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{{Not to be confused with|Limousin}}
{{Redirect|Limousines|the band|The Limousines}}
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[[File:1908StudeLimo.jpg|thumb|1908 [[Studebaker]] limousine with open driver's compartment for the [[chauffeur]] and a closed cabin for the passengers]]
[[File:Phantom IV.jpg|thumb|right|[[Rolls-Royce Phantom IV]] Touring limousine, 7 seater for [['Abd al-Ilah|HRH The Prince Regent of Iraq]], 1953 coachwork by [[Hooper (coachbuilder)|Hooper]]]]

A '''limousine''' (or '''limo''') is a [[Luxury vehicle|luxury]] [[Sedan (automobile)|sedan]] or saloon car generally driven by a [[chauffeur]] and with a partition between the driver and the passenger compartment. Limousines often have a lengthened wheelbase.  Although usually associated with luxury vehicles, the word "Limousine" is also simply a generic term in some countries for a standard sedan bodystyle.

It was originally an enclosed automobile with open driver's seat.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=limousine |title=limousine (n.) |publisher=Online Etymology Dictionary |accessdate=27 June 2015}}</ref> It is named after a type of cloak and hood that was worn by the inhabitants of the [[Limousin]] region that later resembled the covering of a carriage and much later used to describe an automobile body with a permanent top that extended over the open driver's compartment.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BtYbqYNbg0QC&pg=PA582&dq=Origin+of+limousine+term |page=582 |title=Dyke's Automobile and Gasoline Engine Encyclopedia |first=Andrew Lee |last=Dyke |edition=Twelfth |year=1920 |accessdate=27 June 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hsRISNLSSHAC&pg=PT525&dq=limousin+is+former+province+open+but+roofed+seat+for+driver+the+driver |title=Word Origins |first=John |last=Ayto |year=2009 |publisher=A&C Black Publishers |isbn=978-1-4081-0160-5 |accessdate=27 June 2015}}</ref>

In modern use, a limousine is a [[Luxury vehicle|luxury]] [[Sedan (automobile)|sedan]] or saloon car, especially one with a lengthened wheelbase or driven by a [[chauffeur]]. The chassis of a limousine may have been extended by the manufacturer or by an independent [[coachbuilder]]. These are called "stretch" limousines and are traditionally [[black]] or [[white]]. Limousines are usually [[Livery|liveried]] vehicles, [[Driving|driven]] by professional [[chauffeur]]s. As the most expensive form of automobile [[ground transportation]], limousines are culturally associated with [[wealth]] or power and are commonly cited as examples of [[conspicuous consumption]]. Among the less wealthy, limousines are often hired during special events (most commonly [[wedding]]s, [[prom]]s, and [[bachelor party|bachelor parties]]).

While some limousines are owned by individuals, many are owned by governments to transport senior politicians, by companies to transport executives and guests. Most stretch limousines, however, operate as [[Vehicle for hire|livery vehicles]], providing upmarket competition to [[taxicab]]s. Builders of stretch limousines purchase stock cars from manufacturers and modify them, and most are in the United States and Europe and cater mainly to limousine companies. Few stretch limousines are sold new to private individuals. In addition to luxuries, security features such as armoring and bulletproof glass are available.

==History{{anchor|History}}==
[[File:Winton1915.jpg|thumb|right|[[Winton automobile|Winton]] Six Limousine, 1915, with driver in a compartment separate from the passengers, a distinctive limousine feature]]

The first automobile limousine, built in 1902, was designed so the driver sat outside under a covered compartment.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stretching-it.com/LimoPages/origins.htm |title=The Origins |work=Stretching It: The Story of the Limousine |first=Michael L. |last=Bromley |year=2002 |accessdate=27 June 2015 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714003811/http://www.stretching-it.com/LimoPages/origins.htm |archivedate=14 July 2015 |df= }}</ref> The word ''limousine'' is derived from the name of the French region [[Limousin (region)|Limousin]], because this covered compartment physically resembled the raised hood of the cloak worn by the shepherds there. An alternate [[etymology]] has the chauffeur wearing a Limousin-style cloak in the open driver's compartment, for protection from the weather.<ref name="RamHousDef">{{cite book|title=The Random House College Dictionary |page=777 |publisher=Random House |isbn=0-394-43600-8 |quote= '''1.''' an automobile having a permanently enclosed compartment for from three to five persons, the roof of which projects forward over the driver's seat in front...[< F, special use of ''limousine'' long cloak, so called because worn by the shepherds of ''Limousin'', a former province in central France]}}</ref>

The first “stretch limousine” was created in [[Fort Smith, Arkansas]], around 1928 by a coach company named Armbruster. These cars were primarily used to transport famous “big band” leaders, such as [[Glenn Miller]] and [[Benny Goodman]], and their bands and equipment. These early stretch limousines were often called “big band buses”.

