Size Does Matter: The History of the Limousine 

As a kid you thought stretch limousines were the epitome of luxury. As an adult, not so much 😂

Thoughout the 1990's I chauffeured stretch Cadillacs and Lincolns, learning the pros and cons. I never learned to love the J-seat limousines, but am very fond of the regular limousines with facing rear seats. For a number of years I had a classic 1978 Cadillac limousine without partition and enjoyed it very much for going to the theatre, social events, meetings, and parties. I have promissed myself to get one again. Instead of fighting the fact, when my right to drive myself runs out, I will look forward to enjoying the comfort in the back seat with a handsome chauffeur in the drivers seat. My ultimate dream limousine is the 1966 Lincoln Continental Lehmann-Peterson or the 1973 Cadillac Fleetwood factory limousine with keyhole in the right rear passenger door.

LOL! Loved that stretched horse near the end! As usual, Ed, you put together a fabulous video! I'll never get tired of this...

Great video. Though I was under the impression that "The Beast" (The current presidential Limo) was built on a GMC Top-Kick 5500 chassis (Think "Iron Hide" from Transformers).

I ran a Stretch Limo and Chaffeured Sedan business for over twenty years, and those were the most fun and profitable I ever had. We got to meet so many people of all walks of life, including many that would still surprise the reader. Only got out of it after I got sick, could no longer work sixty hours a week, drink and party with clients, and took a Civil Servant position that meant running a transport company would be seen as a conflict of interest. Getting sick sucks balls. God, I miss those days.

I just wanted to say that when you were talking about "The American Dream" you said it was full of "comfort creatures" and while you got the words in that phrase backwards I think it makes even more sense that way. 😂

Ed, I love your videos and your excellent and spot-on commentary. Thank you for your hard work in producing these videos for our enjoyment.

I was wondering if you can do an automotive history about car sound systems! It's a topic that no one else has talked about

In the 80's Chrysler made a factory limo from the K car using the rear of a 2 door and the front of a 4 door.

I found it fascinating to learn about the various modifications made to the limousine over time, from its initial use as a chauffeured car to its modern-day role as a luxury vehicle.

Ahh Ed. You manage to bring out an honest appraisal of our human past in an entirely appropriate and humurous way. Thank you for another great vid!

Hi Ed, Thanks for this wonderful video and all your past videos. For the last Seven years I have been driving for one of Western N.Y. largest Limousine companies. I've driven all our Limousines from Super Stretch Lincoln Town cars to our largest Chevy Tahoe and Infiniti QX80. It has been a thrill and challenging time with them. I've driven for weddings to funerals to proms to bachelor/ bachelorette parties and anything in between. They all command a lot of respect weather there is someone in them or not. Unfortunately Due to a very unfortunate accident a few years ago. N.Y. D.O.T. has made it very hard to own and operate these vehicles. So my company has sold most of their stretches in favor of luxury vans and buses that have been manufactured by their original company of origin.

The Beast presidential limo isn't built on an Escalade frame. It's built on a GMC Top Kick heavy duty truck frame. The only thing from a Cadillac on the Beast are the emblems, and even they are oversized.

YOU NEED TO MAKE A “HISTORY OF THE SUV” VIDEO! IT WOULD BE SO GOOD!

Another interesting detail, tour buses still carry on the separate driver quarters from those early big band limos.

Only true gearheads would love this stuff❤️❤️❤️ Thank God we're still here and you are serving up masterpiece after masterpiece 👍🏿

I watch Engels Coach Shop located in Joliet Montana. He used an entire segment to explain coach types, models and configurations of horse drawn wagons. Explains why the first motor driven or "Horseless Carriages" shape and function came from. You're segment drives home the point that we've come a long long way from the horseless carriage. I on the other hand am partial to hearses. I find their shape and style quite fascinating. I hope to ride in one when the time comes, hopefully not too soon. 😂

In the late 90s and early 2000's I drove limos and airport cars part time. They are not fun to drive. One of my dad's friends worked for Hess and Eisenhart and worked on a couple of the presidential limos in the 60s, 70s and 80s. A guy that lived in my old neighborhood has two of the Oldsmobile airport cars. He has been restoring them for a few years.

The most ridiculous one I ever saw during the height of them in the suburbs of the late 80s was a "cowboy limousine", which was a stretched out truck that had seating in it for many and a covered "truck bed" in the back of it where the large boomerang ornament was mounted! Haha!

