The Cars of Queen Elizabeth II

The Cars of Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth II loves cars, especially British ones. This year, Her Majesty broke the record for the longest reign of the British monarchy (64 years on the throne). To celebrate, MSN Autos presents 30 exceptional vehicles that are—or were—part of her personal collection.

1972 Citroën SM Opera

The Citroën SM Opera was launched in 1970. It was based on the chassis of the DS and went out of production in 1975. Like all large Citroën models of this era, the SM Opera was equipped with a hydropneumatic suspension.

1965 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman Landaulet

During its 18 years of production (from 1963 to 1981), the Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman limousine never had a single alteration made to its body. Only 2,677 of these cars were ever made.

1974 Rover P5B

Marketed from 1958 to 1973, a total of 69,141 Rover P5s were produced, two of which belonged to the Queen.

2001 Jaguar Daimler Super V8

Most of the vehicles in this slideshow were driven by the Queen’s chauffeur—except this Jaguar Daimler V8. Specially commissioned by the Royal Family, this vehicle is equipped with a sliding armrest that perfectly accommodates the Queen’s handbag.

1953 Humber Super Snipe Drophead

Produced from 1938 to 1967 by the British firm Humber Limited, the Super Snipe was recognized for its relatively low price given its quality. In 1967, the company was bought by Chrysler.

1948 Daimler DE36 All Weather Tourer

The DE chassis served as the base for the largest and most expensive models by this British manufacturer. The DE36 model was very popular among political figures and royals throughout the world.

1961 Rolls-Royce Phantom V

Did you know that only 516 Rolls-Royce Phantom Vs were ever made? Almost all were equipped with a four-speed automatic transmission and power steering. In 2002, the Queen’s Phantom V was retired to the Sandringham Royal Motor Museum. John Lennon also had one, which he had painted yellow.

1950 Lincoln Cosmopolitan Limousine

The official vehicle of many royals, the Lincoln Cosmopolitan was equipped with a four-speed Hydra-Matic transmission (made by GM) and came in several different body styles, such as the coupe, sedan, and convertible.

1924 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost

The Silver Ghost, the most expensive collectible car in the world, is one of the first vehicles made by car pioneer Frederick Henry Royce (in 1907). With an outstanding reputation for reliability, one of the century-old models belonging to Rolls-Royce is in fine working condition and has more than 570,000 miles on the odometer.

1954 Rolls-Royce Phantom IV

The bold lines of the Phantom IV elicit a response from everyone. Of the 18 that were made between 1950 and 1956, 16 are still around today.

1970 Daimler Vanden Plas DS420

The British royalty owns three DS420s. Each was specially commissioned by the Queen—with exclusive upholstery and a lack of chrome around the doors, among other special features.

1947 Daimler DE36 Limousine Landaulette

The 1947 Daimler DE36 was also used by royalty in Afghanistan, Monaco, and Saudi Arabia. Daimler produced this model up until 1953.

1969 Austin Princess Vanden Plas Limousine

Launched in 1947, the Austin Princess is a luxurious version of the Austin/Morris 1300.

1929 Daimler Double-Six 30HP Brougham

Double-Six is the name of the twelve-cylinder engines designed by Daimler—the third-most prestigious British car manufacturer, after Rolls-Royce and Bentley.

Edward VII Town Coach

Named after King Edward VII, the carriage was put in storage during the Second World War before being restored in 1964.

1951 Ford V8 Pilot Shooting Brake

A “shooting brake” is a body style that has become synonymous with the station wagon. It originated as a term for vehicles that were used to carry shooting parties, their equipment, and their trophies.

1953 Land Rover Series 1 State IV

Directly inspired by the Jeep Willys, the Land Rover Series models have legendary strength and durability. In 1992, the British company boasted that 70% of all its vehicles were still on the road.

2002 Land Rover Defender

In 2016, Land Rover stopped production of the Defender. The good news is that the company plans to market a new generation in 2019.

1956 Ford Zephyr Estate

This model was produced from 1952 to 1972 by Ford’s British division. In 1955, The Motor magazine timed the Zephyr at full acceleration—it went from 0 to 60 in 20.2 seconds.

1992 Daimler DS420

Also known as the Daimler Limousine, the DS420 is used nowadays for official events like weddings and funerals.

1937 Daimler 4.5 Liter V32 Shooting Brake

This estate car designed for hunting was equipped with an adjustable suspension system and specially fitted gun racks. The cabin could accommodate up to ten people.

1961 Vauxhall Cresta Friary Estate

Her Majesty doesn’t always need to drive super-luxurious vehicles—the Vauxhall Cresta is proof.

1925 Rolls-Royce 20 hp

The Rolls-Royce 20 hp is an extremely rare collectible model. Only 2,940 were made between 1922 and 1929.

1966 Aston Martin DB6

This car, formerly driven by the Prince of Wales, was converted to run on bioethanol made from wine. Its consumption is a bit outrageous—taking the equivalent of four and a half bottles of wine to go a single mile.

2016 Bentley Bentayga

The Queen received the very first Bentley Bentayga, fresh from the factory. It’s the fastest (with a maximum speed of 187 mph) and most powerful (600 hp produced by its W12 engine) SUV in the world.

1930 Citroën C4

From 1928 to 1932, Citroën sold more than 121,000 of their C4 cars.

1955 Imperial Midget Racer

This small car was a gift for Prince Charles, who was celebrating his seventh birthday in 1955.

Bentley State Limousine

This exclusive Bentley was given to the Queen in 2002 on the occasion of her Golden Jubilee. Only two of these were ever built and they both belong to the British Royal Family. In 2009, they were both converted to run on biofuel.

Land Rover Range Rover Hybrid Landaulet

This Range Rover has a longer wheelbase and a hybrid engine producing 340 hp—seems a little overpowered, until you realize the SUV weighs 5,500 pounds!

2009 Jaguar X-Type Sportwagon

The Queen drives this car when she wants a break from her other ultra-luxury vehicles—in other words, when she wants to get behind the wheel herself!