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US company builds a road-legal limo from a Lear jet

Posted on 31st Aug, 2018 by Jackie Jolliffe

lear jet

We’re not sure what it is about limos – it seems like there’s just something about them that makes them good inspiration for all sorts of crazy stuff. As a leading limo hire company we’ve talked about crazy limos before, which you may remember if you’re an avid follower of our blog. There’s the world’s longest limousine, the world’s hairiest limo, and the pretty nimble KAZ. And on the more serious end of the scale, we have the the well-equipped presidential limos we talked about the other week. Even amongst such highly distinctive company, though, very little can compare to the high-flying Limo Jet.

What is the Limo Jet?

To be honest, it’s exactly what it sounds like. You really couldn’t get a name that’s much more on-the-nose than Limo-Jet. Essentially its owner – Frank DeAngelo – has taken a Lear jet fuselage, and fused it to a limo’s chassis. Its sleek aesthetics have made it an instant hit with aeronautics and motoring enthusiasts alike, and the gorgeous metallic red exterior is just the casing for an arguably even more snazzy interior. A single door at the front of the fuselage allows passengers access to enough seating for a full wedding party, as well as funky light displays and full-fledged speakers housed in the hollowed-out engine nacelles.

It’s been dubbed “the party palace on wheels” and here at Limo-Scene we think it’s not hard to see why! Even the pilot – sorry, driver – has access to an impressive-looking bank of screen displays, which we imagine are probably supposed to provide a helping hand when it comes to manoeuvring this mighty machine out on the roads. While stunning, it’s not exactly the most nimble of vehicles.

plans for jet

A Herculean effort, twelve years in the making

Yes, you read that right. The Limo-Jet has been in production since all the way back in 2006. Since that time, between 60 and 100 people from various different companies and engineering disciplines have combined their talents to make this pipe dream a reality.

It’s not been smooth sailing all the way, either. The body of the Lear Jet is made of light aluminium that’s not designed for the demands of continuous ground duty. To help enhance its durability, specialists were drafted in to help reinforce it with steel, and fuse it to a steel chassis. Meanwhile, several racing companies were consulted to help fabricate the front and rear suspension components. Just the fibreglass cowling at the rear of the limo took a whole nine months to create.

And how big is the result, exactly? It’s a staggering 12.8 metres long, with the tip of the tail towering 3.5m in the air. Those 28-inch wheels together bear a vehicle that’s just shy of 5500kg. Its power comes from a standard GM Vortec V8 engine, so it’s not what you’d call the nippiest thing around, but we think the streamlined body probably shaves at least a little air resistance from it. (That’s how physics works, right? Right?)

If you’re wondering what the future holds for this magnificent luxury vehicle, its current owners plan to rent it out for publicity for events. If you’re thinking about purchasing it outright, you should probably know that it apparently costs somewhere around the seven-figure range to buy. So not something you’ll be able to get hold of with pocket change!

Here at Limo-Scene, we’re sad to say that none of our limos are shaped like jets, Lear or otherwise. However, hiring a limo in Preston or Manchester is also going to set you back considerably less than a seven figure sum, so there’s always a bright side. Plus, it’s not like we don’t have stylish options of our own – this Silver Hummerzine is particularly popular with our customers, while our Pink Hummer is always a reliable option for hen parties! Don’t wait too long to book yours – you can call our booking hotline on 07812 102 051.