Road safety? How about armored Caddy?
By Jeff Wilson
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — A well-equipped Cadillac these days means adding armor to the accessories.
Associated Press
At the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show this week, General Motors Corp. is showing off an armored Cadillac that protects passengers in a steel-and-glass cocoon, capable of deflecting .44-caliber bullets and even grenades.
GM’s 3-ton armored Cadillac, displayed at the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show, was conceived for overseas markets and U.S. diplomats. Its price is expected to be between $100,000 and $154,000.
It was originally conceived for overseas markets and U.S. diplomats, but the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks heightened security concerns domestically.
Bedford Park, Ill.-based Scaletta Moloney Armoring Corp. is building the armored cars in partnership with Cadillac.
Scaletta Moloney president Joseph Scaletta said inquiries have soared 40 percent.
"It's a concept car to see if the retail market is interested," Cadillac's Jay Fanfalone said.
Fanfalone believes there appears to be enough interest to sell several hundred armored Cadillacs annually for personal and corporate owners.
The personal, anti-ballistic Cadillac Sedan DeVille, which weighs another 1,100 pounds for a total rolling weight of 3 tons, would compete with armored versions of BMW's 7-Series and DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedans.
The black Cadillac on display in Los Angeles is stretched 8 inches and has run-flat tires, inch-thick bullet-deflecting windows and steel plating to protect the passenger compartment, including undercarriage steel plates to protect against grenades.
Officials wouldn't disclose the price tag for the armored versions, but said it would be competitive with the Mercedes and BMW models costing $100,000 to $154,000.
