President Joe Biden boasts about his impressive ride to Chinese President Xi Jinping, flaunting his fancy Cadillac as the two leaders depart after their meeting at the Filoli Estate in California. Biden, all grin and swagger, couldn’t help but show off “the Beast,” as he calls it, to Xi as they exchanged pleasantries and compliments about each other’s armored vehicles.
‘They call it the Beast’: Biden flexes over Xi with car comparison https://t.co/264nFx0dcM
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) November 17, 2023
Biden, feeling like the big shot, proudly pointed out his Cadillac to Xi, chuckling as he shared the nickname “the Beast” with the Chinese president. Xi, being the polite host, simply nodded and bid farewell, probably thinking, “Yeah, sure, whatever you say, Joe.”
Biden sees Xi off at Filoli Estate after talks. #APEC2023https://t.co/v7bem2nPOa pic.twitter.com/YYfRaS2fvz
— CCTV+ (@CCTV_Plus) November 16, 2023
Now, let’s talk about “the Beast,” shall we? This magnificent piece of American engineering is a 10-ton Cadillac, worth a jaw-dropping $1.5 million. It’s practically a fortress on wheels, boasting top-of-the-line security features like bulletproof glass and military-grade armor. Even the doors are as thick as those on a Boeing 757 aircraft! That’s one heavy-duty ride.
Comparatively, Xi’s Hongqi L5, code name N701, is a mere lightweight, both in size and security. This Chinese sedan may be smaller, but it offers similar protections as “the Beast,” although on a more modest scale. Valued at a measly $700,000 (well, in comparison), this ride is equipped with armored plates to ward off small arms and rocket fire, and it can zip by at over 136 mph thanks to its 6-liter, V-12 turbocharged engine.
Oh, and by the way, this little car show and tell came after a marathon meeting between Biden and Xi at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. It was the seventh time these two leaders mingled, but who knew they’d end their day with a clash of wheels?
In summary, Biden struts his stuff, flaunting “the Beast” like it’s the star of the show, while Xi keeps his composure, nodding and smiling through the spectacle. It’s just another day of presidential one-upmanship, folks.