The Fascinating History Behind President Jimmy Carter's Limousine

Jimmy Carter has died at the age of 100. The former president entered hospice care in February of 2023 after opting out of further medical treatment. Carter served as President of the United States between 1977 and 1981 — beating Gerald Ford and subsequently losing to Ronald Reagan. While Carter's time in the Oval Office is not looked upon fondly by some, his humble beginnings, charity work, and down-to-earth persona endeared him to many.

While Carter was most famous for running the world's most affluent country, he was almost as renowned for his background as a peanut farmer. He also served as Governor of Georgia, his home state, and wasn't well known before he secured the Democratic nomination in 1976. Following his time in office, Carter focused on humanitarian and charity work, advocating for peace and advancing human rights globally through his foundation, The Carter Center. He also took on a leading role in the charity Habitat for Humanity, a non-profit that uses volunteer labor to build and refurbish houses for those in need.

Presidents need to travel and can't exactly hop on public transport. Long trips used to be handled by rail but are now the job of one of the world's most famous planes — Air Force One. For shorter trips, a limo tends to be the vehicle of choice. During his term, Carter was driven around in what is now an icon of 1970s American motoring.

During his time as the most powerful man in America, Jimmy Carter did most of his official traveling in a presidential limousine. This is in no way unusual and still happens today, though back in the 70s, the presidential limo was a modified Lincoln, while Cadillac builds the current model (which is also bomb-proof).

So what were the features of the Lincoln Continental Presidential Limousine? Regarding looks, it's a more extended version of the 1970s Lincoln Continental with an all-black paint job, a style befitting of the highest office in the land.

It was designed to transport one of the most influential people on earth, so the windows were swapped out for "bulletproof" plexiglass. The Continental was a hefty car anyway, and the "presidential" modifications left it weighing a staggering 10,440 pounds. Being a limo, the wheelbase was an astonishing 161 inches. A regular Lincoln Continental isn't known for its handling, so the stretched version likely had a turning radius that could rival the U.S.S. Jimmy Carter.

Carter wasn't the only president to take a spin in the Lincoln Continental. It served as a presidential vehicle from 1974 to 1987 and chauffeured two of Carter's predecessors, Nixon and Ford, before the peanut-farming president got his turn. After Carter left office, the Lincoln continued on. It was the car President Ronald Regan was getting into when he was shot in March 1981. Regan's Vice President and eventual successor, George H.W. Bush, briefly used the Lincoln limo before it was eventually retired.

The vehicle was initially built in Wixom, Michigan, by the Lincoln-Mercury Division of the Ford Motor Company. However, a world leader can't just use something hot off the production line. Specialist materials, like the bulletproof glass, had to be sourced, and Ford's "Special Vehicles Engineering Department" had to make other modifications in Dearborn, Michigan. Once the customizations were complete, it was ready for service. You can still see the Lincoln Continental Presidential Limousine at The Henry Ford Museum, where it is on permanent display in the Presidential Vehicles section.

While the Lincoln had its perks, it was far from the strangest vehicle Carter was spotted in. Like former President Lyndon B. Johnson, Carter had an "Amphicar" — a German-produced convertible that could double as a boat. The Amphicar had many performance-related problems. Its surprisingly small engine only produced 75 horsepower. Older models had a sub-1200 cubic centimeter engine powering everything and, as a result, produced less than 45 brake horsepower. With such a small power output, the top speed was around 70 mph on land and 7 mph in the water, and going from 0-60 took longer than a presidential term.

Lackluster performance doesn't stop a vehicle from being fun, and both presidents certainly enjoyed theirs. Johnson would even prank his passengers by steering towards a lake, screaming that the brakes were out, and savoring the looks on their faces when the car floated. 

The concept of a floating car has inspired many generations — though the fictional performance is certainly more impressive than the real-life version. The most famous example is James Bond's Lotus Esprit from "The Spy Who Loved Me," which could transform into a submarine at the push of a button. The car from the movies can't do that in real life, but it still inspired an entire generation of Amphicar enthusiasts. The most famous is probably Elon Musk, who based the shape of the Cybertruck on the Esprit and added boat-like capabilities similar to Carter's car to its features list.