Cadillac Blackwings Help U.S. Secret Service Learn How to Drive Stick
The new fleet includes two , two , an , two , a , a with a police package, and a .
Of the Cadillac sedans, two are equipped with manual transmissions to help agents hone their three-pedal driving skills.
Training for United States Secret Service agents just got a lot more fun. Earlier this week, General Motors dropped off a shipment of 10 new cars to the Secret Service's James J. Rowley Training Center (RTC) in Laurel, Maryland. The video above features some overly dramatic music and mind-bending camera angles, but it also details why the agency wants a diverse testing fleet.
The fleet of 10 consists of two Cadillac CT4 sedans, two CT5 sedans, an Escalade, two Chevy Corvettes (including a hybrid all-wheel-drive E-Ray), a Colorado ZR2, a Tahoe with a police package, and a Suburban. According to RTC driving instructor Mark Armstrong, two of the Caddy sedans are equipped with manual transmissions, which means both are the range-topping Blackwing models. The CT4-V Blackwing features a 472-hp twin-turbo V-6, while the mightier CT5-V Blackwing packs a 668-hp supercharged V-8.
"Not everyone is able to operate a manual shift," Armstrong said. "Having that platform here will enable us to give instruction on how to drive manual vehicles for overseas trips."
The other bonus is the different types of cars included in the fleet. Constantine Gerukos, another instructor at the facility, pointed out that advanced driving is a perishable skill, like a muscle that needs to be worked out, so having a variety of cars can keep trainees and instructors alike fresh.
What's not clear is if training agents on manual transmission cars is a new focus awarded by having these Blackwing models in the fleet or if three-pedal driving is a long-standing prerequisite for Secret Service trainees. Car and Driver reached out to the Department of Homeland Security to inquire about the training, and we'll update this story if we hear back.
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