Obama vs Romney - What Do They Drive?

“It rattled and shook” said President Obama in an interview with the American Automobile Association (AAA) back in March, “I don’t think the girls were particularly impressed when I came to pick them up…”. Nor do we Barack, nor do we. Though a fraction cooler than anything us Brits can lay our hands on at 17, your American spec’ Ford Granada was, as you said, hardly “the peak of Detroit engineering”, even back in the mid-70s. Should’ve tried a Mustang, we reckon.

When he was Governor of Illinois, O-Bizzle drove something all-together more "street". He picked up a grey Chrysler 300C, complete with chrome wheels and 5.7-litre Hemi V8 to tool around the Windy-City in. Interestingly, three years into his Presidency, the 300 popped up on eBay with a trouser-wetting million-buck price tag. Seller Lisa Czibor allegedly still expects to get the full million for the '05 Chrysler - though experts have put the car's value at closer to $50k, and the original ad' didn't receive any bids. At all.

When Obama decided to run for office in 2007 - in an effort to get the greens on-side, he traded the 300C in for a Ford Escape Hybrid. Oh, how the mighty hath fallen.

If it's Obama letting the Democrat side down, rest assured Vice-President Biden's got it covered. Son of a car salesman, when he was in college he ran a Merc' 190SL. To this very day he still owns a 350bhp '67 Corvette Convertible that really "gets up and goes". He told Car and Driver: "The Secret Service won’t let me drive it. I’m not allowed to drive anything. It’s the one thing I hate about this job. I’m serious." Not letting that stop him, Biden took to his 1700ft driveway in his brother's 550bhp Caddy CTS-V. "I jumped on that sucker and laid rubber." Yes, just...yes.

Obama hasn't driven since he assumed office in 2008. No matter, at least he's driven around in an absolute beast. Quite literally, actually. So nicknamed by the Secret Service - "The Beast" is a heavily armoured, specially commissioned Cadillac limousine. Based on a Kodiak commercial truck, The Beast boasts 8-inch think doors that are said to be heavier than a 747's, an emergency supply of the President's blood, and a boot-full of pump-action shotguns.

And it's that very Beast that Monsieur Mitt Romney so craves a seat in. Arguably, cars are in his blood. Before becoming Governor of Michigan and subsequently making a play for the Presidency himself, Romney's Dad George ran American Motors (AMC) - they made the Rambler, an unfortunate-looking compact among a flood of be-finned Cadillacs and the like of the era. Mitt still has a soft spot for the Rambler, though. His fleet is said to include a pristine '62 Rambler American, given to him by his son (equally stupidly named "Tagg". What is it with this family?) as a birthday present in '07.

Also in Mitt's garage (accessible via a $55k car elevator) is a couple of pick-ups and a late-model Mustang. The Romney's famously also have two Cadillac SRXs - one at each of their homes.

Unfortunately, Romney's running-mate Paul Ryan has nowhere near the automotive cache as VP Joe Biden. When he was a teenager, Ryan worked for Oscar Meyer - driving the Wienermobile.

So, there you have it - who gets your vote?