Nowadays the term limo or limousine usually means a long vehicle. They are usually luxury cars that histroically primarrely have been used by the powerful and rich, e.g. businessmen, important politicians and celebrities from the entertainment industry. In our day and age, limousines or limos as they are often called are commonly used for special occasions by ordinary families as well and can for instance be seen transporting students to prom or carrying celebrating women around during bachelorette parties.
During the early 20th century, the term limousine simple meant any car where the passangers where inside shielded from the elements and the driver was outside. A remnant of this distinction can still be seen in limos of today: the separator found between the passenger compartment and the driver.
The first automobile limousine was built in 1902 and modelled after the sedan chairs used in France prior to the revolution. At this time, there was no need to make special luxury cars all cars were luxurious extravagances per se and kept only by the very elite. Henry Ford was however about to change all this by making a car for the masses. the cheap model T Ford increased the number of cars on the United States. roads from 8000 to 9 million in less than 20 years. Although still out of reach for a majority of the population, the Model T prompted car manufacturers like Cadillac and Duesenberg to develop new ways of making their cars stand out and one of the things they came up with was the now iconic stretch limo.
The first stretch limousine was built in Fort Smith, Arkansas in the last 1920s by a coach company named Armbruster. These roomy cars soon became popular among “big bands” that needed ample of space for musicians and instruments. Early stretch limos were for instance used to chauffeur Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman around between gigs, earning the stretch limousine the nickname “big band bus”.
In the U.S., limousines especially the stretchy ones continued to be a symbol for upper class profligacy until the 1970s when more and more rental companies began to offer them for a price that could be afforded by middle-class consumers interested in celebrating special occasions like weddings. The large Manhattan taxi strike also contributed to the change, by making the rental limo a mode of transportation for ordinary New York residents.
During the disco era, limos began to grow bigger and more outrageous than ever before and the makers of custom cars began experimenting with turning virtually anything into a limo; from VW bugs to pick-up trucks. The SUV and Hummer limo made it to the market in the mod 90s and the hummer limo was soon an iconic and ridiculed car used for countless parties. Do you want more info about hummer limos, if so click.
The popularity of limos have been but to the test many times, by the great depression, by the world wars, by the oil crises in the 70s and now the global warming and the finansial crises is making some people question the limo in the 21st century. Despite this, there is no sign of the limo trend trickling off. The limo that use to be a smbol of high society has made it down to today be associated with hen-nights and is likely to stay around as a party accessory for years to come.
