Limo Once-Owned By Trump On Display At Volo Auto Museum

VOLO, IL -- The Volo Auto Museum in far northern Illinois is known for featuring eclectic celebrity cars. So when Brian Grams, the auto museum's director, came across a one-of-two-in-the-world Trump edition Cadillac limousine formerly owned by none other than Donald J. Trump, he knew what he had to do. He bought it, of course.

The 1988 uber-luxurious car is now on display at the museum at 27582 Volo Village Road. It features gold-plated and rosewood interior embellishments and was built to be an office on wheels — complete with fax machine, TV, VCR, three telephones with one in front and two in back, paper shredder and an electric bar, according to a news release from the Volo Auto Museum. The roof also was raised for added headroom.

“Trump talked Cadillac into making this limited-edition limousine in 1987,” Grams said. “Part of the agreement was that Trump was going to buy the first 50 for corporate use. Only two were made. The first was given to Trump and he bought the second for his dad.”

“We’re not making a political statement one way or the other,” Grams added. “We display rare, interesting cars with fascinating and documented back stories. This certainly checks that box.”

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Grams has paperwork as well as brochures featuring Trump that were developed for marketing the never-produced line, according to the news release. As with a number of other rare vehicles featured at the Volo Auto Museum, the Trump-edition limousine was a barn find, Grams said.

“Recently one of the two prototypes sold at auction in England for $72,000, which begged the question — where did the other one go?” Grams said, adding he found it in private ownership, parked indoors with just 21,000 miles on it. He bought it for an undisclosed sum from the daughter of its now-deceased second owner and plans to feature it within a week in the Cars of the Rich and Famous exhibit in Showroom 4.

“It’s definitely another historical find,” Grams said. “I read in an article that this was Trump’s first attempt to brand his name on a product, but I couldn’t find anything that showed which items he branded when. In any case, we’re sure visitors will be intrigued.”

The Volo Auto Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. For more information, visit the museum's website.

Photo via the Volo Auto Museum website