00:00They're among the world's most fascinating vehicles, official state cars.
00:06Some consider them the pinnacle of the art of auto production.
00:10For heads of state, they're just good enough.
00:12What do they mean for dictators or for democracies?
00:16What security do they offer in the event of a terrorist attack?
00:23And how are their escort drivers trained?
00:26Let's find out.
00:33Chapter 1.
00:34Training the escorts.
00:36How do you escort a guest of state?
00:39Members of the military police are being trained in Berlin.
00:41They're set to be deployed with their motorcycles as escorts for a visiting guest.
00:46For security reasons, we're not using their full names.
00:49Master Sergeant Thomas M is their instructor.
00:53They have to be in complete control of their 200-kilo motorcycles.
00:58Grab the rope, drive around, stay stable, watch your line of sight, and let go.
01:03Good work.
01:06The training takes three months.
01:08They also have to learn how to drive in various formations at high speeds.
01:13And later, on the street, to change their formation immediately when they get a remote
01:17command.
01:19Okay, finish the course to the front and park in a nice straight line the way we do it.
01:25Today they're also leaving the barracks.
01:28The German military police are part of the armed forces.
01:32They're only responsible for receiving high-ranking foreign military personnel, officials, and
01:37defense ministers.
01:38The civilian police in Germany are responsible for most guests of state.
01:43They all have to learn to drive precisely at high speeds.
01:48In the wedge formation, we drive 15 centimeters apart at speeds of up to 130 kilometers an
01:53hour.
01:54You can see just how precisely they master the exercise and change their formation on
01:58command through the windshield of the command vehicle.
02:02Park away, yes, and switch again.
02:14Chapter two, the motorcade.
02:16There are deployments for the Berlin military police every week, and now it's time to pick
02:21up a guest of state.
02:22Punctuality and safety are the top priorities for Captain Patrick M. and his officers.
02:28They're already familiar with the route.
02:31Still, we always have to drive the route again, at least on the day before, to see if there
02:37are any roadworks so that we can avoid them.
02:44Now it's time for the real work.
02:46This armored state car is ready to take the Bosnian defense minister across Berlin.
02:51The German defense minister is already waiting for his Bosnian counterpart, and tardiness
02:56is not an option for the military police.
03:07Of course, what we're managing here, arriving on schedule, wouldn't have been possible for
03:11a civilian driver.
03:14Their tricks of the trade?
03:16They can deliberately drive slowly.
03:19Or go through red lights with their 30-meter long motorcade.
03:25It's hard to believe, but some motorists even dare to drive right into the armed military
03:30police's formation.
03:33Some motorists don't care if our blue lights are flashing or not.
03:38Here's what the motorcade looks like.
03:40First come the sweepers on motorbikes who clear the route.
03:44Then the pilot vehicle, the motorcycles in wedge formation, the VIP armored car with
03:50the Bosnian defense minister, the control vehicle, a van with the defense minister's
03:57delegation, and at the rear, reserve drivers, and the military police vehicle.
04:06But there are also state visits with the highest security levels, for example when the US president
04:11comes to town.
04:13In this case, the entire motorcade can be over 100 meters long, including ambulances.
04:24Chapter three, state cars and the symbols of power.
04:29The Bosnian defense minister is welcomed on time by his German counterpart, Boris Pistorius.
04:37The journey took 40 minutes.
04:40And now a ceremony awaits him as part of the state visit.
04:44I'm very happy you're here.
04:47Later they'll talk about joint NATO defenses in Europe.
04:51But first, a regimental salute by the army music corps' honor guard.
04:56And then the ministers inspect the troops.
05:01Next the German soldiers who died defending Bosnia-Herzegovina in the Yugoslav wars are
05:06commemorated.
05:09Large motorcades have their roots in centuries-old traditions of the royal courts of Europe.
05:15The populace is forced to stop at blocked intersections and is expected to greet the
05:19ruler and cheer.