It’s such a treat to enjoy a new video of yours with lunch (or any meal or time for that matter) 😀 Keep up the great work 👍✅❤️

its quite interesting that the limousine has such a great history

Not a fan of the stretch limos , but executive models and slightly longer wheel based cars like 300c executive edition or the town car executive L are on my car bucket list

It seems that the charabanc or "char-à-banc," often pronounced "sharra-bang" of Britian came before the Extended Wheelbase Multi-Door Auto Coach at 2:50. They were basically for middle class Brits to go on party daytrips to the seashore and other places, alcoholic beverages were quite common on the trips. Thanks for another great watch of automotive history.

Thanks for yet another entertaining and informative episode. And yes, on the night of my senior prom, my girlfriend did indeed vomit in a beautiful stretch Lincoln. Making a request here: would love to see an episode on the history of the Checker Motors Industry. I thinks that's a substantial piece of American automotive history that needs attention. Thanks again - keep 'em coming!

In the mid eighties, my friends and I rented a limo for New Years bar hopping. It included a bar but I found it no fun to make cocktails on the road. 💁🏼‍♂️ Thanks Ed. A history worth knowing.

Thank you Ed. This was well placed and edited. It was quite informative too. I liked how you discussed the change and why they use suv's now. You see the president and celebrity events and they are using: Chevrolet Suburban and GMC Yukon, Cadillac Escalades, and Lincoln Navigators . I am sure Jeep Grand Wagoneer is next. I recall the Cadillacs and Lincolns in the 70's, 80's and the 90's as well. Over in Europe it was the Mercedes Benz S Class. In Australia it was Holden Caprice/Statesman.

When by mid 1990s we lived in NYC, where these stretched contraptions abounded, my 6 and 4 years old kids had a game of screaming out first "A ridiculous car" each time they saw one, as limos were a novelty to them.

One little correction: Since the US president's limousine is armoured like a literal tank, it's not based on an Escalade frame but a medium duty truck frame, a Silverado 4500 to 6500. Somewhere between 7 and 9 tons. A lot of parts are shared though.

My all-time favorite stretched limousine is in the movie Mystery Men, based on a 1979 Chevrolet Corvette 😀👍

I've been missing these, so glad you are continuing them. I do very much enjoy your unique means of passing on knowledge without getting waist deep in drivel.

Hey Ed, thanks for sharing this fascinating story about the history of the limousine!!! 👍👍🙂

I can actually say I've briefly driven 2 stretched limousines. One was a really long 1995 Town Car, the other was a not as long Ford Expedition. Interesting experience with the Town Car, as taking turns felt like the nose of the car was just drifting to the side I was steering to. The Expedition actually just felt like a normal vehicle, perhaps like a U-Haul van or something but with better steering, smoother acceleration and comfort.

Another fantastic video Ed!! Love your content

Another illustrated instructive topic with a touch humor. Love it. Thanks

I always wanted to ride in a limousine. I told my wife that I didn’t want my only limousine ride to be a HEARSE. On my eldest daughter’s 16th birthday, my wife and I rented a limo and arranged to pick her and a bunch of her friends up at school to take them rollerblading or to a laser done or something. I finally got to ride in a limo! But because the back section was filled with my wife, my daughter and her friends, I had to sit up front ALONGSIDE THE DRIVER! 🙄

Ed. You are hands down one of my favorite RU-vidrs. I am so delighted to see a new video drop.

Jeremy's Panda SUPERLIMO deserves to go down in automitive history as a miliary stone. And as an Alfista like Clarkson, about that episode... James, please, you really had to cut in half a beautiful 164 - and thanks TG production to recreate the usual stereotypes about 90s Alfas "falling apart" - From a very, VERY proud owner of a super-relaiable 155 V6 Busso Sport Leggera. ✌

Love your videos! Keep them coming!

I like your Chanel it’s spot on most of the time and usually funny as well!

Excellent job as usual.

_ANY_ video that starts with Bo Diddley's "Roadrunner" is A-OK in my book! Nicely done, sir! Great video, BTW.

Another banger, little brother. My life isn't complete without your vids. So no pressure.

Another great episode, Ed! I learned a lot. Thanks for the research!

Your ending sentence was a very nice pun. Ed, your editorial skills and comic timing are superlative.

My all-time favorite *stretched* limousine was the Pacer from Wayne's World 2. The one that brought Aerosmith to the concert, at the end. And I remember readin' that it cost $100,000 to build (in early-90s money)!

