Cadillac One, the U.S. president’s car affectionately known as The Beast, is the best-known armored passenger vehicle in use by the American government, but it’s far from the only one. The Diplomatic Security Service runs an entire fleet of attack-proof SUVs to shuttle important people around and has just taken delivery of the first of a new generation of hardcore Chevy Suburbans developed by GM Defense.
The U.S. Department of State awarded a $36.4 million contract to GM’s special ops division in August 2021 to develop the next generation of Large Support Utility Commercial Vehicles and did a similar deal with Battelle Memorial Institute to create armored versions of the Ford Expedition. The partnerships were crucial because GM ceased production of its Suburban HD chassis in 2018, the only chassis capable of handling the weight of the armor that was then added.
In the past, third-party outfits did armor work, which would tear down a stock truck and outfit it with bulletproof glass and toughened panels. But this time GM is developing the entire package from the ground up. The DSS claims that the older modified trucks were less maneuverable than the original trucks they were based on (no kidding?), that maintenance was difficult, and that some of the systems designed for standard-weight trucks didn’t hold up well to carrying the additional mass of the defense gear, particularly in some of the countries with harsher conditions where many diplomats are located. The new clean-sheet designs are intended to remedy those complaints.
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The new trucks share styling and some parts with Chevrolet’s retail Suburban and though neither GM or DSS has specified a power source, a shot with the hood up where the engine cover and airbox are visible appears to suggest it’s equipped with a 6.2-liter LS V8 that puts out 420 hp (426 PS) and 460 lb-ft (624 Nm) in stock form. But GM’s own literature states that the new HD Suburban is built around a new eBOF (electric body-on-frame) architecture, so it’s possible there might also be hybrid assistance hiding beneath the skin.
The first of 10 GM prototypes was delivered to the DSS for testing at the end of June, with one of the remaining nine scheduled to be subjected to attacks by small arms and explosive devices to ensure the design meets Overseas Security Policy Board (OSPB) standards, and the others put through durability tests. If the SUVs manage to jump through those hurdles the State Department is expected to award a multi-year contract to GM by September 2023.
“The prototype vehicle had good acceleration, handled better in the turns and the heavy-duty anti-lock braking system was far superior to our aftermarket vehicles. You could really feel the stability and performance in the redesigned chassis,” said Assistant Secretary for Diplomatic Security, Gentry Smith after sampling the Suburban at Summit Point Raceway late month. Sounds like he’s impressed, and with each of the 10 prototypes working out at around $3.6 million, he had a right to be.
H/T to The Drive