Prime Ministerial Limousine
| Prime Ministerial Limousine | |
|---|---|
The Prime Ministerial Limousine in 2017 | |
| Overview | |
| Type | BMW 7 Series |
| Manufacturer | BMW |
| Also called | C1 (Commonwealth One) |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Full-size luxury car (F) |
| Body style | 4-door sedan |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Holden Caprice |
The Prime Ministerial Limousine is the official state car used by the prime minister of Australia. The current vehicle is a white BMW 7 Series. The prime ministerial and other ministerial limousines are maintained by COMCAR, a subdivision of the Department of Finance. The vehicle is often referred to in the media and the community as "C1", which is the number plate that the car displays (meaning "Commonwealth 1"). The Australian flag is centrally mounted on the bonnet of the vehicle.
Prime ministerial vehicles are transported and used wherever the prime minister travels. The vehicle is stored at Parliament House, the Lodge, Kirribilli House or an allocated COMCAR facility. While COMCAR administers the vehicles, they are driven by Australian Federal Police officers. Tony Abbott was the first prime minister to use the BMW 7 Series. The past model of prime ministerial limousine, the Holden Caprice, was first used by Bob Hawke, replacing the Ford LTDs that had been used in the 1980s.