Limousine#Stage

File:1912 Vauxhall 30hp B-type landaulette.jpg)]]

The word limousine 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.{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=BtYbqYNbg0QC&q=Origin+of+limousine+term&pg=PA582 |page=582 |title=Dyke's Automobile and Gasoline Engine Encyclopedia |first=Andrew Lee |last=Dyke |edition=Twelfth |year=1920 |access-date=June 27, 2015 |archive-date=July 7, 2023 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230707070709/https://books.google.com/books?id=BtYbqYNbg0QC&q=Origin+of+limousine+term&pg=PA582 |url-status=live }}{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=hsRISNLSSHAC&q=limousin+is+former+province+open+but+roofed+seat+for+driver+the+driver&pg=PT525 |title=Word Origins |first=John |last=Ayto |year=2009 |publisher=A&C Black Publishers |isbn=978-1-4081-0160-5 |access-date=June 27, 2015 |archive-date=July 7, 2023 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230707070622/https://books.google.com/books?id=hsRISNLSSHAC&q=limousin+is+former+province+open+but+roofed+seat+for+driver+the+driver&pg=PT525 |url-status=live }}

An alternate etymology speculates that some early chauffeurs wore a Limousin-style cloak in the open driver's compartment for protection from the weather.{{cite book|title=The Random House College Dictionary |year=1975 |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]}} 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.{{cite web |title=Definition of limousine |url= https://www.dictionary.com/browse/limousine |publisher=Collins English Dictionary |edition=Complete & Unabridged Digital |date=2012 |access-date=November 6, 2019 |archive-date=April 17, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190417044752/https://www.dictionary.com/browse/limousine |url-status=live }}

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, 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".{{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 |access-date=June 27, 2015 |quote=Here it is, with other body types and distinctions, officially determined recently by the Nomenclature Division of the Society of Automobile Engineers |archive-date=May 2, 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140502011954/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10C1FFB3F5D17738DDDA90A94D0405B868DF1D3 |url-status=live}}

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.{{refpage|page=103}} The limousine-landaulet variant (also sold in the United States) had a removable or folding roof section over the rear passenger seat.{{refpage|page=100}}

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."

File:Family Carriages, series 1 MET MM53703.jpg|Diagram showing an exposed driver's seat

File:Winton1915.jpg|1915 Winton Six Limousine; note the open driver's compartment

File:1941 Lincoln Custom Limousine Interior.jpg|1941 Lincoln Custom limousine interior showing the occasional seats

File:TM 9-2800, P-362, Chevrolet Fleetline, stretch limousine, 15-Pass., 4x2.png|US-Army, Chevrolet Fleetline, stretch limousine, 15-Passenger (1943)

The president of the United States has ridden in a variety of brands of state cars starting from 1899 when President William McKinley was the first to ride in a car, a steam Locomobile.{{cite web |last=Huffman |first=John Pearley |date=January 19, 2009 |title=The Top Presidential Limousines of All Time |url=https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/a4151/4300349/ |access-date=December 6, 2023 |work=Popular Mechanics}}{{cite web |last1=DeWitt |first1=Nancy |date=September 4, 2012 |title=Presidential Wheels |url=https://www.fountainheadmuseum.com/fountainheadauto/2012/09/presidential-wheels.html |access-date=December 6, 2023 |work=Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum}}{{cite web |date=February 25, 2017 |title=A Car Fit For A President |url=https://www.grundy.com/a-car-fit-for-a-president/ |access-date=December 6, 2023 |work=Grundy Insurance}}

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.{{cite news |last=Jiménez |first=Jesus |date=2023-04-28 |title=The Long Demise of the Stretch Limousine |newspaper=The New York Times |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/28/business/limo-service-decline.html |access-date=2023-04-30 |archive-date=2023-04-30 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230430001942/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/28/business/limo-service-decline.html |url-status=live}}

The limousine body style usually has a partition separating the driver from the rear passenger compartment.{{cite book |last=Haajanen |first=Lennart W. |year=2003 |title=Illustrated Dictionary of Automobile Body Styles |location=Jefferson, NC |publisher=McFarland |isbn=0-7864-1276-3 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=6GQoDwAAQBAJ |page=96 |access-date=January 1, 2019 |archive-date=July 7, 2023 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230707070624/https://books.google.com/books?id=6GQoDwAAQBAJ |url-status= live }} 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 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.

File:State Bentley Long Walk Crop 1.JPG|The official state car of the Monarch of the United Kingdom

File:Hield Bentley Interior.jpg|Passenger compartment of the late Queen Elizabeth II's car with occasional seats folded down

File:GPA02-09 US SecretService press release 2009 Limousine Page 3 Image (cropped).jpg|Cadillac One limousine of the President of the United States

File:98-02 Lincoln Town Car limousine.jpg stretch limousine]]

Stretch limousines are longer than regular limousines, usually to accommodate more passengers. Stretch limousines may have seating along 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.{{cite web |last1=Theobald |first1=Mark |last2=DeWinter IV |first2=Bernie |title=Armbruster & Company, Tom Armbruster, Ed Robben, Armbruster/Stageway, Fort Smith, Airport Limousine, Earnhart & Johansen |url= http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/a/armbruster/armbruster.htm |website=coachbuilt.com |date=2004 |access-date=28 December 2022 |archive-date=26 March 2023 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230326121154/http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/a/armbruster/armbruster.htm |url-status=live }} Knock-down programs by automakers made coachbuilders stretch vehicles, but Armbruster also custom built limousines using unibody construction such as the 1969 AMC Ambassadors.{{cite web |last1=Strohl |first1=Daniel |title=1969 AMC Ambassador Limousine |url= https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/1969-amc-ambassador-limousine |work=Hemmings |date=23 September 2018 |access-date=28 December 2022 |archive-date=28 December 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20221228172514/https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/1969-amc-ambassador-limousine |url-status=live }}

{{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 not designed as limousines have been converted into novelty limousines.{{cite web |url= http://my.net-link.net/~dcline/limonov1.htm |title=Dave's Classic Limousines Pictures: Novelty Limousines |access-date=June 27, 2015 |archive-date= July 12, 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150712023238/http://my.net-link.net/~dcline/limonov1.htm |url-status= live }} Another style of novelty limousine are those painted in bright colors, such as purple or pink.{{cite book|url= https://archive.org/details/1000bestweddingb00nayl |url-access= registration |quote=novelty limousines. |page=[https://archive.org/details/1000bestweddingb00nayl/page/198 198] |title=1000 Best Wedding Bargains |first=Sharon |last=Naylor |publisher=Sourcebooks |year=2004 |isbn=978-1-4022-0298-8 |access-date=June 27, 2015}}

Vehicles converted into novelty stretch limousines include 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.

File:Stretchlimo2.jpg|Volkswagen Beetle limousine

File:DirkvdM lada limousine.jpg|Lada limousine in Cuba

File:TrabantStretchLimo.jpg|Trabant limousine

File:Lincoln Navigator Limousine.jpg|Lincoln Navigator stretch limousine

File:1993 Bentley Turbo R LWB limousine 7954752566.jpg|Division in a 1993 Bentley Turbo R

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