Autoblog

Click the image above for more shots of the Becker/STRUT Cadillac ESV limo

If you're buying an Escalade, there's a good chance that even the Platinum Edition ESV won't be enough for you. That's why companies like Becker and STRUT exist, so that you can shine like one of the brightest stars in the multiverse. When these two companies get together on something... well, you'll probably need tinted goggles to behold it. So it's with a bang that they introduced a special edition Cadillac ESV limo.

How do you top platinum? With a floor-to-ceiling leather interior, where you'll enjoy a home -- or is that limo? -- theater system, broadband Internet, a wall-mounted computer screen... and the company of your statuesque personal assistant with the Eastern European accent. Check out the full press release after the jump, and the hi-res photos below. Now where did that recession go again... ?

[Source: Becker]

Click on the above image for a gallery of the Q7 limousine

Proving that money and taste don't always occupy common ground, we've stumbled upon this 14-seat Audi Q7 limousine (don't worry, it's not a factory conversion). With colorful purple Disco lighting adorning both the floor and ceiling, and heated alligator/snake upholstery covering the bench seats, the faux fish tank above the simulated flames doesn't seem so out of place. While twin 17-inch flat screens are nothing to brag about, the "jet door" mounted on the side will surely get you the looks you crave. Located in New York, we should mention it comes from the same company who also offers a 14-passenger Range Rover, and a 14-passenger Infiniti QX56. And you thought HUMMERS got all the fun...

[Source: Royal Luxury]

Take a smart fortwo, cut it in half just behind the doors, and spend 300 man-hours over the next month adding nearly nine more feet to the vehicle's length. The result is the world's first smart fortwo "limo" that is about as long as a Mercedes-Benz S-Class! The images show a prototype model from Carbonyte, a UK limo specialty company, that was designed as a promotional vehicle (we see more than just a little resemblance to a popular energy-drink company). As expected with a custom fabrication, the customer can choose his or her own design, seating capacity, and intended use (if you have the need, Carbonyte is looking into creating a electric fortwo hearse). We know what you are thinking. Adding all this mass to a smart must slow the fortwo to a crawl. Right? Well, Carbonyte claims the original 600cc engine can still propel the contraption to a blistering 80 mph. Maybe so, but not with us in it.

Carbonyte's press release is posted below the fold.

We've seen some dogface cars around here. As a baseline, most of us consider the stock Pontiac Aztek simply indigestible. With that in mind, when this "customized" Pontiac Aztek showed up on eBay last year, a few of us fell over the porcelain fighting to hold down lunch.

Just as our stomachs have finally settled, we came across several pictures of a limousine in the Ukraine. The manufacturer of this calamity obviously didn't know when to stop (in fact, they apparently didn't know where to start either) as every styling, functional, and ergonomic rule has been tossed out the door. There is so much wrong with this disproportioned mess of machinery...

Don't question the six exhaust tips, the narrow trunk opening, or the running boards that don't exactly line up with the doors. Better yet, spend time pondering the aerodynamic hood bulges for the wiper blades, the old-school benefits of 14-inch wheels, and the envious looks you will get for the lavish ornamentation on the door handles. You know, we didn't see any seat belts inside - then again, would you want to be caught with a heartbeat in this thing?

[Source: English Russia]

You may remember a post we did a year ago about some yuk that chopped a gorgeous 360 Modena to turn the once-beautiful supercar into a 166 mph limo. Ferrari hasn't forgotten what Dan Cawley, of Cheadle, Manchester did to its black beauty, and the Italian supercar maker is suing the Brit for infringing on its trademark. According to lawyers, Ferrari feels cutting the 360 Modena in half and turning it into a limo no longer makes it a Ferrari. Under the terms of the lawsuit, Cawley has 14 days to remove the Ferrari badging or he'll have to go toe to toe with the prancing horse's legal department.

While it ticks us off that a company would have the cajones to sue someone for modifying a vehicle that the person paid a lot of money to own, Mr. Cawley almost deserves the legal headache. Ferrari may be confident that it'll win the suit, but anybody with the funding to buy a supercar, cut it in half, and add 9.5 feet of carbon fiber body panels probably has the resources to put up a pretty good fight. We reposted the video of the half-finished stretch 360 Modena after the jump.