One of your best yet Ed. ❤

What an amazing channel! I am glad I found you!

This is a looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong awaited episode. Great job!

Perfect =D another great episode

Cadillac manufactured the Series 75 coach frame specifically for building hearses, ambulances and limousines by coach builders. Now, coach builders just take a sedan, cut it in half, and add on what the coach customer wishes.

I swear you are one of the best of auto history here on YT. I would love to meet you if ever you come back to the US and visit Brian from RCR. Gotta plan it for one of the auto shows in Macungie PA.

I really enjoyed this one well done

Another amazing episode!

yay! more ed!!! ty ed we love you!!!

Excited to see what episode 69 holds

I was about to make a comment on how I loved to see limos in movies like True Lies and Hot Shots Part Deux but the very moment at 9:55 broke me. Love those videos

Limousine Minivan and Minibus already exist primarily in Asia. You can see SUVs especially large full sized suv in with custom business jet interiors including a mild stretch.

Another great video. Thank you.

Ed, you weave fantastic tapestries of commentary that approach Regular Car Reviews levels of raw energy; I love it, please continue down this path!

Mooi weer! Heerlijk en eerlijk gezegd!

I think we may have a bit of confusion in terminologies and also in origins. The limousines of the 30s and 40s do not derive from the miniature busses of the 1920s, but rather are the direct descendants of limousines from the 1910s, which were precisely the same type of car. The small bus type of vehicle came along later and begat the various sightseeing coaches and airport limousines. Also the limousines of old were NOT stretch limousines. With very few exceptions they were built from the ground up to be exactly what they were. They were not stretched sedans. In America, stretch limousines didn’t come about until the 1960s. Those were sedans which were quite literally sliced in half and a large insert was placed between the doors. A true limousine, on the other hand, has the four doors placed together, and the extra space is _behind_ the back doors. The ugly stretch limousine took over from the coach-built, true limousine simply because they were so much cheaper to produce. They were and are an absolute blight on the boulevards of the world.

A great eid present!! thanks for the new video! I already know Jay Ohrberg will be the star of this episode!

Great as always!!!!!!!!!!

Yay! More Ed!

Wow happy 50th episode. I first came here at the Tenth, so it's been a fun ride. Here's to fifty more!

Thank you Ed!! 👍👍

Always loved the style of 1980's limo. The Cadillac's and Lincoln Town Car limos of that era were really the peak of limos imo.

Thanks, great video

That was funny, informative, and GRRRRREAT!

Hey, you forgot the coachbuilding pioneers of the modern stretched limousine: Pete peterson and Skip Lehmann, founders of Lehmann-Peterson when they stretched a Lincoln Continental and got a partnership with Ford and opened the way to others like Stageway and Moloney.

Love this stretched horse 😊

Was weer een mooie Ed!

Thanks Ed!

That's really cool! When I was 15 the first car I bought was a (Streached) Limo (1986 Lincoln Town Car) it was built by Armbruster Stageway! I never knew they invented the (Stretched) Limo. Cool history. Those 80s limos were not stretched very much compared to modern ones. As a matter of fact my limo just had 2 additional seats facing the rear passengers. It did have a partition and a TV and a bar. I was the coolest sophomore in high school.

Very cool cars and video. Thumbs Up !

If it's not from the Limousin region of France, it's a sparkling extended sedan.

Nice job on this one Ed! I saw your buddy Adam from Rare classic cars this past weekend In the Detroit area. Hopefully you two will get together again on a future project. Pete

The Toyota Century is a perfect example of absolute luxury in a "business" limousine without being a gaudy stretch.

Excellent video.

Love the limo horse LOL The 80s crash hurt a lot of people that never got to enjoy the good time.

The historical anecdotes and visuals in this video were engaging and informative, making it a valuable resource for anyone interested in the history of automobiles.

Hilarious great content as usual! I always assumed that the limo was the US answer to the Rolls. Las Vegas still abounds with gaudy, crass limousines however!

What a lesson ! the same is tought in the bodyguard and chauffeur schools.

