The Queen Isabella IImonarch who was at the head of the crown for more than 70 years, had a broad title that anointed her on the throne: Elizabeth II, by the grace of God, queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of her other Kingdoms and Territories , head of the Commonwealth of Nations, defender of the Faith. What this string of positions and responsibilities did not clarify were his tastes and passions. Among them were the cars. So much so that she not only managed them, but also him he knew the mechanics.
Queen Elizabeth II died at the age of 96. They remain in the register of his passage through the most recognizable monarchy in the world that In recent years he has had a hobby of driving Land Rover 4x4s on his weekend trips.
Born on April 21, 1926, her health had deteriorated in 2022. Despite this, she went public in June, when the Platinum Jubilee was held, the celebration of 70 years of her taking to the throne following the death of her father. , George VI. In view of this commemoration, McLaren launched a special edition of its Artura model, called Elizabeth II, which paid tribute to the queen who opened the brand’s factory in Woking in 2004.
The passion for cars of Queen Elizabeth II
He drove his cars until he was 90. In fact, there are images of her portraying her in September 2016 at the wheel of a green Range Rover on a weekend at the royal family’s home. Accompanying her to her left (in the UK the flyers are on the right) is Carole Middleton, mother of Kate and mother-in-law of William, eldest grandson of the queen and son of Carlos and Lady Di.
Protocol and safety did not allow him to drive on the streets, where it had to be transported by an official driver. By mandate and tradition, it was usually seen with models made in the UK. There was no shortage of alternatives, however, as the UK auto industry is home to the biggest premium brands on the planet. In addition to the Land Rovers, the queen had some collectibles in her garage, including a Rolls Royce almost centenary an estimated valuation of $ 35 million.
The British chronicles say so the queen’s bond with cars was born during the Second World Warwhen she joined the Auxiliary Service for Women e worked in a team of mechanics. At his time in the Royal Army he not only learned to drive, but also to repair truck and ambulance engines.
In the Buckingham Palace garage there is a fleet of luxury cars that have been used by Queen Elizabeth II for the past 70 years. The price of this collection is difficult to estimate, especially when it came to the transport of one of the most emblematic monarchs in the world.
Vauxhall Cresta Estate (1961)
Vauxhall is one of the UK’s most traditional brands (the company was founded in 1857). La Cresta Estate is a luxury rural estate produced between 1954 and 1972, with a total of 81,841 units produced. The Queen had a Cresta PA SY, with a 2.3-liter engine and a three-speed gearbox. I drove her in the field.
Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost (1924)
A collectible gem. Another unit of this Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost was sold for seven million dollars auction held in 2012. He is part of the royal garage as one of the untouchables. The brand itself called it the “best car in the world”.
The one that belongs to the Royal Family dates back to 1924 and is still in operation (although it is usually not seen running) as it is in perfect condition despite having covered 920,000 kilometers. It is believed that its market price, in the world of collectors, could rise up to 35 million dollars. The Queen also has a Phantom V and a Twenty from the British manufacturer in her collection.
Bentley Estate (2002)
Of Bentley State only two were produced and both belong to the royal family. It was commissioned by Queen Elizabeth II to commemorate her Golden Jubilee in 2002. The manufacturer took on the challenge of building a luxury limousine. And the monarch used it, not only in British territory, but also on tour in other countries.
The Bentley Estate has a 6.75-liter V8 engine, a modification of the Arnage R version, with 400 horsepower, which allows it to develop a speed of 210 km / h, impressive for a limousine. The bodywork and windows are fully armored.
Range Rover Hybrid Landaulet
Another model exclusive to Isabel II that is not available in dealerships. It is a modification that was made on a Range Rover. It was first seen in 2015, during an official reception. And it is precisely the 4×4 that Reina herself drove until the age of 90, which marks her energy and passion for driving.
Land Rover’s relationship with the royal family dates back to 1953, a year after the hiring of the Queen. The first vehicle she supplied was a Series 1 and she has since delivered four models. The latter were based on the Range Rover, the brand’s premium SUV.
Cosmopolitan Lincoln (1950)
One of the few American cars in the royal garage. It was produced between 1949 and 1954. It had a presidential variant that emerged in 1950 when the American president, Harry Truman, quarreled with General Motors and that was when the president went to Lincoln.
It was there that the White House ordered ten Cosmopolitan limousines to be used as official state vehicles. It’s a mystery how the Queen of England managed to get one of these presidential limos. The models have been modified to accommodate more head room for the queen’s hat.
Mercedes Benz 600 Pullman Landaulet (1965)
East Mercedes Benz It was used by the Queen and Prince Philip of Edinburgh as a protocol transport. This is a high-end vehicle designed by the German company, of which a total of 2,677 units were produced between 1965 and 1981.
There were two models available for the 1965 Mercedes Benz 600: the 4-door sedan with shorter wheelbase and the one with longer wheelbase, which was a 6-door limousine; the latter was what Queen Elizabeth II had, with a convertible roof.
Citroën SM Opera (1972)
To the citroen SM Opera awarded it Car of the Year in the United States in 1972. And it was third in Europe. It was seen by Queen Elizabeth II on a visit to Paris in 1974. This model remained in production until 1975 and could reach a top speed of 225 km / h and accelerate from 0 to 100 km / h in 8.5 seconds.
Aston Martin DB6 (1966)
It was the successor to the DB5, the iconic James Bond car. The Aston Martin DB6 had a more attractive aerodynamic design. It was produced between September 1965 and 1971, with a total of 1,788 units. The new DB6 was available in both a four-seater convertible and a two-door coupe. La de la Reina, from 1966, had a 4-liter engine that produced 282 hp at 5,500 rpm.
Austin Princess Vanden Plas (1969)
This limousine was one of the luxury cars produced by Austin between 1947 and 1968. It was equipped with a 4-liter 6-cylinder engine. The first version was tested at maximum speed by the British magazine The Motor and managed to reach a top speed of 127 km / h. Queen Elizabeth II bought it for the luxury of the interior and because it had the exterior of a vehicle worthy of royalty..
Daimler DS420 (1992)
From Germany came the Queen’s favorite non-British cars. Not only Mercedes-Benz, but also Daimler, which was said to be the unofficial royal brand. The DS420 is also known as the “Daimler limousine”. It was his favorite vehicle when he attended weddings or funerals.
The 1992 Daimler DS420 borrowed the flagship chassis of the Jaguar 420G with minor configurations in the pass. The interior was equipped with a wet bar, a television and a computer.
Ford Zephyr station wagon (1956)
This rare car was produced between 1950 and 1972. Together with the Executive and the Zodiac, it was Britain’s largest car in the 1950s and one of the first to be mass produced in the UK. Queen Elizabeth II owned the luxury executivewhich was inserted in the last months of production.
Humber Super Snipe (1959)
It was manufactured by the British Company Humber Limited between 1938 and 1967. The first variant to come out was the Humber Super Snipe before World War II, which had a top speed of 127 km / h. It targeted the upper middle class and government officials as well it was the 1953 model that caught Elizabeth II’s attentionalthough it was not very expensive, it offered all the luxury worthy of a queen.
Bentley Bentayga
The Queen Isabella II was the first in the world to receive a Bentayga. It was 2015, a gesture by the then CEO of the brand, Wolfgang Dürheimer, a detail that was very well received by the monarch because of his love for cars. Currently this SUV is one of the wildest in the world. From the start it already has a four-cylinder V8 twin-turbo engine that delivers 542 hp and 770 Nm of torque.
Source: Clarin
