TABLE OF CONTENTS
i. Welcome!
ii. Foreword
iii. Introduction
1.The Origins of the Limousine
2. The Traditions of Riding in
the Back Seat
3. Chauffeurs
4. The Coachbuilders
5. The Factory Limousines
6. The
Commercial Limousine Operators
7. Getting
What You Want -- Buying a Limousine
8. The
Limousine -- Inside and Out
9. Building
a Stretch Limousine
10. Exotic
Limousines
11. The
Classics and the Not So Classic: Celebs, High Rollers and Their Limousines
12. Presidential
Rides
13. Fit
for a King -- Royal Limousines
14. Limousine
Etiquette and How to Enjoy Riding in the Back Seat
15. The
Cultured Limousine
16. Glossary
(definitions as seen from the
back seat of a limousine)
Photo Gallery
1. Welcome
2. Back Seat Riding
3. Cadillac Pages
4. Lincoln Pages
5. Lehmann-Peterson Pages
6. Limousines Pages
7. Reader Pages
See also:
Chauffeur and
Passenger stories
Used by permission Society of Automotive Engineers,
SAE Press, Copyright 2002 www.sae.org and by private
contributors, as noted.
Back to Front
Copyright 2002
by
Michael L. Bromley
All Rights Reserved |
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Limousines,
Royally...
Early Royal... a limousine for the Chinese Court
'The royal families abroad are nearly all
enthusiastic devotees of the automobile,"
it was reported in 1902. It was the flamboyant English ruler, Edward VII, who was
largely responsible for the social acceptance of motoring in Britain and by his the
numerous Royal in-laws across Europe. Edward truly enjoyed the automobile and
considered it part of his stylish image to be seen in one. At the King's death, Lord
Montagu wrote that automobilism "owes much of its wonderful success
to his patronage."
...Post-War Royalty consisted of a dwindling
supply of exiled Princes and
publicity-shy, politically-deprived monarchs. The limousine-buying torch was passed
on to strong men, dictators, and commissars. The traditions of Royal automotive
extravagance have burned especially bright in the oil-rich countries, elites of
which, like the Maharaja's before them, have provided over the years great
satisfaction to stockholders of luxury car companies. The 1960's Mercedes 600
Pullman limousine was designed specifically for these types of buyers, and the car
went into service around the globe. And, of course, communist leaders found
themselves lusting after a little automotive immoderation for themselves.
In 1985 the Chinese government marked its particular style of entry to the free
market with the purchase of twenty armored Cadillac limousines, supposedly for
"foreign guests." Deng Xiaoping must have felt quite foreign riding
around in the
back of these sumptuous American cars, dodging bicyclists and an occasional
old "Red Flag" car, the Chinese variant of the old Soviet Zil. Perhaps
that was
the beginning of a momentous change, for today Chinese industrialists
are free to choose the Mercedes or Bentley of their liking.
A Pierce-Arrow for the Shah of Iran...
(Courtesy Pierce-Arrow Society)
A limousine ride for a (former) Communist
from author Tom Mazza
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