At this point I honestly don't care if you ever cover the 69 dodge charger Daytona or the 70 Plymouth superbird and how icbm design engineers at Chrysler helped build the car only to win NASCAR races because no matter what topic you cover you always knock it out of the park and this your most entertaining video yet and thank you for adding the Michael Jackson pic because that meant the world to me and truly embodies the image of a limousine for the celebrity world which you were describing

I've been in this industry for over 30 years and I absolutely love stretched limousines. I know they always got my attention and I stared with all at them anytime I saw one out and that's probably what made me want to get into the business also the fact that I am a car not to begin with and love all different types and weird vehicles. It is interesting with limousines in general and then the stretch limos which have been around for a while but really didn't go mainstream and start to really boom until the mid-80s. It is also funny that I have at least two different articles saved over the decades that talk about the rise and fall of the stretch limousine etc and the first of those articles was in the early 90s before the stretch SUV limousines became the number one desired limo. Things do change and markets can be fickle but I refuse to change just because they want you to. We have almost two generations of people or more like two age groups who basically grew up without seeing stretch limos and these people are unbelievably interested in them. The desire and interest is out there but these companies buy the stupid Sprinter big ugly box vans and want to use non stretched vehicles.

I was waiting to see a picture of DJT in a limo, and you put one in. Thank you :D.

I was extremely gratified to see that you used the old Henry Vacuum clip when you said "get your line of coke" 😂

Nice one. Rode in a stretched limo once - in Chicago. I was going to a hockey game and taxis would not go to the arena, only limos. Weird.

I started working at a Cadillac dealership as a teenager in the late-90s. Of course, we got our share of limousines to service, but I only ever did basic parts swapping and oil changes. One or two of the techs were brave enough to use the lifts, but I always jacked them up to change the oil and swap the filter. Our Service Writers were not the most keen observers, though... Back then GM had the Quick Lube service. In and out in 29 minutes or less or the oil change was free. The Service Writers would put limos in as Quick Lubes, knowing we had to find the jack, break out a creeper, and work on our backs with a hot engine and filter. One day I was trying to make time, it was easy enough to change the oil in under 30 minutes, but much more annoying than the standard Cadillac we could simply lift and service in under 10 minutes. The oil filter was difficult and that big PH45 (or whatever, it was an early '90s Deville with a 4.5l) dropped into the drain pan, splashing hot oil all over me. I lost my temper and kicked it all over the limo and, of course, the driver was watching the whole thing. Yeah, he got a free oil change and free detailing...

In the early 90s I worked at a Cadillac dealer. We had several various stretched limos come in for service and repair. The most ridiculous one, though, was an 8 wheel behemoth with a hot tub in the back. People would ask, "how does that work?" It doesn't. You couldn't legally (or practically) drive it with water in the tub. So if someone rented it, they could ride in the interior (still carried up to 17 passengers like a standard stretch) but if you wanted to use the tub it had to be parked and you had to wait the 4-6 hours it took the fill and heat the tub. Then it stayed parked the whole time it was full of water. Oh, and it took about 15-30 minutes to drain before it could be driven again. Also, turning was fun. The car would pivot on the center rear axle where the diff was; the other wheels would drag.

Great video as always. If you do another video on. stretch limo, include clips from Car Wash with the Daddy Rich Limo and, the mafia families of NYC, USA. and their Burgandy Lincoln limos. Thanks!

I didn't know 6 door limousines had their use in funerals. I've seen 4-door hearses with enough room for polebearers, but the only 6-doors I know are basically business limousines with an extra row of seats for bodyguards or assistants

... it wasn't until the 90's, and 'PROM' season, that I also had thoughts of the rented stretch limo. It came to me, that the medium size mobile home/coach, never really work it out. But the thought still visits me every once in a while... kitchen with refrig/freezer, sewing area, bathroom/shower, yeah beds too, but you also had the driver...

I think the next video should be about retro design of the late 90s and early 00s. Cars like the VW Beetle, S197 Mustang, 5th Gen Camaro, modern Challenger, and etc. And point out the cars that didn't do retro design and didn't sell well like the 04-06 GTO, Dodge Magnum, and etc

My all-time favorite limo is the 1953 Imperial that Humphrey Bogart rode around in, in the 1954 movie, "Sabrina.". It said "I'm rich," but said it with class.

That outro pun, perfect

50 episodes... we all love you

Great video...

I would love to hear your take on the Checker Cab. Or Cabs in general

Never driven one. I always wondered about that how you have to plan a trip in a stretch limo carefully. Tight twisting mountain roads, raised railway crossings, narrow streets present a few of the hazards to avoid. Maybe think of it in terms of driving a semi-truck? Except you don't have worry about going under most bridges.