A recent delivery to the United States Secret Service’s James J. Rowley Training Center (RTC) in Laurel, Maryland included several Cadillac performance vehicles. The range of models received by the Secret Service – which will be used for training and testing purposes – was comprised of several Cadillac V-Series sedans as well as an Escalade. Additionally, several other models from the luxury marque’s parent company, General Motors, were also in the mix.
As explained by Scott Simons, the Special Agent in Charge of the RTC, agents need to be trained in different types of vehicles in order to be prepared for any situation that might arise. “Experience with different types of vehicles can help instructors teach students how to adapt their driving techniques based on the vehicle they are operating,” Simons said. “Because each vehicle handles differently in any given situation, exposure to new cars will challenge instructors and give them an opportunity to develop more realistic training scenarios.”
This includes exposure to vehicles equipped with manual transmissions, which is exactly why at least two of the four V-Series sedans shown above are Blackwing models. “Not everyone is able to operate a manual shift,” driving instructor Mark Armstrong said. “Having that platform here will enable us to give instruction on how to drive manual vehicles for overseas trips.” To that end, the ability to maneuver a 668-horsepower super saloon is also a solid skill for an agent to have under the belt.
“The students wouldn’t be expecting it,” instructor Brandon Bohonek said of the vehicles new to RTC. “We won’t have these vehicles in view. So, they won’t know it is out there. They may be expecting a (police) SUV, and all of a sudden, one of these vehicles rolls up. We try to make it as realistic as possible out here, which is not always easy to do.”
Of course, this is just one of many business relationships between the federal government and General Motors. For instance, Cadillac itself is tasked with building “The Beast,” which is a presidential limo that costs 53 times more than the average U.S. car. Although it resembles a CT6, it actually rides on the frame of a medium-duty work truck.
While the fleet of vehicles sent to the Secret Service doesn’t include any speciality models such as The Beast, it does present trainees with some of the latest and greatest automobiles to hit the market. Click play on the embedded video below for a closer look at said units.
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