The word "bonkers" is often overused, especially in reference to frankenvehicles that defy the norm and, more often than not, common sense and all logic. But "bonkers" could have been invented specifically as a descriptor for the Learmousine.
The Learmousine, which also goes by the Limo-Jet moniker, is not a new creation. Well, it is new if you compare it to other franken-limousines, like the Guinness-certified American Dream limo or the beefed-up Midnight Rider, perhaps one of the most famous custom vehicles in the luxury sector. The Learmousine is a 2018 creation – the world's first and only road-legal aircraft.
Designed and built by Exotic Coach Customs and completed in 2018 after a reported 12 years of hard work and an estimated $1 million in expenses, it is a most impressive work combining the features of an aircraft with those of a limousine, with the goal of offering the fanciest, most extraordinary experience.
According to its many owners, the Learmousine is the gift that keeps on giving, the vehicle you can drive legally on any U.S. road, with an 8-seat layout and the features of a party bus, and the most impressive body that's bound to attract attention instantly. So, here's to hoping you have a couple of millions (at the very least!) to spare.
Photo: Goldin
The Learmousine is back in the spotlight – and back on the auction block, where it's been too many times to keep count of since it was first unveiled to the public. Perhaps the saddest part is that, despite being presented as a $1 million custom vehicle that could easily fetch $4-5 million for its unique character and outrageous styling, it has exactly zero bids as of the time of press.
Listed with Goldin on November 1, the Learmousine has six more days to go until the auction ends. Bidding sits at $100,000, which is the starting price it was offered at. Exactly zero people bid on it, even though it's offered with a 2015 Chevrolet 2500 truck and a 2017 Iron Bull 44-foot (13.4-meter) trailer, so whoever gets the limo also gets the rig to haul it wherever they might want to take it.
This kind of interest in the vehicle should speak volumes for its current worth, but the latest outing on the market also offers a good look at this unique – and, yes, bonkers – vehicle. So let's do it.
Photo: Goldin
The Learjet that will never fly again so that it could become the King of the Road
The Learmousine/Limo-Jet is the stuff of custom legends, though this enviable status never translated into the enviable ability to fetch a fortune any of the times it listed for sale. It is a legend because it exists, because it's an insane creation, and because, once you look past the insanity, it's beautifully done. It's not a beautiful vehicle by most people's definition, but its execution is.
The Learmousine is a Learjet on top of a custom chassis, a steel skeleton frame and Lear aluminum fuselage riding on custom 28-inch wheels clad in Kumho tires. The original Learjet wings have been clipped off so that the limo is 8-foot (2.4-meter) wide to stay road legal, but the rear wing was retained to "enhance that feeling of flight." For maximum convenience, the tips on the tail fold inward so that the vehicle can fit in tight spaces.
Total length is 42 feet (12.8 meters), and the rig, though massive and heavy, handles well on the road due to custom steering. Four cameras on its corners help with that, too. One thing about the Learmousine that's often been highlighted in the media is the fact that it's road-legal in the U.S., even though it was originally designed for the show circuit.
Photo: Goldin
The fuselage remains identifiable as the donor Learjet, and that was obviously not a random decision. The jet engines have been replaced with two custom 12-inch subwoofers, which are part of the professional exterior audio and lighting system – and are perfect for playing jet engine sounds if you want. There's another such system inside because this is "a party on wheels" but shaped like a private jet.
Work on the Learmousine required over 40,000 man hours, with more than two years going into R&D for the drivetrain and engine bay. Power comes from a Chevrolet Vortec V8 truck engine that produces 400 hp and takes this beast to a maximum speed of 100 mph (161 kph).
But the real treat is inside, for the owner at least. The interior is divided into the single-person cockpit and the passenger cabin, which is where the real party happens. You get seating for eight people on two diamond-stitched black leather with red piping couches, a bar, and an infinity floor that probably can double as a dancefloor when the vehicle is stationary.
Photo: Goldin
There's no partition between the party area and the cockpit, which could make for awkward moments. The interior is decked in lights and speakers, and there's a giant TV at one end.
The video below, which details the recent overhaul of the limo, mentions that $50,000 went into the audio systems alone and that the lighting system includes strobe lights, LEDs, and lasers. You also get a fog machine outside, just in case you're thinking pulling up in an airplane-shaped limousine isn't enough to draw a crowd.
Jokes aside, the Learmousine has been overhauled ahead of the recent listing, no doubt with the goal of making it more desirable. Upgrades include a new paintjob, which extends to the truck and trailer offered with it at the same price, a new steering wheel that resembles more the controls in an airplane cockpit, and more lights. They might not be instantly noticeable, but they make the experience "super high-end and classy," as per the Goldin salesguy.
Photo: Mecum
He also says that the Learmousine is beautiful, over-engineered, and drives great, but his words have fallen on deaf ears so far. It's almost like today's multi-millionaires don't want to be seen flaunting their wealth among us poor peasants anymore!
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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