In 1916, the [[SAE International|Society of Automobile Engineers]] defined a limousine as: "a closed car seating three to five inside, with driver's seat outside." A [[Berlin (carriage)|berline]] was defined as "a limousine having the driver's seat entirely inclosed", while a [[Brougham (car body)|brougham]] was defined as "a limousine with no roof over the driver's seat."<ref>{{cite news|title=What's What in Automobile Bodies Officially Determined |url= https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10C1FFB3F5D17738DDDA90A94D0405B868DF1D3 |newspaper= The New York Times |date=August 20, 1916 |accessdate=27 June 2015 |quote=Here it is, with other body types and distinctions, officially determined recently by the Nomenclature Division of the Society of Automobile Engineers}}</ref>

In German-speaking countries, a ''Limousine'' is simply a [[sedan (automobile)|sedan]], while a lengthened-wheelbase car is called ''Stretch-Limousine''.

==Types==

The limousine body style has a partition separating the driver from the rear passenger compartment.<ref name="RamHousDef"/><ref name=Haajanen96>{{cite book |last=Haajanen |first= Lennart W. |year= 2003 |title=Illustrated Dictionary of Automobile Body Styles |page= 96 |location=Jefferson, NC |publisher= McFarland |isbn= 0-7864-1276-3|lccn= 2002014546|ref=harv}}</ref> This partition usually contains a sliding (often soundproof) glass window so that conversations between passengers in the rear compartment may be kept private. Communication with the driver is possible either by opening the window in the partition or by using an intercom system. Alternative versions of the style include the limousine-[[landaulet]], with a removable or folding roof section over the rear passenger seat, and the [[Coupe de ville|limousine de-ville]], with a solid roof over the rear passengers but a removable or folding roof section over the driver's seat.{{Sfn|Haajanen|2003|pp=93, 97}}

===Traditional limousines===
{{Unreferenced section|date=September 2014}}
Traditionally, the limousine has been a large car with a long wheelbase with a permanent division between driver and passengers. Two or three occasional or [[jump seat]]s are usually mounted in the ample footspace of the rear compartment of long wheelbase cars, facing forward behind the driver. These seats face forward. They fold into the floor when not in use. In this way, up to five persons can be carried in the aft compartment in comfort, and up to two additional persons carried in the driver's compartment, for a total capacity of seven passengers in addition to the driver. This type of seat configuration has become less popular in recent funeral trade limousines.
{|
|[[File:State Bentley Long Walk Crop 1.JPG|thumb|Traditional limousine<br>An official state car of Queen Elizabeth II.]]
|[[File:Hield Bentley Interior.jpg|thumb|Rear compartment of the same traditional limousine, with occasional seats folded down on floor]]
|[[File:President Obama arrives at Kentucky Air Guard Base 150402-Z-VT419-199.jpg|thumb|Traditional style limousine of the President of the United States<br>[[Cadillac One]]]]
|}
The last production limousine, by Cadillac, with forward-facing jump seats was in 1987 (with their [[Cadillac Series 70|Fleetwood Series 75]] model), the last Packard in 1954, and the last Lincoln in 1939, though Lincoln has offered limousines through their dealers as special order vehicles at times. Several Lincoln Premier cars were also built, one being owned by Elvis Presley. Vehicles of this type in private use may contain expensive audio players, televisions, video players, and [[bar (counter)|bar]]s, often with refrigerators. The President of the United States has ridden in a variety of types of limousine stretching back to 1899.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/news/vintage-speed/4300349 |title=The Secret Seven: The Top Presidential Limousines of All Time |first=John Pearley |last=Huffman |date=19 January 2009 |publisher=Popular Mechanics |accessdate=27 June 2015}}</ref>
[[File:1993 Bentley Turbo R LWB limousine 7954752566.jpg|thumb|left|Division in a 1993 Bentley Turbo R]]
[[File:Driving in a London cab (5227723180).jpg|thumb|the division in a London cab, black occasional seats folded up to bulkhead]]

A similar design is used for the [[The London Taxi Company|black cabs]] of [[London]]. The jump seats, also referred to as taxi-tip-seats, usually carry advertising on the underside; the advertisements are visible to the passengers when the tip-seats are not in use.

