Party Buses | San Francisco Travel Blog - Part 2

British Automaker Announces Debut of Super SUV Limo

By San Francisco Limousine Specialist on December 14, 2011

Luxury British automaker Eterniti has announced that they will debut the world’s first “super sport utility vehicle limo” at the upcoming Frankfurt Auto Show. Eterniti officials say that the vehicle is entirely hand-made and they expect production to begin sometime in spring 2012. The super SUV is called the Hemera and features a limousine-style luxury cabin with electric reclining seats, a drink chiller, iPads and many other luxury appointments intended to set the automaker apart from other limo manufacturers and grow market share.

Eterniti says the Hemera is passed on the Porsche Cayenne platform and features four-wheel drive and a performance package that offers handling and road manners that more closely resemble a European coupe than a SUV. Eterniti officials are being cagey about what is under the Hemera’s hood, but they do say that this luxury SUV limo is capable of reaching speeds of 180 mph and offers incredible braking power of 620 bhp, or braking horsepower.

We do not currently offer any Eterniti luxury vehicles in our fleet of Bay Area limousines, party buses, antique vehicles and other luxury vehicles, but we do offer a wide range of SUV limos, including these:

• 16 Passenger 2007 H2 Hummer Limos
• 16 Passenger H2 Hummer Limos
• 18 Passenger 2007 H2 Hummer Limos
• 18 Passenger H2 Hummer Limos
• 20 Passenger 2007 H2 Hummer Limos
• 20 Passenger H2 Hummer Limos
• 14 Passenger Expedition
• 14 Passenger Expedition (White & Black)
• 16 Passenger Expedition
• 16 Passenger Expedition (White & Black)
• 10 Passenger Black Lincoln Navigator Limo
• 12 Passenger Black Lincoln Navigator Limo
• 12 Passenger Stretch Excursion Limo
• 14 Passenger White & Black Excursion Limo
• 14 Passenger Excursion Limo (White or Black)
• 18 Passenger White & Black Excursion Limo
• 20 Passenger Tuxedo Excursion Limo
• 22 Passenger Excursion Limo

As you can see, there are plenty of San Francisco SUV limos for our guests for weddings, bachelor/bachelorette parties, sporting events and other special occasions. The spacious interiors and higher profile of our SUV limousines also make them a great choice for sightseeing tours! For more information about our Bay Area SUV limo rates and availability, please call us at NLS Limo today at 1-800-339-8936 to speak with one of our reservation specialists. For more information on the amenities available in each model, please visit our luxury SUV limo page!

Daimler Announces Plan to Discontinue Maybach Line of Luxury Vehicles

By San Francisco Limousine Specialist on December 14, 2011

Daimler, owner of the venerable Mercedes-Benz line of luxury automobiles and the Maybach line of ultra-luxury vehicles has announced that they will discontinue producing Maybachs sometime in 2013. Daimler revived the Maybach brand around 11 years ago in an attempt to gain market share against the undisputed leader in the ultra-luxury auto segment, Rolls-Royce. Since its debut, Maybach sales have been disappointing, and there has been widespread speculation that Daimler would have to shelve the brand due to economic losses. Daimler CEO Dr. Dieter Zetsche confirmed the company’s plans recently in an interview with a German newspaper, claiming that the company will focus more of its attention and resources on the Mercedes-Benz brand.

“We held extensive discussions internally about which way would promise the greatest success in the luxury segment, and we came to the conclusion that the sales chances for the Mercedes brand were better than that of Maybach. It would not be sensible to develop a successor model for the current Maybach,” Zetsche told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper.

It’s easy to forget that Daimler reintroduced Maybach after missing an opportunity to purchase Rolls-Royce and Bentley a few years ago. BMW and Volkswagen bought these automakers, respectively. Maybach limousines sold for around $1 million each, and sales over the last several years have been a disappointing 200 or so units sold annually, insufficient volume for Daimler to keep the brand in production. The automotive press had received word that Daimler was in talks with Aston Martin to collaborate on keeping the Maybach brand alive, but talks between the two automakers were not successful.

We mourn the passing of the Maybach as it is truly one of the world’s great luxury automobiles. These vehicles are beautiful pieces of machinery inside and out, and, despite the fact that very few of us will ever own one, we hate to see the clean lines and striking profiles of these cars come to an end. We don’t offer any Maybach in our fleet of San Francisco limousines and other luxury vehicles, but we do offer a wide selection of vintage Rolls-Royce limos, contemporary Mercedes-Benz sedans and other luxury vehicles. For information on each model, rates and availability, please call us at NLS Limo today at 1-800-339-8936 to speak with one of our reservation specialists.

