The world's wildest stretch limousines

If you want to make a statement when you arrive, nothing does it like a stretch limo. The problem is, many of these limos make completely the wrong statement…

by Richard Dredge

10 February 2019

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The first stretch limousines were built in 1928 in the United States.

Introduced by coachbuilder Armbruster and usually based on contemporary Fords, Chryslers, Pontiacs and Chevrolets, most of these vehicles were built largely for practical reasons; to carry people and their luggage in the absence of suitable minibuses and vans.

Later on the stretch limo would become the trademark of despots and dictators, as well as film and music stars alike. Here we look at some of the worst excesses of the stretch limousine to prove that maybe the best things do indeed come in small packages.
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Checker Aerobus

Believe it or not, this isn't a conversion. Taxi cab make Checker offered factory-built stretched versions of its saloon and estate for airport runs – it was called the Aerobus.
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Lamborghini Countach

This is at the opposite end of the spectrum because this didn't start out as a Lamborghini Countach; it was a glassfibre replica that's been sliced then stretched. The fake Lambo was built by Ultra Limousines in California, with power courtesy of a 2.8-litre Ford V6 engine.
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Ferrari 400i

Ferrari has never made a four-door saloon although it has made four-seaters. If you wanted a four-door Ferrari, Le Marquis was happy to build you one, based on the 400i. The man behind Le Marquis was Robert Jankel, of Panther fame.
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Austin FX4

We're not sure who this is aimed at; the private individual who wants to be flagged down every two minutes or the cabbie who's desperate to stay one step ahead of the other taxi drivers on the rank. Either way, it's a roomy version of the taxi cab knows globally as the 'London Taxi' crammed with luxuries such as TV, hi-fi and leather.
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Chrysler PT Cruiser

Just when you thought the Chrysler PT Cruiser couldn't be any more opinion-dividing, here's one that manages it – simply because it's twice as long. The work of an unknown Russian coachbuilder, this PT Cruiser was seemingly inspired by a horse-drawn carriage.
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Mini XXL

When BMW was in the throes of gaining traction for its new Mini it built this rather bonkers six-wheeled Cooper S…
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Mini XXL

…based on the Mini hatch. But the rear section had a roof that could be removed to reveal an on-board jacuzzi.
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Mini Cooper

BMW wasn't the first to lengthen a Mini; several examples of the original car were stretched by various people including this 1990s Cooper.
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Rover 75 Limousine

This one is a bit more subtle. It's a Rover 75 saloon that's been stretched by British coachbuilder MacNeillie, with all of the extra length in the rear door. Just a handful were made before MG Rover went belly up in 2005.

All except one were powered by a diesel or V6 engine. A single version was made it seems with the engine it surely deserved - a 4.6 V8 from the Ford Mustang.
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Leyland Princess

One of the Rover 75's forebears was the Leyland Princess, seen here in converted form courtesy of Woodall Nicholson, which specialised in funeral cars. You could also buy a Princess-based hearse – what a way to go.
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Mercedes 600

Believe it or not, this isn't an aftermarket conversion - it came out of the factory like this. The Mercedes 600 was the most expensive, exclusive and opulent saloon in the world when it arrived in 1963. Production lasted until 1981, with power coming from a 6.3-litre V8 engine. It has since endured as the ultimate vehicle of a super villain or dictator in countless TV shows and movies.
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Fiat 500

Few things in life are as incongruous as an economy car converted into something much bigger and – if you're lucky – more luxurious. Which is why this Fiat 500 Giardiniera is so ridiculous…
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Citroen 2CV

…but perhaps not quite as much as this elongated Citroen 2CV…
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Trabant P50

…although the creators of this converted Trabant were also making quite the statement. Note the hint of luxury with the full-length cloth sunroof although there would appear to be no windows fitted.
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Trabant P50

At least this Trabant gets a full complement of windows, along with a vinyl roof and a particularly sexy paint job. As an economy car powered by a two-stroke 595cc engine, this Trabant 601 must struggle when fully loaded unless it's had an engine swap.
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FSO Polonez

Sticking with the Eastern European theme, this lengthened FSO Polonez offers seating for eight with hatchback practicality. The Polonez was a Polish confection that made its debut in 1978 and was in production right the way through until 1995, usually powered by four-cylinder Fiat petrol engines.
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FSO 125P saloon

In many European countries, saloons are more prestigious than hatchbacks, so if that six-door Polonez is too downmarket, how about this rather lovely 125P instead? The FSO 125P started out as a Fiat 124; this Polish saloon arrived in 1967 and was made in an array of Eastern European and Asian countries until as recently as 1991.
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FSO 125P convertible

Perfect for year-round Polish weather, this FSO 125P has had its roof sliced off and the wheelbase stretched. The cheapest 125Ps were fitted with a four-cylinder petrol engine that displaced just 1295cc while even the most powerful editions packed just 1.8 litres.
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Lada saloon

