Pullman - this stands for luxurious and V. I. P. Limousines
In automotive engineering, the term Pullman limousine stands for large, luxurious touring cars and V. I. P. limousines. The name "Pullman" can be traced back to the engineer George Mortimer. The American entrepreneur revolutionized train travel in 1868 with his patented sleeping car "Pioneer". This sleeping car was characterized by a great deal of space and comfort - until then, passengers had traveled in cramped compartments and slept on straw mattresses. The development of the sleeping car in America was revolutionary and the concept of luxury travel was taken up directly by Mercedes-Benz to develop the right vehicle for long-distance travel.
What characterizes a Pullman sedan - DIN standard 70010?
A Pullman sedan is a vehicle with a closed top. The Pullman body is distinguished by the fact that it had an elongated shape even before the well-known stretch limousines. Even after the Second World War, the designation "Pullman" has a place in the German standardization system. To this day, the DIN standard 70010 "Systematics of Road Vehicles" specifies the characteristics a Pullman sedan must have :
- closed body with fixed roof
- four or more seats in two or more rows of seats
- four or six doors on the sides
- six or more windows on the sides
The evolution of the landaulet
In the past, a two-horse, four-wheeled touring carriage for two people with a raised coach box was dubbed a landaulet. This carriage was characterized by an only partially closed body. This means that the rear part of the vehicle can be opened completely. There were also models which did not have a C-pillar, so that the passengers sitting opposite each other in the carriage had even more space for sunbathing. Nowadays, in the modern automotive industry, four- or six-door sedans are called Landaulets. Landaulet-bodied vehicles evolved into luxury sedans of the highest order.
Pullman landaulet cars - two forms combined
With the Mercedes-Benz 600 Mercedes managed to combine both advantages of the Pullman and Landaulet vehicle types. This car was built for the first time in 1963 and was exhibited at the IAA in Frankfurt in the same year. This state coach without a roof was particularly popular with the high nobility. To this day, the vehicle from Mercedes-Benz is considered an exclusive means of transportation with unique elegance. The Pullman Landaulet provides an extraordinary open-air experience with a separate chauffeur's compartment, which is separated by a single-pane safety glass. A real luxury car in a class of its own.
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