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20-600: The Daimler DR450 is a limousine variant of the Majestic Major DQ450 saloon. Produced from 1961 to 1968, it was the last complete car designed by The Daimler Company Limited . Intended for the carriage trade , as an executive express or as a hire car for those needing something larger than a five-seater saloon, the DR450 was produced in numbers close to those of the Majestic Major saloon on which it

40-536: A car, a steam Locomobile . U.S. limousine business declined in the 21st century due to the effects of the Great Recession , the subsequent rise of ride sharing apps , and an industry crisis precipitated by deadly stretch limousine crashes in 2015 and Schoharie, New York, in 2018 . Moreover, during this time, people who would have once utilized limousines began opting to travel more discreetly in cars like black SUVs . The limousine body style usually has

60-488: A little sympathy for chauffeurs who may rarely have the opportunity to discover for themselves the other side of the car's character." "It is always a challenge for the engineers to provide a good compromise of ride in a car of which the laden weight can conceivably vary by as much as 14 to 15 cwts 1,568 lb (711 kg) to 1,680 lb (762 kg). The Daimler limousine has achieved a very high standard in this respect". On test by Autocar average fuel consumption for

80-419: A partition separating the driver from the rear passenger compartment. This partition usually includes an openable glass section so passengers may see the road. Communication with the driver is possible either by opening the partition window or using an intercom system. Limousines are often long- wheelbase vehicles to provide extra legroom in the passenger compartment. There will usually be occasional seats (in

100-464: A sensation. While some heavy-duty vehicles had used double-perches before, passenger vehicles had normally used a single perch. The elegant but durable style was widely copied and named "berline" after the city from which the carriage had come. It was more convenient than other carriages of the time, being lighter and less likely to overturn. The berline began to supplant the less practical and less comfortable state coaches and gala coaches in

120-506: A single forward-facing seat, and shortening the body. Sometimes a very small fold-down seat was installed to accommodate young children in the carriage. This style was known as the berline coupé (cut-berline) in French, halbberline (half-berlin) in German, and also berlinet or berlinette. Berlin coupé was often shortened to coupé. The berline body style initially carried over from

140-532: A top speed of 183 km/h (114 miles per hour), rather better than the much shorter lighter 5-passenger Jaguar Mark X. Autocar road testers said "Few cars possess the Jekyll and Hyde personality of the Daimler limousine in providing very high performance, comfort, safety and enormous carrying capacity . . . after enjoying the Daimler for its special merits of high performance and excellent handling, one feels even

160-434: Is derived from the name of the French region Limousin ; however, how the area's name was transferred to the car is uncertain. One possibility involves a particular type of carriage hood or roof that physically resembled the raised hood of the cloak worn by the shepherds there. An alternate etymology speculates that some early chauffeurs wore a Limousin-style cloak in the open driver's compartment for protection from

180-410: The 17th century. In the 18th century, steel springs became widely used in carriage suspensions, supplanting the berline's twin-strap suspension system. The term "berline" survived as a description of the formal or ceremonial body style with two bench seats facing each other in an enclosed carriage. Smaller carriages were developed from the berline by removing the rear-facing front seat, keeping

200-466: The 1969 AMC Ambassadors . As of 2023 , stretch limousines comprise one percent of U.S. limousine company offerings. That total was down from about ten percent in 2013. A variety of vehicles have been converted into novelty limousines. They are used for weddings, parties, and other social occasions. Another style of novelty limousine are those painted in bright colors, such as purple or pink. Vehicles converted into novelty stretch limousines include

220-710: The Daimler DR450 for £3,558 complete (or £1,899 for a bare chassis), and the Vanden Plas Austin Princess for around £3,100. Limousine In some countries, such as the United States, Germany, Canada, and Australia, a limousine service may be any pre-booked hire car with a driver , usually, but only sometimes a luxury car. In particular, airport shuttle services are often called "limousine services", though they often use minivans or light commercial vehicles . The word limousine

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240-482: The East German Trabant , Volkswagen Beetle , Fiat Panda , and Citroën 2CV . There are instances of Corvettes, Ferraris, and Mini Coopers being stretched to accommodate up to 10 passengers. Berlin (carriage) A Berlin or Berline carriage is a type of enclosed four-wheeled carriage with two interior bench seats facing one-another. Initially noted for using two perch rails and having

260-583: The U.S. called jump seats ) at the front of the compartment (either forward-facing, rear-facing, or able to face either direction). Many nations have official state cars designed to transport government officials. The top leaders have dedicated and specially equipped limousines. The United States Presidential State Car is the official car of the President of the United States. Stretch limousines are longer than regular limousines, usually to accommodate more passengers. Stretch limousines may have seating along

280-543: The United States) had a removable or folding roof section over the rear passenger seat. In the United States, sub-categories of limousines in 1916 were the berline , defined as "a limousine having the driver's seat entirely enclosed", and the brougham , described as "a limousine with no roof over the driver's seat." The president of the United States has ridden in a variety of brands of state cars starting from 1899 when President William McKinley first to ride in

300-489: The body suspended by leather straps called braces, the term continued in use for many carriages even after the suspension system changed to steel springs. The carriage was designed around 1660 or 1670 by a Piedmontese architect commissioned by the General quartermaster to Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg who used the carriage to travel 1,054 km (654.9 mi) from Berlin to Paris , where his carriage created

320-501: The same people required a similar arrangement for their chauffeurs. As such, the 1916 definition of limousine by the US Society of Automobile Engineers is "a closed car seating three to five inside, with driver's seat outside". In Great Britain, the limousine de-ville was a version of the limousine town car where the driver's compartment was outside and had no weather protection. The limousine- landaulet variant (also sold in

340-803: The sides of the cabin. A "stretch limousine" was created in Fort Smith, Arkansas , around 1928 by the Armbruster coach company. Their vehicles were primarily used to transport famous "big band" leaders, such as Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman , and their members and equipment. These early stretch limousines were often called "big band buses". Armbruster called their lengthened cars "extended-wheelbase multi-door auto-coaches". Their 12-passenger coaches were used by hotels, taxis, airlines, corporations, and tour companies. Knock-down programs by automakers made coachbuilders stretch vehicles, but Armbruster also custom built limousines using unibody construction such as

360-406: The total distance of 1404 miles proved to be 14.7 miles per gallon or 19.2 L/100 km. The maximum speed of the car was a ( mean ) of 113.5 mph, 182.6 km/h and the best run 114 or 183.2 km/h. October 1961 £3,995 including tax, Jaguar Mark X £2,393 There were only three English limousines in production in 1966. The Rolls-Royce Phantom V was available for approximately £10,700,

380-494: The weather. The name was then extended to this particular type of car with a permanent top projecting over the chauffeur. This former type of automobile had an enclosed passenger compartment seating three to five persons, with only a roof projecting forward over the open driver's area in the front. Wealthy owners of expensive carriages and their passengers were accustomed to their private compartments leaving their coachman or driver outside in all weathers. When automobiles arrived,

400-465: Was based. The chassis was 24.0 in (609.6 mm) longer than for the Majestic Major and the necessarily flat glass of the three side-windows no longer could be let flow with the body-shape. The equally flat-windowed but bulbous Jaguar Mark X was released to the market the same year. The 4,561 cc (278 cubic inch) hemi-head engine pushed the 2¼ tonnes of car and driver to 100 km/h in under 11 seconds, to 100 mph in 37 seconds and provided

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