldsmobile 98, a big American V8 that doubled as a political message about being one of the people. Ronald Reagan’s choice was the Subaru BRAT—practical, slightly eccentric, and cleverly packaged—fitting for ranch life and a carefully maintained down-to-earth image.
Bill Clinton’s 1967 Ford Mustang Convertible stood as a slice of classic Americana he valued as a personal treasure rather than a badge of office. Joe Biden’s 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray with a manual gearbox is the kind of machine that delivers raw, old-school V8 appeal for anyone who lives for the drive.
The final flourish is Donald Trump’s 1997 Lamborghini Diablo VT Roadster, a 1990s supercar icon in a rare specification—an emphatic example of a personal garage doubling as a public persona.
The takeaway is simple: these cars aren’t about motorcades; they’re about their eras. Through them you can watch technology, taste, and ideas of status evolve—and see how the very notion of a cool car keeps changing.
