In this article
Coachbuilders were the craftsmen who built car bodies on chassis supplied by manufacturers. In the golden age of luxury motoring — roughly 1900 to 1940 — makers like Rolls-Royce, Duesenberg and Hispano-Suiza sold a rolling chassis, and wealthy customers commissioned a body from a coachbuilder such as Hooper, H.J. Mulliner and Park Ward in Britain, Kellner and Figoni et Falaschi in France, Touring and Pinin Farina in Italy, or Brewster, Fleetwood and Derham in the United States. Many had started as horse-drawn carriage builders, hence the name.
At a glance
| Country | Famous coachbuilders |
|---|---|
| Britain | Hooper, Barker, H.J. Mulliner, Park Ward, Thrupp & Maberly |
| France | Kellner, Saoutchik, Figoni et Falaschi, Chapron |
| Italy | Touring, Zagato, Pinin Farina, Bertone, Ghia |
| United States | Brewster, Fleetwood, Derham, Brunn, LeBaron, Judkins |
From carriages to cars
Coachbuilders had centuries of experience building carriages for royalty and the wealthy. When the automobile arrived, they applied those skills — woodwork, upholstery, paint and metalwork — to motor bodies.
How it worked
A customer would buy a chassis, then work with a coachbuilder on the design: a formal limousine, a town car with an open chauffeur’s compartment, a touring car or a sporting coupé. Materials included aluminum or steel panels over a wooden frame, hand-stitched leather and custom fittings.
Styles
- Limousine: enclosed rear compartment with a partition.
- Town car (sedanca de ville): open or removable roof over the chauffeur.
- Landaulet: folding roof over the rear passengers.
- Tourer: open car with a folding top.
The decline
The Depression destroyed demand. Then unitary (monocoque) construction, which combined body and chassis, made custom bodies difficult. By the 1960s most independent coachbuilders had closed or been absorbed by manufacturers.
The legacy
Names like Mulliner, Park Ward and Fleetwood survived as manufacturer divisions or model names, and coachbuilding lives on in bespoke programs and the limousine trade. Read coachbuilding today, Brewster & Company of New York and the Cadillac Fleetwood.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
What is a coachbuilder?
A company that builds custom car bodies on chassis made by manufacturers.
Why are they called coachbuilders?
Most began by building horse-drawn coaches and carriages.
Do coachbuilders still exist?
Yes, in bespoke divisions of luxury brands, Italian design houses and specialist limousine and armoring companies.
