While some limousines are owned by wealthy individuals, many are owned by governments to transport senior politicians, by large companies to transport executives, or by broadcasters to transport guests. Most limousines, however, operate as livery vehicles, providing upmarket competition to taxicabs.
The word limousine is derived from the name of the French region Limousin, where the inhabitants wore a hood perceived to be similar to the profile of the car.
Maybach is all about luxury, but now the company has unveiled an armored version for those who want to combine hardcore safety with that same luxury. Called the Maybach Guard, this new vehicle is based on the 62 model and features an integrated safety system by the German engineers in Sindelfingen.
The Maybach Guard has received a special armor made of highly specialized steel and high-tech Kevlar integrated in the body shell. Sounds pretty hefty, but in reality, the armor only adds 460 kilos to the car’s total weight, so no changes had to be made to the drive train, suspension, or braking-system.
The new Guard system will not only offer high protection, but it will also be the only armored car in the world to be able to reach a top speed of 155 mph and get from 0 to 60 in just 5.7 seconds.
After the integration of the other special protective features, the vehicle moves onto the standard assembly room in the Sindelfingen production plant, where masters of craftsmanship dedicate all their skills to ensure the highest standard in the individualization process.
Long wheelbase vehicles are meant to give extra room for people who can’t seem to get enough of it on their cars. So you would think that having that additional space would be enough for these guys, right?
Well, guess again.
To accommodate those people that want their vehicles to redefine the word ‘spacious’, tuning ‘extentionaires’ Binz has released their latest line of Mercedes E-Class XTEND vehicles meant to give the space needy their due medicine. Measuring a ridiculous 19 feet in length with a wheelbase of over 12 feet, and weighing an eye-popping 4,629 lbs, Binz’s new XTEND line-up will give you all the space you need to have your own party inside the car. The tuning firm’s list of E-Class Estate vehicles eligible to be “extended” – no pun intended – include the E250 CDI, E350 CGI and E500. These three models have their own engine specifications - you’ll see them in one of the photos – so the price tag for all that extending begins at €121,950, or about $163,400 based on current exchange rates, going all the way to possibly around €160,000, or $214,000.
Guess there’s a pretty big price to pay to have all that space in your car, huh?
If for nothing else, at least you can get to roll around town in a car that writes wealth and luxury all by itself.
Why hello there, Mitsuoka! How we’ve missed you so!
The eccentric Japanese coachbuilder hasn’t been in the news for a while now, but like raindrops in summer, they come out again on the news in their trademark unsuspecting fashion.
From the people that brought us the infamous Orichi sportscar and the Mazda MX-5-based Himiko Roadster comes another priceless – for better or for worse – vehicle to their growing stable: the Mitsuoka Galue Limousine, an updated four-door limo that was built on the latest Nissan Teana sedan.
Don’t worry, folks. The Galue Limousine is nowhere near the level of ugly the Orichi comes in. Actually, the limo looks surprisingly svelte given the circumstance of who made it. Similar to its previous works – except with the Orichi, of course – Mitsuoka used a heavy dose of classic British car influence on the front end of the Galue Limousine. The car’s rear, on the other hand, looks a lot more recent than the front and is the perfect example of Mitsuoka’s continued fascination with putting two elements from different generations together and just sees how it looks like in the end. The company’s had more misses than it has had hits, but the Galou limousine looks to have been the latter - a ‘single’ in baseball parlance, but a hit nevertheless.
In terms of performance, Mitsuoka uses a has a number of different trims as well as two engine options available for the updated version of the Galue Limousine – a 2.5-liter version and a 3.5-liter V6 variant. Pricing for the vehicle comes out at a range from $44,700 to $64,200 and will be made available beginning on November 12th in Japan.
Leave it to Toyota to turn a seemingly ordinary mini-van into a stretched-out limousine whose interior looks more awesome than our living room. Such is the case with the Toyota Sienna ‘Swagger Wagon Supreme’, a 3.5-liter V6 engine minivan with a 6-speed automatic transmission that was recently unveiled at SEMA. Talk about rolling around town with swag.
Built and created with B.A.D. Company, the Swagger Wagon Supreme is everything we’ve always wanted in a minivan, nevermind, of course, that the vehicle has been stretched 44 inches. It’s not going to be the easiest car to bring to soccer practice, but it’s the perfect ride to use while waiting for the kids to finish kicking those balls around.
Before we get to the interior, Swagger Wagon Supreme’s exterior bears a few things that need to be talked about. Apart from getting stretched longer than a giraffe’s neck, the minivan-turned-mobile-office was also given its own suspension set-up and a set of 20-inch chrome wheels courtesy of KMC rims. The exterior also features a custom fabricated rear spoiler, shaved door handles on automatic sliding doors, a custom acrylic roof replacement that stretches a ridiculous eight-feet long, and custom chrome exhaust tips.
As for the interior, well, this is where it gets a lot more interesting. For starters, the tuned-up, stretched-out Sienna has custom seating with reversible cushions, a Spa seat that has a multi-function massage unit, a custom cabinetry with a veneer finish and a DuPont countertop, a glass-front refrigerator, two swiveling captain’s chairs in the passenger area, a 23-inch HP TouchSmart computer that’s been mounted on a custom bracket, an Xbox gaming console, a DVD player, and a custom JBL surround sound audio system.
Wrap yourselves around those features for a minute and after you’re done, check out the press release for the full details.
Full story
If you’re the prime minister of a country that’s been rife with unrest for as long as you can remember, it’s always a good idea to roll around on the road with a car that puts a premium on your safety. Sure, luxury’s a big part too, but since you’re the leader of your country, luxury isn’t – and shouldn’t be - the be all and end all of your choice of ride.
The Israeli government knows a thing or two about assassinations – remember the late Yitzhak Rabin? – so when choosing for a new car for the current prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, the country’s national domestic preventive security force – the Shin-bet, if you’re keeping score – has opted for an armored German limousine: a specially-built Audi A8L Security.
Based on the long-wheelbase variant of the A8, the car comes with standard 6-liter W12 engine that produces 450 horsepower with a Quattro all-wheel drive. Unlike just about any A8 on the planet though, this car is going to come with some state-of-the-art features specifically included to cater to the safety of the prime minister. There’s a B6+ and B7 ballistic protection, a fire-suppression system, run-flat tires, and explosive charges on the doors. And if prime minister Netanhayu wants to relax in his custom-made A8 limo, he can do so by enjoying the added DVD entertainment system and the humidor in case he’d like to light up a stogie.
The limousine is expected to cost somewhere around $1 million, which, if you’re Israel, is a pretty small price to pay for the safety and well-being of your leader.
