Pics: Cars of the Indian President & Prime Minister

Related Thread = The Cars of Rashtrapati Bhavan

The cars used by the heads of state of any country are carefully considered, keeping their security & image in mind. Many are custom-built for the purpose as they need to be fast, reliable and attack-proof. In India, over the years, various cars from an Ambassador to the Mercedes S600 Pullman have been used.

The detailed specifications of these Presidential cars are kept a closed secret. So we may never know what exact features each of these cars have. The President and Governor's cars also do not have a number plate for security reasons. Instead, they have the State Emblem of India in place of the number plate.

Here are a few cars used by our Presidents and Prime Ministers. Please share any more pictures that you may know of. 

Hindustan Ambassador - One of the most ubiquitous cars used by the heads of state in India, including various prime ministers. The humble Ambassador remained the choice of wheels for decades.

BMW 7 Series (E67) - Due to growing security concerns, Atal Bihari Vajpayee moved from the popular Ambassador to a safer E67 BMW High Security 7 Series.

BMW 7 Series (F03) - The fourth-generation 7 Series was replaced by a fifth-generation model. The 760Li High Security comes with BRV 2009 and VR7 ballistics protection ratings. The car was chosen over a Mahindra Scorpio.

Range Rover HSE - Along with the 7 Series, Narendra Modi initially used an armored third-generation Range Rover.

Range Rover Sentinel - The third-generation Range Rover was replaced by a purpose-built fourth-generation Range Rover Sentinel. It comes with armoured glass, fully-certified protection cell, roof and under-floor blast protection, fragmentation protection, run-flat tyres and an emergency escape system.

Toyota Land Cruiser - Along with the Range Rover Sentinel, Modi sometimes uses a Toyota Land Cruiser LC200.

Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W140) - Who said only enthusiasts have taste? Shankar Dayal Sharma was the first Indian president to use an S-Class limousine. The car was also used by former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.

Mercedes-Benz S-Class Pullman (W220) - The W140 S-Class limousine was replaced by the W220 S-Class. The wheelbase of the Pullman is 1 metre more than the standard car!

Mercedes-Benz S600 Pullman Guard (W221) - This is the current presidential car, powered by a V12 no less :D! The production launch of this car marked the 80th anniversary of the Mercedes-Benz special-protection unit. The president wanted to replace it with the W222 version, but shelved the plan after the Covid-19 outbreak and resulting economic slowdown.

Maruti Esteem - Rajiv Gandhi is one of the few Prime Ministers who enjoyed cars and preferred driving himself. He had a Maruti Esteem which was the "fast car" of its time.

Range Rover Vogue - He moved from the Esteem to a Range Rover Vogue that was gifted to him by the King of Jordan.

Mercedes-Benz 500 SEL - Just like the Vogue, this Mercedes 500 SEL was also gifted to Rajiv Gandhi by the King of Jordan. The car served 5 presidents between 1990 - 2012 and now resides in the Rashtrapati Bhavan museum.

Jeep SWB - Rajiv Gandhi also had an American-built right-hand drive SWB Jeep that was bulletproof and tailor-made for him.

Mercedes-Benz W123 - This Mercedes-Benz W123 belonged to Giani Zail Singh. This picture was taken when he was attacked by a mob, after Indira Gandhi was assassinated. He escaped because the car was armoured.

Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman - The 600 was called the Grosser (Grand Mercedes) and was one of the most luxurious cars you could buy at the time. It was used by the heads of many countries and also by many celebrities.

Cadillacs! - India's first president, Rajendra Prasad, had a convertible Cadillac as his official car. The car was also used when the heads of other countries visited India. The government had one more Cadillac at the same time. The picture of the hardtop was taken in 1963.

Mercedes-Benz 300D Adenauer Cabriolet - After serving dignitaries for many years, this ex-presidential car was sold off in an auction. It has been restored and is now in the hands of a private collector from the UAE.

Chevrolet Impala - Indira Gandhi is known to have traveled in an Impala a few times. A red Impala convertible once used by her now survives in a private collection.

Rolls Royce Wraith - This Rolls-Royce Wraith was one of India's first state cars and was used by several state heads including Jawaharlal Nehru. The car was originally gifted by Queen Elizabeth to the Viceroy of India, Louis Mountbatten, who passed it down to Nehru post-Independence.

Willys Jeep - The Indian president once had a Willys Jeep. This picture was taken in the mid-fifties and shows Dr. Rajendra Prasad.

Fiat 1100 Super Select - Believe it or not, Lal Bahadur Shastri bought this 1964 Fiat 1100 after taking a loan of Rs. 5,000 from Punjab National Bank, but sadly died soon after. The loan was repaid by his wife, who used her pension money to clear the automotive debt.

Presidential Buggy - This gold-plated buggy was used by the Viceroy of India. Post independence, it came to India's hands, and was used by our Presidents. But the buggy was kept away due to security reasons after Indira Gandhi's assassination. It is now back in duty during ceremonies. Read more on the interesting story of this buggy here.