SF Sightseeing Tours | San Francisco Travel Blog
Rolls-Royce Reports Record Sales for Third Year in a Row
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars recently announced record sales for the third year in a row. The legendary luxury automaker recorded a one percent sales gain in 2011-2012 from the previous fiscal year’s numbers with 3,575 models sold. A one percent increase in sales might not seem like a noteworthy achievement, but consider that in the previous two years, sales of Rolls-Royce automobiles increased 31 percent and a remarkable 150 percent, respectively. The automaker cites expansion into Central and South America as one of the primary reasons for their record sales, along with the slow but steady recovery of economic conditions across the globe.
New Prevost Energy Management System Signals Better Fuel Economy for Tour Buses
Tour bus manufacturer Prevost recently announced that their new PRIME (Power Recovery by Intelligent Management of Energy) energy management system will improve fuel economy by at least two percent and potentially much more, depending on model, terrain and passenger load. This is good news for the San Francisco tour bus rental side of our business, as well as our clients, as it will eventually help lower fuel costs. Not many people know that we rent Bay Area tour buses in addition to our San Francisco limousines and other luxury vehicles. However, we regard these larger vehicles as an essential part of accommodating our guests’ luxury transportation needs.
Young Driver Who Damaged Rolls-Royce Faces Severe Financial Hardship
All of us have bad days every once in a while, but a recent day experienced by a young Chinese man puts most peoples’ bad days in perspective. The 21-year-old man was driving along a road near the Lukou International Airport near Nanjing when he swerved off the road slightly. Under normal circumstances, this small incident would be easily forgotten. However, this was not a normal day at all. The young man happened to swerve into a Rolls-Royce Phantom, which was parked along the side of the road and suffered around $158,000 in damage when the driver struck it with his car.
The Rolls had been parked there while the chauffeur waited for VIPs to arrive so it could transport them to their destinations. The police report states that the unfortunate driver struck the front left side of the Phantom, crushing the fender, grill, bumper, hood, headlamp assembly and support structure of the $1.9 million vehicle. If that wasn’t bad enough, the young driver admitted that the accident was his fault, which allowed his insurance company to deny paying for the damage. The driver, a chef by trade, has little in savings, certainly not enough to cover the $158,000 repair tab. He is planning to appeal directly to the Phantom’s owners to see if they can reach an accommodation on how the repair bill will be paid.
Yikes. That was a bad day. Hopefully, the driver and the owner will be able to figure out an arrangement that will work for both parties. On a much brighter note, if you’re looking for San Francisco Rolls-Royce rentals, you have come to the right place! We offer one of the widest selections of Rolls-Royce limousines from which to choose in the Bay Area. From classic Silver Wraiths to vintage Silver Cloud convertibles, no other Bay Area limousine service offers a better selection at affordable rates. Our beautiful Rolls-Royce limousines are perfect for the following:
- Birthdays
- Anniversaries
- Weddings
- Sightseeing tours
- Gift ideas
- Wine tours
- Employee rewards programs
- Many other special occasions
For images and information about the Bay Area Rolls-Royce rentals in our fleet, please browse the pages of our site. For answers to your questions and to reserve one of our Rolls-Royce limos for your special event, just give us a call at NLS Limo at 800-339-8936!
Dutch Company Announces Submersible Limousine for Ultra-Wealthy Clientele
Because it is our mission to bring our readers all sorts of limousine news from the sublime to the ridiculous, we thought we’d share this limo news item out of the Netherlands. A Dutch company called U-Boat Worx, which manufactures custom submarines, has announced that they have created the world’s first “subsea limousine,” the C-Explorer 5. This underwater limo was unveiled at the Monaco Yacht Show this past September and seats up to four guests, including the chauffeur.
Aimed squarely at customers at the higher end of the income bracket, the C-Explorer 5 retails for around $2.4 million and is designed for intrepid owners who want to explore depths down to 1,000 feet below sea level. It is capable of reaching speeds up to 3 knots, or 3.5 miles per hour and is equipped with high-capacity lithium-ion batteries that can power the limo up to eight hours. This limousine closely resembles the remotely operated vessels (ROVs) that researchers use to explore the ocean’s depths but on a larger scale. A pressurized steel and acrylic sphere protects the occupants, and the sphere is framed by a steel cage and outboard pontoon-like structures, which house the thrusters and stabilizers.