Cuban roads are famous for their weird and wonderful cars, and few are as intriguing as this six-door Lada saloon which features a particularly attractive C-pillar treatment. Just like the FSO 125P, the VAZ 2102 (sold in the UK as the Lada) evolved from the Fiat 124.
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Lada saloon

They're all at it; if you don't like the C-pillar design of the previous Lada saloon there's always this version, featuring two front doors per side instead of two back doors. Lada engines ranged from 12 to 1.5 litres, although Cuban cars are notorious for their engine swaps.
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Zaporozhets 965

The Zaporozhets 965 was Russia's economy car of choice throughout the 1960s. Power came from a rear-mounted air-cooled V4 displacing either 746cc or 887cc – so it must be fun driving this one when loaded up.
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Volkswagen Beetle

Meanwhile, here's how to add about 10 feet to the wheelbase of a VW Beetle, although an extra door in the middle would probably be a good idea, to aid entry and exit…
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Volkswagen Beetle

…or you could just dispense with the doors altogether. The 1.3-litre flat-four fitted to this open-topped Beetle can't have provided much of a turn of speed – which is just as well considering the lack of seats or belts.
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Volkswagen camper

We're not sure what's going on here as this VW Camper seems to have been elongated then the top of a cabin cruiser has been grafted on top. This is a split-screen Type 2 camper which means it's got a rear-mounted air-cooled engine that could have displaced as little as 1192cc, although a 1492cc unit was available from 1963. The bay window camper arrived in 1967 so this vehicle pre-dates that.
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Saab 9000

We'll stick with the home-built conversions for now, with this beauty created by James May for Top Gear: a push-me-pull-you Saab 9000/Alfa Romeo 164 hybrid called the Salfa Romeaab. The car could be driven from either end and featured a sauna in the Saab section and a mini-Sistine Chapel in the Alfa end.
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Fiat Panda

…meanwhile, Jeremy Clarkson built this thing of beauty: a 1992 Fiat Panda that was stretched by so much that he had to cut seven feet out of it to make it road-legal. The original Fiat Panda was launched in 1980 and was in production all the way up to 2003, although UK sales ended in 1996.
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MGF

And don't forget Richard Hammond's entry in the limousine challenge: an MGF complete with a skittles alley and retractable soft top for the rear-seat occupants. The MGF was revealed in 1995 and remained in production until 2002, when it was facelifted to become the TF.
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Ford Capri

Why stick with four wheels for your limousine when you can have six? And just in case this XXL Ford Capri isn't noticeable enough, it has been painted in a fetching shade of pink. This particular Capri is a Mk3 so it's the last of the line and was produced from 1978 until 1986; the Mk1 arrived almost a decade earlier though, in 1969.
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Beached limo

There's just time to pause for a quick interlude to show how things can go badly wrong. The key when negotiating undulating terrain in your stretch limo is to pay attention to the breakover angle – or this happens.
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Range Rover Mk3

In the UK the DVSA (Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency) gets very nervous about unsafe stretched limos which could be deadly in the event of a crash. It has seized several of them and given them to the fire services to use as practice vehicles for slicing open. This used to be a Range Rover…
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Porsche Cayenne…

…while this Porsche Cayenne awaits the same fate. The worry is that in the event of a roll-over, with no suitable hatch the occupants of these vehicles would be unable to escape.
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Ford Excursion

The regular Ford Excursion is so massive that the most natural thing in the world seems to be slotting an extra dozen feet or so between the front and rear doors. Ford built the Excursion from 1999 until 2005, with the smallest engine offered being a 5.4-litre petrol V8; a 6.8-litre petrol V10 was available along with 7.3 and 6.0 V8 diesels.
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Lincoln Navigator

The Lincoln Navigator was based on the Ford Excursion's smaller sibling, the Expedition. Sold from 1998 until 2002, power came from a 5.4-litre petrol V8 but incredibly a stretched pink edition wasn't offered.
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Ford Granada

Back in the day, when the Ford Granada ruled the UK's motorways, Coleman-Milne would build you a stretched version. Most buyers opted for an elongated saloon, but a few chose to lengthen a coupé instead.
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Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud

You expect posh cars to get the stretch treatment, but somehow this elongated Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud seems like a travesty – especially when the proportions of the standard car are so gorgeous.
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Wood & Pickett Cheltenham 6

Sounding like a gang of criminals rather than an uber-costly off-roader, the Wood & Pickett Cheltenham 6 was a six-wheel drive Range Rover. As this publicity shot shows, the target market for such cars was made very clear with that Arabic number plate.
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Townley Desert Ranger

Surely the ultimate of ultimate Range Rovers, the Townley Desert Ranger wasn’t just stretched to the point where it surely needed an HGV licence to drive it, but it was also widened by 30cm (12in) too. We suspect not many of these were built...
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Glenfrome Portway

