Brazilian Presidential Ceremonial State Car

Infobox Automobile


name=Presidencial Rolls Royce
manufacturer=Rolls-Royce Ltd
platform=1952 Silver Wraith
engine=L64,257 cc
transmission=4-manual
wheelbase=long
length=3.378meters
weight=2,500kg
designer=H. J. Mulliner & Co.

The Presidencial Rolls Royce is a official state car but only used for Independence Day commemorations, state visits and the inauguration of the President-elect. This was one of the two Rolls Royce purchased by Getulio Vargas, President of Brazil. This is probably the most famous and photographed vehicle in Brazil.

Origins

When Getulio Vargas became president in 1951, he had two Cadillacs as official state cars, dating from 1941 and 1947 respectively. Rolls-Royce was chosen to prepare four Silver Wraith models with special modifications for security, with the intention to purchase two examples. Vargas received the first hardtop model on 31 January 1953. The fist foreign head of state to use it was General Manuel Odria, President of Peru.

The government paid £5,831 for the hardtop model and £7,540 for the second Silver Wraith, alandaulette. The cars were paid for by industry as a present to the Vargas himself, on condition that he would donate them to the presidency at the end of his term in office.

With political problems, Vargas shot himself in the chest on 24 August 1954 and, with his suicide, the handover did not happen. The cars became part of the President's estate and were claimed by his family. The solution only came in 1957, although the cars had still been used by President Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira in the interim. The family took the hardtop Rolls-Royce and gave the landaulette to the presidency. The last official service of the hardtop model was for the personal transportation of Berta Craveiro Lopes, wife of General Caveiro Lopes.

Queen Elizabeth II

It had been claimed that the landaulette model was a gift from Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom to Brazil, but this is is not the case, although she did use the car during a 1968 state visit to Brazil.

Nowadays

The car can be seen in state ceremonies that take place on the first Sunday of each month at the Palacio do Planalto and in the streets around it. Sometimes, the car is also used for the rehearsal of state cermemonies and parades. Its speed limit is 80km/h, but it is rarely seen to travel faster than 20km/h.

The daily transportation of the President is made by modern vehicles, with the Rolls-Royce reserved exclusively for ceremonial occasions.

In 2001, the the Rolls Royce was sent for restoration by President Fernando Henrique after 48 years of service.