Daimler’s Double Six name has a long pedigree, having first been used on a range of V12s beginning in 1926. Daimler was bought by Jaguar in 1960, and after both were taken over by British Leyland, the name was revived for the upmarket, Daimler-badged version of the XJ12 in 1972. To some enthusiasts, the XJ6 and XJ12 represented the last true Jaguars, as they were the last to have been built under the ægis of Sir William Lyons, who retired in 1972. His successor was ‘Lofty’ England, who had worked as a Daimler apprentice in the 1930s and no doubt felt a touch of nostalgic sentimentality when he bestowed the Double Six name upon the new Daimler version.

Utilising Jaguar’s now-famous 5.3-litre V12, introduced for the E-type in 1971, the Double Six had the performance to match its elegant looks. This evolved into the HE (high-efficiency) version in 1981, with a redesigned cylinder head, electronic fuel injection and Lucas’s Constant Energy Ignition. It also boasted a number of subtle luxury upgrades not seen on the Jaguar and was, of course, distinguished by the traditional Daimler fluted radiator grille.

Impressively, the XJs and Daimler equivalents sold so well that they survived until 1992 with relatively few changes. Apart from the chunkier bumpers which  they acquired in 1979, even the latest cars looked like they had just driven out of the 1960s, helping to add to Jaguar’s reputation for tradition and longevity.

This Daimler was sold new in Japan, a country where the Double Six and XJ12 were greatly in demand. A combination of the Japanese’s appreciation for their cars and the agreeable climate mean that many have survived in an exceptional condition. The odometer reading shows that this car was only ever used sparingly, and its overall condition testifies that its Japanese owners cared for it very well.

The vendor is a Jaguar enthusiast with past experience of finding and importing some of the best Japanese Jaguars and Daimlers. He imported this one and registered it with the D.V.L.A. in May 2021.

As far as British documents go, this Daimler has only its current V5 and an M.o.T. certificate valid until 23rd March. Aside from them, it retains its original leather wallet full of literature for the first owner, which includes:

There are also some papers relating to the Kenwood radio.

Truly, this Daimler’s interior is one of the best we have ever seen. For a 31-year-old car, its condition is almost beyond belief. The Saville Grey leather is close to perfect, and looks for all the world like it might only be two years old rather than 31. The dash is characterised by an expanse of beautiful walnut, a feature which is continued along the tops of the doors. It has survived the past three decades without acquiring any marks which we could see, and it has lost absolutely none of its richness.

The rest of the dash, the centre console, the steering wheel and all the attached fittings are in the same way, which is to say showroom condition, while the soft carpets look like they’ve never seen a pair of muddy boots. Although there are some very mild marks in the driver’s footwell, for the most part they are exceptionally clean and do not appear to have suffered from even the slightest fading.

Of course, the rear passenger space is similarly immaculate, although it is in the rear that we spotted a singular cosmetic fault, where a small patch of leather on the left-hand side of the seat has become bleached, perhaps as a result of some liquid spillage.

Of course, being a Daimler it has no end of luxuries, such as air conditioning, power windows and central locking. A Kenwood KRC-379R cassette player is also fitted.

As you’d expect, the boot is also fantastically clean, so much so that you might suppose it’s never been used. Apart from a couple of light bulbs, the original factory toolkit is all present and correct and in excellent condition, as is the factory-supplied jack.

If you’ll forgive the repetition, it is true and fitting if we say that, externally, this Double Six is still one of the best we’ve seen. The metallic Gunmetal paint has survived in outstanding condition and it shimmers in the sun, but subtly and with restraint. All the chrome on the car is in nothing less than brilliant condition, so too are the windows and light lenses, and the plastic of the bumpers has survived extraordinarily well. Usually, over the course of 30 years, one might expect the plastic to fade or pick up the odd scratch; all we can say of this car that it has got off extremely lightly. If not quite as-new, the bumpers are still as good as, perhaps even better than, anyone could reasonably expect.

The alloy wheels are also unbelievably well preserved. As with any car, they are not totally free of scratches or chips, but what little faults there are so small as to be virtually impossible to detect unless you go over the wheels with the finest of fine-tooth combs.

There are just a few cosmetic blemishes which should be mentioned. One is a fairly long, deep scratch above the nearside front wheel arch. Then there are two areas where some bubbling is occurring underneath the paint, one being at the bottom corner of the windscreen and the other at the bottom corner of the rear window. We might mention also a spot of damaged paint on the underside of the offside rear wing, but because of its location it’s unlikely to trouble anyone.

Aside from those few things, the car is very hard to find fault with. The sills and arches are in a wonderful way, and everything appears to be thoroughly solid, with the underside looking clean and well-protected by a thick coat of underseal.

The powerful but civilised V12 fires up most obediently and conceals its power well, for it idles so quietly you might almost forget it’s running. With its automatic gearbox, the car really glides away when you slip it into drive, and everything else functions so well that motoring in this car should be a real pleasure. The brake pedal depresses with a reassuring firmness, and brings the car to a halt promptly and efficiently. The power steering requires only the lightest touch and makes manoeuvring the Daimler much easier than its size would suggest.

The Daimler has an M.o.T. valid until 23rd March. It passed its test last year with just one advisory note concerning an ‘oil leak, but not excessive’, this has. now been repaired. With that in mind, here is a car that’s ready to drive and enjoy right away.

If ever there was a car which perfectly straddles the divide between classic and modern, this is it. It may only have been built in 1991, but its outward appearance is very much that of a 1960s classic. The round, shrouded headlights, the fluted chrome grille and the long, gracefully sloping side profile are all hallmarks of an age which had otherwise long disappeared. 

However, while we might pine for the era which produced designs of unsurpassed beauty, mechanically we have managed to make cars quicker, more efficient and more reliable. It may now be 31 years old, but under its skin this Daimler is very much a modern car. With a 5.3-litre V12, fuel injection and electronic ignition, what more could the modern motorist possibly want?

This example could scarcely be better. Its specification is extremely tasteful and its time in Japan has treated it so kindly, we really don’t think a nicer example will appear on the market for a long time. It drives beautifully and it’s all ready to go, so go on – place a bid or several and make your life that little bit more stylish.