Funny Facts About Limousines You Probably Did Not Know

Most people know what a limo is and how it looks like. There are different style, size, model and color limousines. A stretch Lincoln conveys a luxury lifestyle, celebrities, and class. Considering that limousines have been around almost for a century, these classy vehicles have a long history. Over the years, a good number of fun facts about those black gas-guzzlers have accumulated. Here are five of the funniest facts about limousines.

Automobile limousines were first built back in 1902. These limos were not stretched giants as they are today - stretching of the cars stated just two decades after. First limousines were considered luxury automobiles. The design of a luxury automobile was based on giving the passengers privacy and put the driver outside. The driver seat was in the front of the car, outside the main compartment. The only thing that protected the driver from rough weather was a covered sunroof. How would you like to drive this limo during Chicago winter? The chauffeur must be freezing!

Even to this day the sound partition idea is still left in the limousine, however in the modern design it is a plastic divider which can be pulled up or down electronically.

The name limousine originated from the Limousin region of France. This region was best known for the local traditional outfit—a cloaked hood worn by shepherds for protection from the harsh weather. The covered compartment of the limousine closely resembled a hood, so the automobile was simply called a limousine.

The name has not changed since. However, an abbreviation for limousine—"limo"—became very popular.

The first stretch limousine was built in 1928 for one of the most popular musical ensembles of the time, a "big band." The bus-like vehicle was built in Fort Smith, Arkansas, by the Armbruster Company. Big Band musicians Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman often used the bus to get to concerts as well as transport their band agents and equipment.

Through the '40s, the "big bands" made band buses extremely popular in the music industry so that many more musicians started using limousines for their transportation.

Modern air conditioning was first built by the New York based Packard Motor Car Company. The first conditioners were built in 1939 for New York and Chicago limousines and luxury automobiles. The first car with air conditioning was released the next year, 1940, with a built-in conditioning system. Air conditioning was optional - it cost an additional $274 if the clients choose to install it. The system, however, was not very efficient; it took about half the space in the trunk and did not have a way to measure the temperature.

Air conditioners were installed in luxury limousines around 20 years before the mass production of sedan cars.

The longest limousine ever built was a 100-foot long Lincoln. It was manufactured in California by Jay Ohrberg in 1997. Because of its size, the limousine has 26 wheels spread out along its body. It also has two driver cabins: one in the front and one in the back. For this limo to turn, the middle part is split up and hinged, so it folds when the turn is made.

The limo was created for advertising purposes only, but since its display a lot of people wanted to rent the car. The 100-foot white limo was also featured in movies and shows and even made it to the Guinness Book of Records. The limo was equipped with many amenities found only in luxury houses: a Jacuzzi hot tub, two fax machines, four televisions, air conditioning compressor. It was denoted the world's longest limousine and its record has not been beat since.