Obama's Beast Gets Beached: Armor Plating Is Heavy [Video]

When your car has 5-inch thick military grade armor, is biochemically sealed, has its own oxygen supply, and can fire tear gas and infrared smoke grenades, it's easy to assume you're driving the perfect urban tank. Unfortunately, as US president Barack Obama – and his presumably red-faced driver – discovered in Dublin, Ireland today, all of that clever kit makes your car surprisingly heavy, too, and simple speed bumps become a whole lot more treacherous.

Leaving the Dublin Embassy today, Obama's car – known as "The Beast" or "Cadillac One" – got stuck when trying to leave the gates. In the video below – complete with well-timed sound effects from the crowd of Irish onlookers – you can hear the lead car first scrape its underbelly on the hump, and then shortly after The Beast get beached altogether.

President Obama and the First Lady eventually abandoned the car for a second vehicle to continue their tour of Ireland. No word on how heavy The Beast actually is, though each reinforced door is apparently the same weight as a Boeing 757 airplane cabin door.

[via Twitter]