[Source: The Times]

click above image for more pics of the Prius limo

Most people looking to modify their Prius do so in order to extract even more fuel economy from the world's most popular hybrid. There undoubtedly aren't a whole lot of mechanically inclined Prius owners thinking limo, but thankfully for us there is one Canadian who did. The custom 10-seater was hacked at the middle, re-formed and re-stuffed, and welded back together. Sure, it seems as though adding considerable weight to a car specifically design with fuel economy in mind seems like a fruitless endeavor, but the man claims to still be getting 50 MPG. We'll believe the economy numbers when we see it. Meanwhile, it's only a matter of time before the designers at Citroen find out their C6 beauty has been duped.

[Source: PriusChat via Dieselstation]

click above image for more pics of the Armored Limo

When you're headed out for a night on the town in one of the world's hot spots -- and by "hot spot" we mean someplace like Kabul, Chechnya, or the Congo -- and you want to guarantee safe passage, you need one of these. It's billed as an H1, but it's actually an armored limo built on a 4x4 Ford F550 using the 6.0-liter Power Stroke V8. Part of a lot built for US diplomatic missions, they are street legal and armored to level A9, which will stop high-powered rifle and sits just below 'tank' on the protection scale. They've also got a 1/4-inch of ballistic steel explosion protection in the floor, seven exits, rear seats that can be folded flat and used as shooting platforms, and room for 22 civilians or 16 combat-equipped soldiers for when you want to roll with your friends from the 1st Marine. It's also got the kind of interior that makes you wonder what diplomats do in their free time, and what limo would be complete without a Ballisticom Outside Intercom System with Siren? They'll paint it a more appealing shade if you wish, but if you're rolling in a 20-foot Brinks truck, making a fashion statement probably isn't high on your list of priorities.

Thanks for the tip, Mike!

[Source: eBay]

Most people just have a spare tire or a can of fix-a-flat and an auto club card when they hit the road. But as we all know, they do things bigger in Texas, so when some guy from Texas goes for a drive around Rome, he brings along a spare stretch armored limo!

As President George Bush and his entourage approached the US Embassy in Rome this weekend, his custom Cadillac DTS limo decided to pack it in. .After attempting to restart, Bush ultimately got out and walked through the embassy gates, later using the backup limo for the rest of his appointments.

The video after the jump shows the crowd's reaction to Bush's limo breaking down, which was comprised mostly of laughter when the driver attempted to restart the car without success. Nevertheless, the President was cheered when he ultimately exited his stage coach and began to hoof it.

[Source: Reuters via OmniAuto.it]

Chauffeurs have what can sometimes be considered an easy job. They get paid to drive nice cars around for a living, and they have great stories to tell about celebrities they've driven, crazy things people have done, and impossible deadlines that they've had to meet -- all in a vehicle that is up to 200 inches longer than its maker intended. Chauffeurs also tend to work for either very demanding executives, or people who are too drunk to drive. The job is many things, and sometimes it just ain't easy..

The same airfield used by the Top Gear production in the UK will play host to an event on September 16-18 for chauffeurs and limo owners alike, with hundreds of for-sale limousines on hand, plus a three-mile road course with real life road conditions to test these livery professionals. One event to watch will be the world's only stretch Ferrari F360 (who would do that?) attempting to break the limo world speed mark. Hmmm... does the Stig chauffeur?

[Source: The Chauffeur Magazine]

We always wondered if after a long day of filming "Hazzard", Bo and Luke drove that rattly Charger home every night. Surely they made enough money to buy a brand new K-Car or maybe even one of those awesome 1985 Shelby Chargers. That's sarcasm, by the way.

But then, after a long day of jumping creeks and speeding away from Boss Hogg, the Duke brothers probably wanted to drive as little as possible. Too bad this 1995 General Lee Lincoln Limo came along 10 years too late. Also too bad it's half a world away in Ireland. Yeah, a General Lee Limo in Northern Ireland.

But if you're into that sort of thing, it can be yours for a current eBay bid of £1,200. That's not a bad deal for a bright orange, 8-seat General Lee replica complete with "Dixie" horn and a Confederate flag on the roof.

The description says obvious things like, "possibly the only one in the UK," and "This limo WILL get you noticed!!" but fails to mention whether the doors open, how well it soars over washed out bridges or if it will run on pure-grain alcohol. We recommend you bid at your own risk.

Be sure to check out the gallery for even more photos from the eBay auction.

[Source: eBay via Carscoop]