Beschreibung
VIN Chassis No.: V665505V
First registered: 10. 11. 1964
A glorious Vanden Plas 4. 0-litre R with just 3 former keepers in almost sixty years. This particular understated colour combination sits particulary well with the upmarket styling of what was a premium executive saloon in its heyday, and as the photos show, it still looks magnificent all these years later. It's no great leap of faith to think that this car was the blueprint for Rolls Royce Silver Shadows released a year or to later. At launch, the 4-litre R was priced to compete with Jaguar's Mark 10, a full 50% jump from the Mark 3's price point, aimed at the growing executive and prestige European and American markets.
The car's bodywork is impeccable, we simply cannot fault it. Rock solid and all solid wheel arches, this is surely one of the best examples in the UK. Arches, sills, chromework, accessories - all are in breaath-takingly fine order.
A quote from Wikipedia outlines the car's credentials:
The Vanden Plas Princess R with its Rolls-Royce all-aluminium 175 bhp engine was announced in August 1964. With an unusually high power to weight ratio the car gave easy cruising at 90+ mph and was capable of 112 mph... The 4-litre R was replete with polished walnut fascia padded top and bottom, hide-upholstered seats with fully reclinable backs and polished picnic tables for the rear passengers... A new automatic transmission was provided, Borg-Warner model 8, its first use in a British car and Hydrosteer variable ratio power steering accompanied wider tyres.
Another nice touch is the fold-down armrests in the front, which can make longer journeys that bit more pleasant.
For the more engineering-minded of our visitors, when we say that to add to the car's credentials, it features hydraulic self-adjusting tappets and a counterbalanced crankshaft running in seven bearings, they will be in no doubt as to the premium quality of the car's build.
One good thing about a car this size is that there is plenty of room both in the front and back. The wooden trim, leather interior and roof lining are all incredible, all the more so considering the age of the car. Not surprisingly the car drives superbly, with masses of power when needed, and a very comfortable and executive ride quality.
The luxurious interior and that Borg Warner automatic gearbox, married up with the 4-litre Rolls Royce silky smooth engine all go to give a superior driving experience. This luxury motor car was well ahead of its time, and thanks to careful curatorship, is very nearly good as new even today.
We advise all interested parties to call rather than email to avoid disappointment.