Where a vehicle is built to carry a large number together for the funeral trade, one or two full width, normal, forwards facing seats are often added. These may be fixed or fold down into the floor.
{{clear}}

===Stretch limousines{{anchor|Modern}}===
{{Unreferenced section|date=June 2009}}
Stretch limousines are usually used to transport more than three passengers, excluding the driver. In production American limousines, however, the jump seats almost always faced forward.

[[File:98-02 Lincoln Town Car limousine.jpg|thumb|left|[[Lincoln Town Car]] stretch limo]]

It is simpler to determine the effects of altering a separate [[chassis]] than it is to determine the effects of altering a load-bearing [[Unit body|unitized platform]] body. Coach builders have built models based on SUVs with a separate load-bearing chassis. The weight requirements of these limos do not meet some/most states Department of Motor Vehicle Rules and Regulations. Limousine manufacturers are often challenged to meet safety, exhaust, weight, and other standards with longer vehicles that hold more passengers (weight).

On 3 September 2004, Michael Machado and Pamela Bartholemew (both USA) in California began operating on the heaviest limousine in the world . The <nowiki>''</nowiki>Midnight Rider" , weighing 22,933 kg (50,560 lb). It is 21.3 m (70 ft) long and 4.1 m (13 ft 8 in) high, contained three lounges and a separate bar which could accommodate up to 40 passengers, served by a crew of four and converted from a [[Peterbilt]] Truck

==Current limousines==
(list does not include those produced by 3rd party companies)

‡ = Government limousine only
*‡[[Presidential state car (United States)|Cadillac One]]
*[[Cadillac XTS|Cadillac XTS Limousine]]
*[[Chrysler 300|Chrysler 300 Limousine]]
*[[Great Wall Hover|Great Wall Hover π]]
*[[Lincoln Town Car|FAW Hongqi Limousine]]
*[[Hyundai Equus|Hyundai Equus Limousine]]
*[[IKCO Samand Sarir]]
*[[Lincoln MKS|Lincoln MKS Limousine]]
*[[Lincoln MKT|Lincoln MKT Livery]]
*[[Lincoln Navigator|Lincoln Navigator L]]
*[[Mitsubishi Dignity]]
*[[SsangYong Chairman|SsangYong Chairman W Limousine]]
*‡[[Toyota Century|Toyota Century Royal]]
*‡[[ZIL-4112R]]
*‡[[Proton Perdana (first generation)|Proton Perdana Limousine]]
*‡Proton chancellor
===Stage===
{{Refimprove section|date=September 2014}}
[[File:Checker Aerobus Glacier MT1.jpg|thumb|Checker Aerobus stage at [[Glacier National Park (U.S.)|Glacier National Park]]]]

Not a true limousine, but rather in its design and application is between a [[sedan (automobile)|sedan]] and a bus. While a bus will have a central interior aisle for access to seating, a stage has multiple doors that allow access to transverse forward-facing seats. Examples of the type were constructed not only from sedans (e.g., [[Chrysler New Yorker]], [[Cadillac DeVille]], [[Checker Aerobus]]), but also from [[station wagon]]s; many of the station wagon conversions sported a large rack, running the length of the roof, for carrying the passengers' baggage.<!--FYI, so did many of the sedan conversions.-->

This type of vehicle was once rather common in some locations. An example of its use was in the transport of travelers arriving by [[railroad]] at [[Merced, California]] to travel to [[Yosemite|Yosemite National Park]] in the first half of the 20th century and at other remote parks. In Yosemite, passengers would then stay in rustic platform tent camps or more expensive lodges and hike or rent bicycles for movement around the park.{{Citation needed|date=September 2014}} In  [[Glacier National Park (U.S.)|Glacier National Park]], the stages were referred to as "Jammers" in reference to the nickname of their gear-jamming drivers.<ref>{{cite book|last=Mulvaney |first=Tom |year=2010 |title=Glacier National Park |url={{Google books|HlC6JFI3FecC|Glacier National Park|page=75|plainurl=yes}} |location= |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |page=75 |isbn=978-0-7385-8080-7 |lccn=2009943323 |accessdate=27 June 2015 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151128175234/http://www.billboard.com/artist/302879/girlicious/chart?f=344 |archivedate=28 November 2015 |df= }}</ref>
Some [[funeral home]]s maintain six-door stages to carry the family of the deceased between the church and the cemetery.

