This 1986 LondonCoach Sterling Limousine is believed to be number 65 of approximately 100 and not only does it have an iconic London Taxi inspired body, it's also totally loaded with unique features on the inside! Besides the New York City Yellow Cab, the iconic London Black Cab has got to be the most identifiable taxi cabs in the world. The history of taxi cabs, as they're known today, dates back to the 16th Century, nearly 300 years before the invention of the first automobile. Of course in those days, the cabs were not propelled by engines generating horsepower but rather by actual horses. The first gas-powered cabs debuted on the streets of London at the turn of the 20th century and motorized battery-powered cabs actually appeared and were used in London a few years earlier. Interestingly, term "Taxi Cab" came from the combination of two words, Taximeter and Cabriolet. A Taximeter the device used by drivers to calculate fares. While today a Cabriolet is used to describe a convertible car, originally it was a light duty, 2-wheel horse-drawn carriage with a folding roof to cover the carriage's passengers. The London "black cab" dates back to the end of World War II, where manufacturers began standardizing the color of London Black Cabs to the color black, whereas before that London's cabs came in a variety of colors. The iconic Black Cab design came to fruition with the debuts of the Austin FX3 in 1948 and later with the Austin FX4 in 1958. The FX3 and FX4 were designed and built as a collaboration between 3 companies, Mann & Overton, Austin, and Carbodies. Mann & Overton was a taxi cab dealer that specialized in the sale and financing of taxi cabs. Austin was tasked with supplying the drivetrains and running gears of the FX cabs. Carbodies was a coach builder that was responsible for building and supplying the bodies of the now-famous Black Cabs. On the other side of the "Pond" in 1982, America's preeminent taxicab builder exited the taxicab market and a small company, The London Coach Company, based in Mt. Clemens, Michigan, stepped in to offer a novel solution. Essentially, the London Coach Co. would import the iconic black cabs from the UK and then London Coach USA would install a Ford engine, outfitting them as Left Hand Drive (as opposed to the British Right Hand Drive) and other components to make the black cabs compliant with American taxi regulations and also to satisfy the "Buy American" initiatives. Since this idea did not really take off in the US, evidenced by the fact that we don't see black cabs across America, the London Coach Co. also offered some of the cabs, approximately 100, as Sterling Limousines, equipping their rear passenger compartments with more luxurious upholstery and some typical features found in limousines such as bars. This particular London Sterling Limo comes to us from a collector who owned the car for over 15 years and clearly enjoyed this novel automobile while under their stewardship. Under the hood on this London Sterling is a Ford 2.3 Liter overhead valve inline 4 cylinder engine fed by a single 2 barrel carburetor. The 2.3L Ford inline 4 is backed by an automatic transmission that makes driving this chauffeured car an easy car to drive, regardless if being used as a wedding limo or just taken on a fun Sunday cruise. This 1986 London Coach Limo comes equipped with numerous other driver-friendly features! Power steering makes maneuvering this Sterling Limousine in and out of a tight parking space a total breeze and it can be easily accomplished single-handedly. Dual outside mirrors further aid with parking efforts since you'll be able to see down the sides of this unique commercial car. Power brakes are another welcome addition since they make bringing this heavy limo to a complete stop much easier as well. Riding on a set of radial tires mounted on steel wheels with full wheel covers, this '86 London Coach has a fantastic look and even better ride. The steel body of this London Sterling Limo is finished in Dark Royal Blue paint accented with a red pinstripe and black vinyl formal roof that complete the exterior look of the car. The interior of this 1986 LondonCoach Sterling Limousine is charming! Up front, the driver and a passenger are seated on a pair of bucket seats while in the back a plush bench seat with embroidered headrests along with a pair of jump seats provides plenty of space for five additional passengers, with all seating being upholstered in a rich grey heavy fabric. Throughout the coach, is plush grey carpeting covers the floors with color-matched grey fabrics used for the door panels, padded, dash, and headliner, all of which appear to be in great shape and show no signs that this car was ever used commercially. The driver's compartment and rear cabin are separated by a sliding glass divider window with curtains for additional privacy. At the driver's fingertips are all sorts of controls and indicators, along with a full suite of Smiths instrumentation including an 80 MPH speedometer, oil pressure gauge, temperature gauge, and fuel gauge, along with a Lucas amp gauge. The signature piece of the rear passenger cabin is a wooden bar cabinet complete with glassware and decanters, a refrigerator, and even a period-correct television. Rear seated passengers also can enjoy the use of a reading light, a cigarette lighter and ashtray, along with a vase with flowers. Whether you're adding to an existing collection of eclectic classic cars or you're looking to purchase your very first one, this 1986 LondonCoach Sterling Limousine would make an exquisite choice. Give Ellingson's a call today at 763-428-7337!