Presidential car (Chile)
The Chilean presidential car refers to the vehicles maintained and provided by the Chilean government for the president of Chile, as a symbol of the offce in a ceremonial setting, and for the President's day to day transportation needs.
Hyundai has been a favored brand for the Chilean government since the signing of a free trade agreement in 2003, overtaking Chevrolet as the best selling auto brand in Chile in 2017.[1][2][3]
History
[edit]
Chilean presidents travelled primarily by horseback until José Manuel Balmaceda imported a luxurious horse drawn "Bandeja" carriage from France to be used for public events and ceremonies.[4]
Carlos Ibanez del Campo would be the first president with an automobile, a 1928 Packard Six. This Packard was later modified to be able to use the railroad between Santiago and southern cities not yet connected by automobile roadways. After being transfered for use by the state railways, it would later be donated by then President Lagos to the Pablo Neruda National Railway Museum in Temuco upon its opening in 2004.[5][6]
Ceremonial use
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The Balmaceda carriage continued to be used as a symbol of office, transporting the president for inaugurations and other ceremonial events until 1970 when president Salvador Allende used a 1966 Ford Galaxie XL for his inauguration.[7]
In 1968, Queen Elizabeth II made a state visit to Chile in which she and then president, Eduardo Frei Montalva, travelled together in the Galaxie, reportedly donated by either Ford Brasil or the Queen herself, and was customised with her royal arms on the steering wheel.[7][8]
The 1966 model Ford Galaxie began production in Brazil for South America in 1967 so it is plausible they would donate a vehicle knowing the promotional value its use would receive, and in fact provided other vehicles in Brazil for the queen's visit there prior to her visiting Chile, although the unlikely story of a British monarch giving Chile a car built in Brazil by an American manufacturer has become an enduring myth.[9][10][11]
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Montalva's successor, socialist Allende, not wanting to convey the image of royalty that carriages now confer, decided the more plebeian Ford better fit his image and used it for his inauguration, adopting the vehicle as his official vehicle, with a normally issued license plate (EL-2801). The Galaxie has since transported dignitaries such as Fidel Castro, Indira Gandhi and Pablo Neruda. Gabriel Boric was the first president officially driven in the Galaxie by a female driver during his inauguration.[7]
Both the carriage and the Galaxie have been maintained by the state and are now used only for official ceremonies, such as presidential inaugurations, state visits, and the national holidays on 21 May and 19 September.[12]
Daily use
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President Augusto Pinochet travelled in a convoy of armoured W126 Mercedes-Benz S Class, which would save his life during an assasination attempt in 1986.[13][14][15]
President Patricio Aylwin abandoned Mercedes for the more democratic Renault 21, Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle used a Lincoln Town Car, and Ricardo Lagos, a Peugeot 406. President Michelle Bachelet continued with a Peugeot 607 in her first term in office.[16][17]
Presidential staff of this era also used Audi A4 and A6s. Various Toyota Land Cruisers and Dodge Durangos also composed the presidential motorcade.
During his first term, Sebastián Piñera was the first to switch to an Asian manufacturer, recognizing their increasing market share in Chile, choosing a Lexus LS 600h as his daily transport.[18] Bachelet introduced the use of a Hyundai Equus in 2014 for her second term,[19][20] a marque that has continued into Piñera's second term in 2018 with his choice of the Genesis G90.[21]
In 2021, the Carabineros, charged with protecting the president, acquired 4 armoured Chevrolet Tahoe Z71s as escort vehicles, which have also been used to drive Gabriel Boric himself.[22] La Moneda staff also have access to a fleet of Hyundai Santa Fe and Hyundai Sonata vehicles they can use to accompany the president.[3][23]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Korean Products Take Chile By Storm". Dong-a Ilbo. 30 March 2006. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
- ^ 이, 주희 (15 January 2017). "Hyundai ranks 1st in Chilean car market". Korea Herald. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
- ^ a b "Foreign Minister Muñoz receives vehicles for the Presidential change of command". Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores. 5 March 2018.
- ^ Manrique, Jaimie (Spring 1978). The State Coaches of the Republic of Chile. Vol. 15. The Carriage Journal. pp. 373–375. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
- ^ "Autocarril". Museo Nacional Ferroviario Pablo Neruda.
- ^ Olga, Semenova. "Pablo Neruda National Railway Museum". 7Toucans. Retrieved 4 March 2025.
- ^ a b c Monroy, Mauricio (11 March 2022). "Anécdotas del Ford Galaxie que trasladará a Gabriel Boric, vehículo que por primera vez será manejado por una mujer". La Tercera.
- ^ Pizarro, Carlos (8 September 2022). "La visita de la reina Isabel II a Chile en 1968". Radio Agricultura.
- ^ Gutiérrez, Patricio (11 November 2018). "El mítico Ford Galaxie". El Mercurio. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
- ^ Niedermeyer, Paul (23 September 2021). "Chile's Presidential State Car Has Quite The History". Curbside Classics. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
- ^ "Discover the cars that took Queen Elizabeth II to Brazil". Traced News.
- ^ "Municipalidad De Talagante". Munitalagante.cl. Archived from the original on 26 March 2009. Retrieved 25 April 2009.
- ^ Salazar, Manuel (27 September 1986). "The assassination attempt on President Augusto Pinochet failed because..." UPI.
- ^ "Atentado contra Augusto Pinochet". Descubre la Ruta G-25. 3 September 2017.
- ^ Constable, Pamela (11 December 2006). "Chile's Gen. Pinochet, the Strongman Who Tore Apart His Country". Washington Post.
- ^ "Lagos ironizó sobre Pinochet: "Espero retirarme con el mismo Peugeot 406 con que llegué"". Cooperativa. 15 March 2005.
- ^ "Subastan automóviles presidenciales de Lagos, Frei y Bachelet". RPP. 24 April 2010.
- ^ "Presidente Piñera estrena auto ecológico de $70 millones "en comodato"". Terra.cl. Archived from the original on 12 May 2010. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
- ^ "New Chilean President Selects Equus for Inauguration Ceremony". hyundaimotorgroup.com. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
- ^ Krome, Charles (14 March 2014). "2014 Hyundai Equus Becomes President's Preferred Ride". AutoWeb.
- ^ "Prestado por Hyundai a la Presidencia de la República". RiveraNotario. 2 August 2018. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
- ^ Cannoni, Romina (3 August 2023). "¿Qué autos usan los presidentes de Latinoamérica?". La Tercera.
- ^ "Hyundai: la marca favorita de autos de La Moneda". El Mostrador. 20 May 2019.