Sports & Classics of Monterey

12 - 14 August 2010

FRI

Lot 237

1984 Daimler Double Six Long-Wheelbase Saloon (Queen Elizabeth II's personal car)

Sold for $77,000

  • Chassis no. SADDDRLW3CC393721

295 bhp, 5,343 cc SOHC V12 engine, three-speed automatic transmission, coil spring independent front and rear suspension, and four-wheel power disc brakes. Wheelbase: 112.75"

- Personal car of HRH Queen Elizabeth II
- Complete history and documentation
- In Jaguar company ownership from new
- About 41,000 miles from new
- Several modifications for Her Majesty’s use
- The first and only uniquely prepared personal Queen’s car offered publicly in the US

Delivered new to Buckingham Palace for the personal use of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of England, in October 1984, this fully loaded top-of-the-range 12-cylinder Daimler Double Six represents a unique opportunity to own a serious piece of automotive history which was the personal transportation for the most famous and photographed lady in history. Queen Elizabeth is the longest reigning Monarch of not only England and Britain but is also head of the Commonwealth and has been for over 50 years. The relationship between Daimler and the Royal Family is an established one, spanning over half a century and including the Queen’s Father George VI.

The build of chassis no. 393721 was completed at the Jaguar factory in Coventry, England during the summer of 1984, in the month of July. The car then underwent extensive road testing by head engineers of the factory for a total of some 2,000 to 3,000 miles to remove and correct any issues before being transported to Buckingham Palace and delivered to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.

Over the next three years, the Queen enjoyed this Daimler as her own personal car in which she would travel around her vast Windsor Estate as well as in and out of London to visit friends and family. The car was also used for local and lower profile engagements.

Her Majesty is a keen motorist, having served in the transport corps of the British Army during the Second World War, driving ambulances and even changing wheels on the vehicles herself.

She used this car to travel to church each Sunday in Windsor Great Park and, over a period of three years, recorded some 12,000 miles in this fabulous Daimler V12. During this three-year period, she would often have other members of the family with her, and this would include the late Princess of Wales Princess Diana, Prince Charles, Prince William, The Queen Mother, Prince Philip her husband, as well as friends and important dignitaries such as the then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, to name a few.

The car would also travel with The Queen to her winter retreat Balmoral in Scotland for Christmas, as well as Sandringham, her summer retreat.

In 1990, it was replaced by the factory for another Daimler model and was then used by several members of the family as well as some Royal Security before being returned and kept at the factory in 1991, with a total of some 29,000 miles recorded. Since that time, it has been exercised regularly and used for important events. Current mileage stands at a little over 41,000 miles.

This car has clearly been maintained to the highest possible standards and was always returned to the factory for VIP maintenance, which is recorded in the original service book. The Daimler has recently been serviced within the last 20 miles at the current Royal appointed garage, Guy Salmons in Royal Ascot Berkshire, who also charged the air conditioning at the same time. The car is presented in superb mechanical condition and drives as-new.

Currently, it is registered to the Jaguar Heritage Museum Browns Lane at the factory, the previous owner being Jaguar VIP Leasing. In other words, it has always been in the ownership of the Jaguar car company.

The car was outfitted with every extra available at the time, with a couple deviations from stock, including a blue convoy light fitted in front of the rearview mirror to enable security teams to identify the car more easily at night and to be more visible in the event of a security threat to the Queen. This light is also recognized by the gate security at both Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. Additionally, a full length rear seat cushion was fitted instead of the standard twin cushion. This was requested by Her Majesty to enable her three pet Corgis at the time to travel more securely and comfortably.

A rear antenna mount is still fitted to the car, to which the radio communications package was fitted, allowing for a direct link to the Home Office and Downing Street. The fog-lights in front are wired to flash at regular intervals when the car was in official use.

The registration number has been changed by Jaguar on its return to the factory for security purposes, although a set of registration number plates with the original Royal number, as used by the Queen, are included with the car, as are several photographs of Her Majesty driving and enjoying this superb motor car.

All handbooks and all informative documents are complete with the Daimler, as are all tools, keys, etc. In fact, the car comes complete with all documentation from the vehicle's entire 26-year life, including an official stamped Heritage certificate from the Jaguar factory.

The car has been cleared of all red tape and restrictions and can now be enjoyed in the US/North America immediately with no changes to the specification whatsoever and is allowed to be registered as is, in its complete and original form.

