The midnight blue Lincoln Continental that JFK was assassinated in was built by the Ford Motor Company in 1961. Modifications were done by Hess & Eisenhardt — a coachbuilding company that specialized in armored vehicles — to make it fit for use during presidential parades. According to The Henry Ford Museum, the two companies collaborated to customize the vehicles, which the Secret Service codenamed X-100.
The original Lincoln Continental was cut in half, and a 3.5-foot extension was added to lengthen it. Other features of the vehicle included removable roof panels, heating and air conditioning systems, flashing red lights, two radio telephones, and a hydraulic seat to elevate the president, among other things. The Lincoln Continental cost about $7,300, but the features added cost almost $200,000 (approximately $1.8 million in today's money). The Ford Motor Company remained the owner of the presidential limousine, and it was leased to the Secret Service for presidential use for the amount of $500 a year.
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