Lil4X

A local limousine company that serves a large airport uses high-end Suburbans to transport commercial and private aircrews because they often have large loads of luggage. Meanwhile, the Town Cars this company has used for years for their executive clients and high-rollers are being replaced due to old age. But how do you replace a vehicle that isn't being manufactured any more?

They have 15 2015 Hyundai Genesis on order, due January 1.



This represents a first in the local limo market - the first non-US vehicles in the local limo fleets. Indicative of things to come? I think so.

LexBob2

I see a lot of Lincoln MKZ's and MKT's around here being used as limos/livery's)

I hope I got those designations right - They still confuse me.

mmarshall

I recently reviewed both the Genesis 5.0L and the Kia K900. By Limo standards, the Genesis would probably make a good one.....but the K900 even better.

Some limo firms, though (and this doesn't surprise me a bit) love their Town Cars and DTS's so much that they have simply dispensed with the new-car market and, instead, are spending the money to overhaul and/or restore their old ones.

Aron9000

I know one local limo company, after they quit making the Town Car, didn't have a clue what to buy. So far I've seen the following in their fleet in addition to the standard Suburbans, Expiditions, Navigators, etc

A Lexus LS460 long wheel-base
A Benz S550 long wheel-base
A Lincoln MKS(not sure if they make a long wheelbase of this Ford Taurus rebadge)
A Caddy XTS long wheel base
A Hyundai Equus
A Ford Flex
An extremely ugly Lincoln version of the Flex
A Jag XJ long wheel base

I can't imagine they bought that Jag and Benz new though, those are both 100k+. I think their thought process is buy one of everything and see what they like in terms of passenger/luggage space and cost of ownership. I can tell you right now, except for the wagon Ford Flex, none of those are going to have as big of a trunk as the old Town Car. Or be nearly as cheap to maintain as the old Town Car.

T0ked

iTrader: (2)

The car of choice I see replacing the Town Car in the NYC black car limo scene is the Lincoln MKT (the one with the ugly wagon profile sloping rear and rear lights that reassemble a Cylon). Seemingly overnight, there are fleets upon fleets of these suckers. Wonder if there's also a huge fleet discount through ford.

Aron9000

I'd imagine so. I think the other reason you see so many is that they seat 7 and get better mpg's than the big Escalades, Navigators, etc

Plus it would be fun to gun one of those in Manhattan, with that twin turbo Ecoboost V6 under the hood, they'd straight up boogie past any plebian yellow cab.

Byprodrive

iTrader: (1)

I have seen 3 stretch limo versions of both models here in SoCA.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

I remember a lot of Benz E-Class's in Singapore 'Maxi Cabs'

Sulu

One of the airport limo companies here in Toronto, Ontario, Canada uses black ES Hybrids.

Sulu

I believe that the MKT is Ford's replacement for the black car fleet that used to be owned by the Town Car.

Fizzboy7

The MKT is indeed the model passed on to limo fleets. However, all the ones I've seen in L.A. were not stretched. Just all black with tinted windows and the livery stickers on the rear bumper.

I don't think there's been a sufficient replacement for the Town Car or Fleetwood. I say this because part of the coolness and mystery of limo riding has been the climb out of one, where one rides low and steps UP when exiting. Getting out of an SUV "limo" requires a step down, which counters the whole rich thing.

SNiiP3R

iTrader: (3)

I know a local car service company here in NY that uses 2014 Lexus ES's instead of Camry's like other companies.

All car services are switching to smaller and more fuel efficient cars. Just like taxis in NY are mostly hybrids now. And even city cops replaced their crown vics with hybrid Altimas.

mmarshall

Certainly not the MKT.

Sulu

Whatever happened to the livery version of the Caddy XTS? Is the XTS being used in black car fleets?

Cadillac XTS lineup expands to livery, limo and hearse models

SW17LS

Was just in NYC for a couple nights and saw a lot of MKTs (the fleet versions even have "TownCar" emblems on the front doors), a LOT of new S550s, a couple LS460s. Did see one stretch XTS...didnt work IMHO