The word limousine comes from Limousin, a region of central France, whose shepherds wore a distinctive hooded cloak. Early motor cars in which the passengers sat in an enclosed compartment while the chauffeur sat in front under a projecting roof reminded people of that hood, and the body style became known as a limousine in the early 1900s. Over the following century, the limousine evolved from coachbuilt cars with a glass partition to the factory-built Cadillac and Lincoln limousines, the stretch limos of the 1980s and 1990s, and today’s executive sedans, SUVs and Sprinter vans.

Timeline

Era Development
1900s “Limousine” body style: enclosed rear, chauffeur up front
1910s–30s Coachbuilt limousines with glass partitions
1928 First stretched vehicles built by Armbruster
1930s–80s Factory limousines like the Cadillac Series 75
1970s–2000s Stretch limousine boom
2010s–today Executive sedans, SUVs and Sprinter vans dominate

Where the name comes from

In the Limousin region, around the city of Limoges, shepherds wore a heavy cloak with a hood. Early car bodies with a covered driver’s position, and passengers in a separate enclosed compartment, resembled that silhouette. The French term limousine spread to English as a name for the body style — and eventually for any chauffeured luxury car.

The classic limousine

A traditional limousine had:

  • A long wheelbase for rear legroom.
  • A division (partition), often glass, separating the chauffeur from the passengers, sometimes with a speaking tube or intercom.
  • Occasional seats (jump seats) that folded out of the partition.
  • A formal, upright roofline.

Cars like the Rolls-Royce Phantom, Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman and Cadillac Fleetwood 75 carried this format through the 20th century. Read the Mercedes 600 and the Cadillac Fleetwood.

The stretch era

Coachbuilders began cutting cars in half and adding sections to create longer vehicles. By the 1980s, stretch limousines based on Lincoln Town Cars and Cadillacs became symbols of glamour — and later of proms and parties. Read the first stretch limousine and the rise and fall of the stretch limo.

Limousines today

In the 21st century, clients increasingly prefer discreet executive sedans like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, full-size SUVs and Sprinter vans with standing room. The word “limo” is now used loosely for chauffeured luxury transportation in general. Read black car vs limousine: what’s the difference.

Our fleet

We operate executive sedans, SUVs and a Sprinter rather than stretch limousines — see our fleet.