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Presidential car (Chile)

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Sebastián Piñera in the Balmaceda carriage at Fiestas Patrias in 2010
The Ford Galaxie has been Chile's ceremonial presidential car since 1970.

The presidential car is the vehicle which carries the president of Chile.

Ceremonial use

The president of Chile traditionally uses a horse drawn "Bandeja" Carriage imported from France by President José Manuel Balmaceda for ceremonial events.

In 1968, Queen Elizabeth II made a state visit to Chile in which she and then president, Eduardo Frei Montalva, travelled together in a 1966 Ford Galaxie XL, reportedly donated by either Ford Brasil or the Queen herself, and was customised with her royal arms on the steering wheel.

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.

Montalva's successor, socialist Salvador 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.

Both the carriage and the Galaxie have since 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.

Daily use

Piñera departs from La Moneda Palace in a Genesis G90

President Ricardo Lagos used a Lincoln Town Car, while President Michelle Bachelet introduced a 2008-model Peugeot 607 saloon in her first term in office. Her motorcade was also often seen driving 2006 Audi A4 and A6s. Various 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. Bachelet introduced the use of a Hyundai Equus in 2014 for her second term, a marque that has continued into Piñera's second term in 2018 with his choice of the Genesis G90.

La Moneda staff currently accompany the president in Hyundai Santa Fe and Hyundai Sonata chase vehicles. Hyundai has long 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.

See also

References

  1. Manrique, Jaimie (Spring 1978). The State Coaches of the Republic of Chile. Vol. 15. The Carriage Journal. pp. 373–375. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. Pizarro, Carlos (8 September 2022). "La visita de la reina Isabel II a Chile en 1968". Radio Agricultura.
  4. Gutiérrez, Patricio (11 November 2018). "El mítico Ford Galaxie". El Mercurio. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  5. Niedermeyer, Paul (23 September 2021). "Chile's Presidential State Car Has Quite The History". Curbside Classics. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  6. "Discover the cars that took Queen Elizabeth II to Brazil". Traced News.
  7. "Municipalidad De Talagante". Munitalagante.cl. Archived from the original on 26 March 2009. Retrieved 25 April 2009.
  8. "Presidente Piñera estrena auto ecológico de $70 millones "en comodato"". Terra.cl. Archived from the original on 12 May 2010. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
  9. ^ "New Chilean President Selects Equus for Inauguration Ceremony". hyundaimotorgroup.com. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  10. "Prestado por Hyundai a la Presidencia de la República". RiveraNotario. 2 August 2018. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  11. "Korean Products Take Chile By Storm". Dong-a Ilbo. 30 March 2006. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  12. 이, 주희 (15 January 2017). "Hyundai ranks 1st in Chilean car market". Korea Herald. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
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