Chauffeur Driven Vehicles...

We have seen many people realise their dreams on reality TV programs; you can be chosen to be a singer, a princess, a wife or even to be thin. Well, earlier this year, UKTV presented Celebrity Chauffeur School where five wannabe chauffeurs showed off their skills to become a professional chauffeur.

The chauffeur industry has become an increasingly competitive industry and drivers not only have to transport their passengers from one place to the next; as Celebrity Chauffeur School showed, chauffeurs now also have to develop skills to avoid terrorist plots, fit into social circles and make sure what happens in the limo stays in the limo.

The role of chauffeur evolved from the coachmen who, with the advent of cars, were no longer responsible for horses but for ensuring their employers arrived at their engagements on time. This was especially important as early cars were very unreliable and the chauffeur’s primary role was often to fix the cars when they broke down. As cars became more reliable, people began to drive themselves making chauffeurs superfluous for everyday driving.

Chauffeurs are of course only superfluous to those of us who can’t afford to be chauffeured everywhere, everyday. The stars of course use chauffeur driven limos for everything which may be a good thing, as there is growing list of celebrities who have come to a sticky end behind the wheel – think Marc Boland, Jayne Mansfield and James Dean.

However, there are almost as many celebrities who have had a brush with danger, and even death, in a chauffeur driven vehicle; Princess Diana and JFK for example. This of course adds to the competitiveness of the chauffeur industry to cater to the stars who don’t have a phobia of limos.

However, if this year’s Oscar’s are anything to go by, the trend for many stars are the new hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) which run on a petrol electric engine, emit 50% less greenhouse gas and are 150% more fuel efficient. Stars such as Orlando Bloom, Natalie Portman, Gwyneth Paltrow and Scarlett Johansson all chose to arrive at the night of nights, in a HEV, despite its less luxurious styling; is this the way of the future for celebrity transportation?