If the occupants happen to get a bit more adventurous than they planned, the vessel is capable of supporting the crew for up to 96 hours or even longer with the optional 16-hour batteries. The chauffeur controls the underwater limo through dual-2kWh thrusters and optional dual-1.2kWh thrusters for controlling side-to-side movement. Moving inside, the amenities are more practical than luxurious by necessity. The CE5 features LED lighting, air conditioning, bucket seats and underwater instrumentation. However, the CE5 does offer some cool amenities not found on most limousines: there is a smaller tethered ROV for exploring tighter spaces, an external arm, a high-definition camcorder and sonar equipment.
There is no doubt that this limousine is one of the coolest limos that we have seen, but it isn’t very practical. After all, where is the wet bar, moon roof, flat-screen TV, audio system, privacy screen and other luxurious amenities found in all of our San Francisco limousines? While this limo may be great for a specific kind of sightseeing, and a spectacular one at that, it would have limited range and appeal for most of our guests. If you want a San Francisco limo, party bus or other type of luxury transportation for an upcoming wedding, concert or other special occasion held above sea level, call us at NLS Limo today at 800-339-8936. Our Bay Area limousines might not be able to take you and your guests on an underwater adventure, but we’d be glad to transport you to the Aquarium of the Bay, Steinhart Aquarium at the California Academy of Sciences, Monterey Bay Aquarium or any other destination you’d like!
Organizers Planning Game of Thrones Bus Tours Next Year
Fans of the smash hit HBO series Game of Thrones will be able to ride through the Irish countryside and view the locations where the program is filmed. The third season of the epic fantasy series is now being filmed in Northern Ireland, and planners report that they expect to have the tour buses up and running by this time next year. Game of Thrones fans will recognize many filming locations, including the North Coast Harbor of Ballintoy, a backdrop for many episodes. Other popular shooting locations expected to be included on the tour are Larrybane Quarry near the Carrickarede rope bridge on the North Coast, Inch Abbey and Tollymore Forest Park in Co Down.
The announcement pleased many tourism officials in Ireland, which, like many popular tourist destinations, has taken a sizable hit in recent years due to the recession.
"We have been working with the various tourism bodies for over a year, we got in touch about setting up this tour. We are helping them in terms of resources and putting them in touch with the right people like the broadcaster and distributor. We are keen on the overall film tourism thing, not just Game Of Thrones," one tourism official said.
Here in the Bay Area, we’re very familiar with movie and television locations as well. Lots of films and TV shows are and have been filmed in San Francisco and the surrounding area, and many local landmarks are instantly recognizable around the world. We’re no strangers to bus tours either. Millions of people visit our area each year and find that tour buses are the most comfortable, practical and affordable way to get around for sightseeing tours, airport transportation and many other destinations.
If you need comfortable and affordable group transportation for a sightseeing tour, wedding, sporting event or other special occasion, call us today at 800-339-8936. We offer luxury motor coaches, party buses, VIP buses and many other options to accommodate groups of all sizes. Whether you live in the Bay Area or are planning a visit, you can rely on NLS Limo for the best selection of San Francisco tour buses in the area. Call us today, and don’t forget to ask about our tour packages!
Rolls-Royce Announces Changes to Ghost Models Including Sport Coupe
Legendary luxury carmaker Rolls-Royce has been making some bold moves recently with their updated Phantom models, and it appears that more developments are in the works for Rolls-Royce motorcars. Rolls recently announced that they are updating their Ghost models as well, with an announced three different versions, one of which will be a coupe with a 600-plus horsepower engine. Rolls-Royce sold 3,538 Ghosts last year, a remarkable 31 percent increase over 2010’s sales. With the new models, they appear to be staking a larger claim on the luxury market in the coming years.
Rolls has not released many details about the upcoming changes but have said that they plan to unveil the sporty two-door Ghost models at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. The new Ghost coupe will be built to hold the road rather than glide atop it, with a lowered suspension, shorter wheelbase and sport-tuned traction control system to get drivers’ adrenaline going in tight turns. Rolls has not yet announced a price for the new Ghost models, but buyers with adequate means will surely be placing orders with their local dealers for this new roadster.
You may need deep pockets to own a Rolls-Royce, but you don’t have to spend a fortune to enjoy the classic look, feel and ride of a Rolls limousine. In addition to our San Francisco limos, party buses, limo buses and other luxury vehicles, we also rent Bay Area classic Rolls-Royce limousines for very affordable rates. These timeless classics have been lovingly restored and are very popular choices for the following:
Renting one of our Bay Area Rolls-Royce limos for friends and family is also a great gift idea for birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas and other special occasions! To learn more about our affordable rates, availability and to reserve your San Francisco Rolls-Royce rental, call us at NLS Limo today at 800-339-8936!