After a quarter of a century riding around in a Rolls-Royce, it seems it’s time for the Queen to get a new set of wheels. Designers at Bentley are feverishly preparing a custom-made limousine to mark the Queen’s golden jubilee - a unique auto some say could cost over £10 million.
“It would be very complicated to add up all the hours and other elements going into it,” said a spokesman for the firm, citing the impossibility of drawing up a single monetary figure. However, with features including a special rear-door design to allow the 75-year-old royal to stand upright before exiting, the new auto will cost considerably more than Bentley’s priciest piece, the Azure Milliner convertible.
Executives at the Volkswagen-owned company first approached the Queen in February 2000 to discuss the gift. The Bentley team presented her and the Duke of Edinburgh with a preliminary design in May 2000 and, with suggestions from the royal pair, started work on the vehicle – a completely original design and the first Bentley to be used for state occasions.
“It has been a challenging project because we had no reference points apart from the other state limousines, the youngest of which is 25 years old,” says Bentley senior designer Crispin Marshfield. “But in many ways, from a designer’s point of view, it was a dream job.”
The Queen received her current mode of transport, a Rolls-Royce Phantom VI, in 1977 from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Designers of the Bentley were mindful to make it timeless, as, like the Rolls-Royce, it is likely be around for the next 125,000 miles.
The British monarch will take delivery of the new marque in May 2002, with its first outing scheduled for one month later.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