05:21Today that's best preserved by the British monarchy, when the royal Bentley or carriages
05:25drive through the whole of London, for example at the coronation of King Charles.
05:32Large dinners with heads of state, diplomats and celebrities from the host country are
05:37also part of the ceremonies.
05:39Mr. President, you too have a particular connection to this country.
05:47That's how it works in democracies, but what about autocracies?
05:51Russian President Vladimir Putin also knows how to use the power of state cars.
05:55He even gave North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un this Aurus Senat, a Russian-made state limousine,
06:02because Kim loves luxury cars, even if his people have little to eat.
06:07Chapter 4. Security
06:10German military and civilian police forces are armed.
06:13This exercise only involves a staged car accident, but in an emergency they have to defend themselves
06:20and the guest of state in the event of a terrorist attack.
06:23So when training escorts Thomas M shows them how.
06:26A state car under fire can even get away with flat tyres.
06:30More on that later.
06:34Moving on from the democratic world, under authoritarian regimes, routes can simply be
06:39closed off.
06:41And leaders can ride standing up through the sunroof without being at risk.
06:45Just like when President Xi Jinping joined a parade in a Hongqi CA-72, a historic Chinese
06:51model to mark the 70th anniversary of the People's Republic of China.
07:01The US president's Cadillac is a state limousine with ultra-high security technology.
07:11When he goes on a state visit, he always takes two identical vehicles with him.
07:15One drives to the destination as a decoy and the president rides in the other.
07:21This Cadillac is nicknamed The Beast and costs around 1.5 million dollars.
07:27The tank holds 40 litres of diesel.
07:30If there's a risk of fire, a foam nozzle is activated and the foam neutralises the
07:35flammable fuel.
07:36The tyres are reinforced with fire-retardant Kevlar.
07:39There are also steel rims underneath so that if the tyres suffer a puncture, The Beast
07:43can keep on driving.
07:45All doors are armour-plated and 20 centimetres thick, as well as hermetically sealed against
07:51chemical attacks.
07:54The over 12 centimetre thick windows are also bulletproof and can withstand even high-calibre
07:59bullets.
08:02The chassis is a truck frame that's been reinforced against exploding landmines.
08:08The Beast carries automatic weapons, a grenade launcher and a blood supply matching the president's
08:13blood type.
08:19Other car manufacturers are also in on the act.
08:22Mercedes has its various armoured models shot at in its own tests.
08:28This is how they test the car's security against terrorist attacks.
08:32With high-calibre bullets, machine guns and explosives.
08:40Some of the most common and most secure state cars are the specially armoured versions of
08:44the Mercedes S-Class.
08:46Canadian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gets chauffeured in a Mercedes-Maybach S650, while
08:52German Chancellor Olaf Scholz rides in an S680 Guard.
08:57The German Beast.
08:58At its core, it has a so-called high-security compartment, an armoured steel frame, plus
09:04additional layers against heat and bullets to protect the passengers.
09:09The car has its own automatic fire extinguishing system, as well as an emergency oxygen supply.
09:1710 centimetre thick bulletproof glass windows and 612 horsepower, with a top speed of 190
09:26kilometres an hour.
09:27The price?
09:28At least half a million euros.
09:30Weighing over four tonnes, it's unwieldy on curbs and the chauffeur even needs a commercial
09:35driver's licence.
09:39But without their work, the security of guests of state could not be guaranteed.
09:44The military police and the captain are satisfied at the end of their mission, because their
09:48guest of state has arrived safely.
09:51But for them, good work often isn't good enough.
09:55When we're back in the barracks, we do a debriefing and then an evaluation.
09:59We do that for every deployment, whether it's positive or negative, an evaluation is always
10:03carried out.
10:04You can only improve.
10:08Back at the barracks, they keep on training, standing at attention, protecting, being punctual,
10:13gallant and chivalrous, a mark of respect for guests of state.
10:18Because in their state car, those guests are the top priority.
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