With 28-tons of steel armor, bulletproof glass and a 12-liter Rolls-Royce V12 diesel, Margaret Thatcher's bus could take what Ireland threw at it, unlike President Obama's tuned up Cadillac. It didn't have fuel issues either.
In the eighties, Ireland was a bit more dangerous than nowadays. In 1984 the British Prime Minister survived the Brighton bombing in which the IRA's Patrick Magee attacked the hotel where Conservative Party conference attendees were staying. He killed five people. A year later, Thatcher signed the Anglo-Irish Agreement with the Irish Prime Minister in order to put an end to the troubles they were facing. But she needed a vehicle for getting around in the country.
So came this bus which was ordered by the British Government for the Iron Lady. Built on a Foden chassis with a custom body by Glover and Webb, it featured run flat tyres, a two-foot deep blast floor and so much steel that it could withstand 7.62 rounds. It also had gas, chemical and biological proof with its own separately diesel powered filtration system, happy colors, seats for about 35 with office space at the rear and two full sized doors. Taxpayer money well spent!
This special battle bus was auctioned in February for £16,940 ($25,668) with 17,398 miles on the clock. I guess the key to happiness is not checking the carpets for blood.
Photo credit: Getty Images and Tanklimo