Glenfrome was one of the motoring couturiers to the wealthy and it loved to mess about with the Range Rover. One of its most extreme offerings was the Portway, a six/seven-door car with every conceivable luxury known to man crammed into the interior.
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Range Rover Classic

Some conversions on the original Range Rover were a bit more tasteful than others. We rather like this one in understated black, although we don't know who did the work.
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Ford F650

Fine for the open highways of the US, if still somewhat profligate, this Ford F650 Super Cruiser looks as though it's the size of a heavy truck, no doubt with fuel consumption to match.
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Nissan Sunny

In the pantheon of cars least likely to be turned into stretched limousines, the Nissan Sunny must be pretty high on the list. And yet here's the proof that anything really does go. This Sunny XXL carries a Chilean registration and presumably the car was converted locally.
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Volvo 264 TE

In the 1970s, if you wanted your Volvo saloon to have a bit of extra rear leg room you didn't have to shop outside the dealer network, as this 264 TE was offered as an official product. Available in saloon and estate forms, the cars were built by Bertone.
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Audi A8

Another official factory product was this Audi A8, powered by a 3.0 TFSi engine. The car was a one-off, built in 2016 for a customer with very deep pockets and a large garage; the A8 was stretched by 1.1 metres (43in) so it measured 6.36 metres (250in) long in all.
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Bentley Mulsanne

Another unique car built for a very wealthy customer, the Bentley Grand Limousine was built by Bentley's Mulliner bespoke division. Stretched by one metre (39in), the roof line was also raised by 79mm (3in) to create an ultra-luxurious seating area with room for four.
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1960 Dodge

It looks like a Ford Zodiac at the front, but this huge estate car is actually a 1960 Dodge. Despite the massive load bay and seating for up to 12, there's room for more luggage on the roof.
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Chevrolet Impala

Why settle for just six doors when you can have eight? This 1961 Chevrolet Impala started out as a four-door saloon but was stretched by National Coaches Inc. to accommodate 12 passengers. The conversion doubled the cost and weight of the car.
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Pontiac Caravelle

Surely the coolest limousine here; a 1960 Pontiac Caravelle expanded to seat up to 12 people with masses of luggage space too – especially when the rack on the roof is taken into account. Few were made – do any survive?
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1946 Cadillac

When the 1946 Cadillac was current it was possible to buy a stretched version for hospitality purposes – but those cars weren't extended by anything like the amount seen here. This conversion is more recent, although we don't know who did the work.
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Holden FJ

Two years after the previous Cadillac was built, GM's Australian subsidiary Holden put its first passenger car into production. Called the FJ, there wasn't a limousine version offered, but it seems that somebody has been busy with their hacksaw…
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Knudson Baroque

In the 1980s a raft of companies sprang up to offer pre-war 'style' with contemporary luxury. Stutz and Excalibur were among them, along with Knudson, which offered the Baroque, as seen here.
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Unknown six-wheeler

The internet will tell you that this is an Excalibur Phantom but we're not convinced as those have an upright grille and this doesn't. What we do know is that it's got six wheels, a purple suede-effect vinyl roof and rippled bodywork. What's not to love?
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Excalibur

This one definitely is an Excalibur and it's been stretched by rather more than normal. Photographed in Russia, note the OTT bonnet mascot, the highly dodgy shut line around the boot and the liberal gold plating for added ostentatiousness. Lovely.
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KAZ Eliica

The original KAZ Eliica (Electric Lithium Ion Car) was unveiled in 2003 and while it featured eight wheels and was hideously ugly, it wasn't quite as bonkers as this 22-feet long version which was shown soon after.
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Chevrolet Camaro

It may have just four wheels and seem rather restrained after the KAZ, but this Camaro is still worthy of inclusion here with its gull-wing rear doors and satin paintwork. Don't tell anyone, but we rather like it, in a kitsch kinda way.
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Lexus LS400

You'd expect luxury cars like this early Lexus to get the stretch treatment, but very few have. This one was converted by English company Vantagefield, which lengthened lots of Japanese cars in the 1990s.
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Scion xB

Sometimes Toyota did its own stretching, as it did in the case of this Scion xB for the 2010 SEMA (Speciality Equipment Manufacturers' Association) show. Extended by 48 inches, the Scion xB came with air-bag suspension, 20-inch wheels, suicide rear doors and a 2600-watt hi-fi.
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Ford Granada Mk3

Jumping back a few decades, if you were a sales rep with a lot of samples or colleagues to carry you could commission Coleman-Milne to elongate your Ford Granada. These cars still crop up for sale occasionally, although most have been banger raced to oblivion.
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Chevrolet Bel Air

And here's the last one – a distinctly non-standard 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air finished in a gorgeous candy flip red paint and lengthened by more than just a few feet. It looks nicely done – but what sacrilege!

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