Where Have All the Sedans Gone?

We are frequently asked to provide luxury sedans for chauffeured transportation, whether for

executive travel, corporate clients, or airport transfers. And yes, we currently have several Volvo S90 Livery Edition sedans in our fleet that satisfy this need. However, with the recent

announcement that these vehicles will soon be discontinued, we are once again faced with the challenge of finding a suitable true luxury sedan for professional limousine service.

Historically, our industry has struggled to find an adequate replacement for the iconic Lincoln Town Car, which was the flagship sedan of the limousine and executive car service industry from 1981 through 2011. It was also the platform for most stretched limousines built during that era. When the Town Car was retired, the Lincoln MKT Town Car was introduced as its replacement. However, it was never truly a substitute. By default, it became a popular purchase among chauffeured transportation operators nationwide, but its design lacked the spacious legroom and luggage capacity that clients expect from a premium black car service sedan.

Other options have surfaced over the years, including a smaller Town Car sedan version and a few Cadillac luxury sedans, but none became the “go-to” option because of space limitations. Some coachbuilders had moderate success extending vehicles like the Cadillac XTS for livery service, and we used that model for several years. But with Cadillac discontinuing it as well, we were once again left searching for the next reliable option.

Fortunately, Volvo entered the livery market with the Volvo S90 Livery Edition, featuring a

nine-inch factory stretch that provided unmatched rear legroom in its class. For a time, it

became one of the best options for executive sedan rentals. However, taller clients reported that headroom was still limited, making it less than ideal. Now, with this model also leaving

production, the pool of contenders continues to shrink.

Many operators across the country have shifted toward using luxury SUVs for corporate

transportation, since SUVs provide more passenger and luggage space. Still, for many

discerning clients, an SUV is not the same as a true luxury sedan. Some travelers dislike the

higher step-in height, while others simply expect the classic sedan experience when booking a professional chauffeur service.

At OML, we have invested in the Lincoln Aviator as a luxury sedan replacement. It has proven durable and dependable for executive travel, offering spacious luggage capacity, professional styling, and long-term reliability while covering well over 100,000 miles each year. These are all crucial features for a vehicle that serves as the backbone of corporate and personal transportation services. Yet, as versatile as the Aviator is, it still isn’t a sedan.

So, what does the future hold? That’s hard to predict. Unless consumer buying habits shift,

automakers are unlikely to restart production of chauffeured luxury sedans designed for the

limousine industry. Other concerns also weigh in, such as the definition of what qualifies as

“luxury", the durability of new models, purchase price, cost of operation, and long-term parts availability.

The chauffeured transportation industry has already undergone major shifts in the past 15 years with the rise of rideshare services like Uber and Lyft. While those companies introduced low-cost convenience, they also lowered customer expectations by normalizing travel in vehicles that are far from luxury class. Any discerning traveler booking a professional limousine service would not expect to be picked up in a Toyota Prius or Chevy Malibu. Yet, the dwindling sedan market makes it harder to maintain that luxury standard.

And so, the search continues...