Limousine

A limousine (/ˈlɪməziːn/ or /lɪməˈziːn/) is a luxury vehicle driven by a chauffeur with a partition between the driver's compartment and the passenger compartment. A car with a partition and a lengthened wheelbase is called a "stretch limousine".
In some countries, a "limousine service" is a pre-booked hire car with driver, regardless of the type of vehicle.
In German-speaking countries, a Limousine is simply a sedan, while a lengthened-wheelbase car is called Stretch-Limousine.

History
Rich owners of expensive carriages and their passengers were accustomed to their own private compartment leaving their coachman or driver outside in all weathers. When automobiles arrived the same people required a similar arrangement for their chauffeurs.

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".

In the US sub-categories of limousines in 1916 were the berline defined as "a limousine having the driver's seat entirely enclosed", and the brougham, defined as "a limousine with no roof over the driver's seat."

Other variations were the limousine-landaulet with a removable or folding roof section over the rear passenger seat, and the limousine de-ville, with a solid roof over the rear passengers but a removable or folding roof section over the driver's seat.

Characteristics
The limousine body style has a partition separating the driver from the rear passenger compartment. This partition includes a usually openable glass section so passengers may see the road. An intercom system may be supplied if requested.

Limousines are long-wheelbase vehicles to provide a suitably comfortable passenger compartment. There will usually be occasional or jump seats at the front of the compartment. Some of these seats are mounted so they can face either way.

Stretch limousines
Stretch limousines are longer than normal limousines, usually in order 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 a coach company named Armbruster. Armbruster's cars were primarily used to transport famous "big band" leaders, such as Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman, and their bands and equipment. These early stretch limousines were often called "big band buses".

Armbruster called their standard lengthened car products extended-wheelbase multi-door auto-coaches. Their "12-passenger people movers were used by hotels, taxis, airlines, corporations and tour companies".

Novelty limousines
A variety of vehicles have been converted into novelty limousines. They are used for weddings, parties and other social occasions. Another style of novelty limousine are those painted in bright colours, such as purple or pink.

Vehicles converted into novelty stretch limousines include the East German Trabant, Volkswagen Beetle, Fiat Panda, and Citroën 2CV. There are even instances of Corvettes, Ferraris and Mini Coopers being stretched to accommodate up to 10 passengers.

en.wikipedia.org