It has been confirmed that no Royal cars will be released again by the factory, and therefore this is a unique opportunity to obtain a car with highly important and unique provenance connected to the Queen of England. This is the first and the only uniquely prepared personal car to the Queen ever to by offered for public sale in the US. It is a fine automobile presented in original and superb condition, as used by one of the true icons of modern history.

Addendum

Please note that this vehicle qualifies immediately to be registered in the United States apart from the State of California.

Please note that should the buyer be a resident of the United States an additional duty of 2.5% is payable on the final sale price of the vehicle plus buyers commission.

Please contact our exclusive automotive transportation partner, Reliable Carriers, for a shipping quote or any other information on the transport of this vehicle.

Alain Squindo

asquindo@rmauctions.com

+1-202-236-3237
Detroit, Michigan

Alain Squindo joined RM Auctions in 2007, after graduating from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., with a degree in History. R... read more

Alex Classick

aclassick@rmauctions.com

+44 (0) 20 7851 7070
United Kingdom

Alex Classick joined RM Europe in 2011 as a car specialist, after graduating from Nottingham University with a degree in Business Mana... read more

Alexander Weaver

aweaver@rmauctions.com

+1 310 559 4575
California,United States

Alexander Weaver joined RM Auctions in 2011 as a car specialist, after graduating from Furman University in South Carolina. Born into ... read more

Annette Abaci

aabaci@rmauctions.com

+49 (0) 40 441 95 737
Germany

With post-secondary degrees in Economic Science and Mechanical Engineering, Annette Abaci initially worked part-time at Mercedes-Benz ... read more

Augustin Sabatié-Garat

asabatie-garat@rmauctions.com

+44 (0) 20 7851 7070
United Kingdom

Augustin Sabatié-Garat joined RM Europe in 2012 as a senior car specialist, after more than a decade in the collector car hobby... read more

Dan Warrener

dwarrener@rmauctions.com

+1 519 352 4575
Ontario,Canada

Possessing a degree in Economics from Brandon University, Dan Warrener spent the initial stages of his career working around the globe... read more

Don Rose

drose@rmauctions.com

+1 617 513 0388
United States

Don Rose joined RM Auctions in 2006, after many years of professionally trading sports and classic cars, and after earning a reputatio... read more

Donnie Gould

dgould@rmauctions.com

+1 954 566 2209
Florida,United States

Donnie Gould joined the RM team in 2002 as a partner and Car Specialist after more than two decades in the vintage automobile auction ... read more

Gord Duff

gduff@rmauctions.com

+1 519 352 4575
Ontario,Canada

Gord joined RM Auctions in 1998, initially responsible for the transportation and logistics of the company’s auction and restora... read more

Ian Kelleher

ikelleher@rmauctions.com

+1-212-894-1301
New York,United States

Ian Kelleher began his automotive career immediately following his graduation from Oberlin College, with a B.A. in Political Science... read more

Jack Boxstrom

jboxstrom@rmauctions.com

+1 818 703 2816
Ontario,Canada

Jack Boxstrom joined RM Auctions in late-1996 to assist with the recently acquired, and subsequently record-breaking, auction in Monte... read more

Max Girardo

mgirardo@rmauctions.com

+44 (0) 20 7851 7070
United Kingdom

Max Girardo started his career in the vintage automobile industry in 1998, joining Brooks Auctioneers (now Bonhams) as a car specialis... read more

Mike Fairbairn

mfairbairn@rmauctions.com

+1 519 352 4575
Ontario,Canada

As one of the three founding partners of RM Auctions, Mike Fairbairn has a longstanding interest in the classic car industry. Graduati... read more

Peter Wallman

pwallman@rmauctions.com

+44 (0) 20 7851 7070
United Kingdom

Peter Wallman joined RM Europe in 2007, following nearly two decades in the international advertising industry, based out of New York,... read more

Peter Giddings

pgiddings@rmauctions.com

+1 925 831 2048
California,United States

A life-long car enthusiast, Peter joined RM’s California office with over half a century of experience in the automotive and rac... read more

Rob Myers

rmyers@rmauctions.com

+1 519 352 4575
Ontario,Canada

As chairman and founder of the RM Group of Companies, Rob Myers’s entire career has been devoted to the classic car industry. Ro... read more

Shelby Myers

smyers@rmauctions.com

+1 310 559 4575
California,United States

Shelby Myers literally grew up with the classic car industry infused into every aspect of his life. He had the unique opportunity to w... read more

Vinnie Mandzak

vmandzak@rmauctions.com

+1 310 559 4575
California,United States

Vinnie Mandzak joined RM Auctions’ California office in 2012 as a car specialist, following more than 30 years’ experience... read more