Illegal San Francisco Limousine Companies Caught in Surprise Inspections

By San Francisco Limousine Specialist on October 29, 2011

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), responding to a rising number of complaints about illegal Bay Area limousine companies, cracked down on illegal operators picking up fares at San Francisco International Airport (SFO), other California airports and the City of San Francisco in August. The CPUC sting operation made an impressive number of arrests, and the state agency issued a recent press release that outlined some of the arrests in the area. Of particular interest to Bay Area residents and legal San Francisco limousine services such as ours were the following excerpts from the CPUC press release:

• San Francisco International Airport (SFO), August 4, 2011 – CPUC staff, the CHP, SFO Airport Police, and SFO Landside Operations conducted a joint surprise passenger carriers inspection. Approximately 84 vehicles (limos, buses, and shuttles) were pulled over for the inspection. The CPUC inspected 82 vehicles, issued one Misdemeanor Warning (operation with a pending CPUC permit), and issued 36 Notices to Correct Violations (vehicles not filed with CPUC, waybills, vehicle ID, and possible workers’ compensation violations). Subsequently, the CPUC suspended 11 carriers for engaging employee-drivers without procuring evidence of workers’ compensation insurance coverage.
• San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), August 9, 2011 – In late July, two investigators from SFMTA, Investigations and Regulatory Affairs Taxi Services, contacted the CPUC requesting that a CPUC investigator ride along with them to observe the problems of charter-party carriers acting like taxis at some of the major hotels in San Francisco. SFMTA had received complaints from taxicabs that the hotels’ doorman is redirecting hotel guests to the limousines staging nearby. SFMTA reported that the violations involving limousines acting as taxis occur between 10:30 a.m. and noon when guests are checking out and heading to SFO. A CPUC investigator rode along with SFMTA investigators and observed four charter-party carriers operated without a valid permit. An investigation will be initiated on these carriers.

Here at NLS Limo, we take the safety of our guests and the reputation of our industry very seriously. That is why we work hard and invest the resources to ensure that our CPUC licensing and compliance is always up to date, that our drivers are fully screened and licensed, that our vehicles are insured and maintained in top condition and that no expense is spared in making sure that our guests have a safe and wonderful time. We’re not the only San Francisco limo service that works this hard to ensure that we meet all CPUC regulations, but we may be the only one that provides outstanding customer service at low, affordable rates. If we sound like your kind of Bay Area limo provider, please call us at 1-800-339-8936 the next time you would like a limousine or any other type of luxury ground transportation to help you celebrate a special event.

Why Our Guests Prefer Our San Francisco Limousine Service

By San Francisco Limousine Specialist on October 26, 2011

Here at NLS Limo, we like to think that our little corner of the business world is too special and far too cool to be pigeonholed into one industry. Since we rent Bay Area limousines, party buses, corporate sedans, antique vehicles, luxury coaches and many other types of vehicles, it’s fair to say that we’re in the automobile business. Since nearly all of these vehicles feature luxury amenities such as wet bars, flat-screen TVs, superb sound systems, mood lighting, moon roofs and other sumptuous accents, you could say that we are in the entertainment business as well. Indeed, our business model straddles several different niches. The one that brings us the most joy and satisfaction and the one that we believe is the key to our success is our focus on being the very best in the hospitality business.

It is our privilege and our pleasure to be ambassadors of the Bay Area to our many clients who visit from other cities and countries and rely on us as their San Francisco limo provider. It is also very gratifying that so many Bay Area residents choose us again and again to help them celebrate the special events in their lives. What are some of the other reasons why so many guests rent luxury vehicles from us? We’re not big on scientific analyses around here, but we believe it has a great deal to do with the following:

• Superb customer service
  Bottom line: it is our job to ensure that each one of our guests has a wonderful time while riding in our vehicles, and we go above and beyond to ensure that this happens each and every time. In the very unusual event that something is not right or there is an unexpected delay, we make it right and pursue every opportunity to ensure that each guest is satisfied. We’re not perfect, but it’s not for lack of trying!
• Attention to detail
  Our guests know that they are not the first to ride in one of our San Francisco limos, party buses or other luxury vehicles, but we do our very best to make it appear to be the case! Our detail team takes a great deal of pride in their work and won’t release a vehicle for service until all evidence of the previous guest is gone.
• Affordability
  Now more than ever, we understand that our guests have limited means and that many have been saving for months for their special occasion. Instead of offering the lowest possible rate and nickel-and-diming our guests on additional charges, we look for ways to offer the best experience at the most affordable rate that includes nearly all the amenities and perks that a limo guest deserves.

There may be other reasons why our guests rely on us again and again for all their San Francisco luxury ground transportation needs, and if you have something to add to this list, we’d love to hear from you! We welcome any and all comments, questions and criticism as we feel that in the end, it makes us a better limo service and one that is better able to anticipate the needs of its guests. To let us know what you think and/or to reserve a Bay Area limo for an upcoming occasion, please give us a call at 1-800-339-8936! Thanks again for making NLS Limo your preferred San Francisco limousine service!