===Exotic limousines{{anchor|Exotic}}===
[[File:Humber.faroeislands.jpg|thumb|[[Hummer H2]] stretch limousine]]
Sometimes a coach builder or car designer will develop the "ultimate" stretch limo, adding amenities that are somewhat impractical but which make a significant design statement. One such design includes tandem rear axles to support the weight of an operational [[hot tub]].

These extensive limousine conversions have been performed on several luxury marques and fast cars, including: [[Bentley Motors Limited|Bentley]], [[BMW]], [[Cadillac]], [[Chrysler Corporation|Chrysler]], [[Ford]], [[Holden]], [[Hummer]], [[Infiniti]], [[Jaguar (car)|Jaguar]], [[Lexus]], [[Lincoln (automobile)|Lincoln]], [[Mercedes-Benz]], [[Rolls-Royce car|Rolls-Royce]], [[Volkswagen Phaeton|Volkswagen]] and [[Daimler Company|Daimler]]. In the United States the most popular vehicles for stretch limousines conversion are the [[Lincoln Town Car]], [[Cadillac XTS]], [[Cadillac Escalade]], [[Chrysler 300]], [[Hummer H2]], [[Ford Excursion]], and the [[Lincoln Navigator]]. There are even instances of Corvettes, Ferraris, Mini Coopers and [[Volkswagen Beetle|VW Beetles]] being stretched to accommodate up to 10 passengers.

===Novelty limousines===
A variety of vehicles have been converted into novelty limousines.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://my.net-link.net/~dcline/limonov1.htm |title=Dave's Classic Limousines Pictures: Novelty Limousines |accessdate=27 June 2015}}</ref> They may be rented for [[wedding]]s for those "looking to travel in style".<ref>{{cite book|title=KISS guide to planning a wedding |first=Stephanie |last=Pedersen |pages=195–196 |year=2004 |publisher=DK Publishers | isbn=978-0-7894-9695-9 }}</ref>

An example is the East German [[Trabant]] that was designed for a low manufacturing cost and incorporated body panels made from a rag fiber and plastic resin material. [[Volkswagen Beetle]]s, [[Fiat Panda]]s, and [[Citroën 2CV]] vehicles are occasionally stretched into limousines.

Novelty color limousines, such as purple and pink, are another way to express individuality when renting a vehicle for special occasions.<ref>{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=4lpob0ruA0cC&pg=PA198&dq=novelty+limousines |page=198 |title=1000 Best Wedding Bargains |first=Sharon |last=Naylor |publisher= Sourcebooks |year=2004 |isbn= 978-1-4022-0298-8 |accessdate=27 June 2015}}</ref>

<gallery caption="Unlikely limousines" widths="180px" heights="120px" >
File:Stretchlimo2.jpg|Volkswagen Beetle limousine
File:DirkvdM lada limousine.jpg|[[Lada]] limousine in [[Trinidad, Cuba]]
File:1984 AMC-Renault Alliance Limousine.JPG|[[Renault Alliance]] stretch limo
File:TrabantStretchLimo.jpg|Trabant limousine
</gallery>

==Driver licensing==
In some countries, the driver may need to have a different [[driving license]] to that of a [[car]] license.

In [[Europe]], if the vehicle is under {{convert|3500|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}} gross vehicle weight (GVW) and can carry eight passengers or fewer, then this can be driven on a category B driving license.  Vehicles under {{convert|7500|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}} GVW but still carries eight passengers or fewer, then a category C1 Large Goods Vehicle license is required.  Vehicles carrying 16 passengers or more, regardless of the GVW weight require a category D1 license.

==Other uses==
In the U.S., Canada, and Australia, limousines can be any type of car operated by a "limousine service" or "car service". The car should be luxury and well equipped.  Such companies offer cars with drivers, often for shared rides on popular routes, such as airport limousines, also known as [[airport shuttle|shuttle]] limo. Limousines usually have to be booked in advance and are not hired on the spot as taxi cabs can be.

==See also==
{{portal|Transport}}
* [[Car classification]]
* [[Chauffeur]]
* [[Luxury vehicle]]
* [[Official state car]]
* [[Party bus]]

==References==
{{Wiktionary|limousine}}
{{Commons category|Limousines}}
{{reflist}}

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{{Automobile configuration}}
{{Public transport}}

[[Category:Limousines| ]]
[[Category:Sedans| ]]
[[Category:Car body styles]]
[[Category:Car classifications]]
[[Category:Luxury vehicles]]
[[Category:Vehicles for hire]]

[[fr:Type de carrosserie#Limousine]]