The Complete History of the Presidential State Car

Lyndon B. Johnson’s Main State Car

The main state car during Johnson was a 1967 Lincoln Continental, following the pattern of previous state cars. Johnson would have preferred a white convertible, but the Secret Service insisted that would not follow safety or protocol. Instead, his Continental was on lease from Ford Motor Company to the federal government for $1 each year. It cost the company around $500,000 to make, which is the 2018 equivalent of around $3.76 million. This auto had 4,000 pounds of armor and a V8 engine with 340 horsepower. Amazingly, it could hit 100 mph despite its weight, or reach 50 mph with all tires flat.