Daimler · 1968–1992

Daimler DS420

The Daimler DS420, also known as the Daimler Limousine, is a limousine made by the Daimler Company between 1968 and 1992. The car was designed for official use and it was popular with chauffeur services, hoteliers and undertakers. It was used as an official state car in many countries. No other limousine model has been delivered to more reigning monarchs than the DS420, and the car is still used by the royal houses of the United Kingdom, Sweden, Denmark, and Luxembourg.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Predecessor: Daimler Majestic Major

All Daimler DS420 data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years →

Origins

The Daimler Company was purchased by Jaguar Cars in 1960, which itself was bought by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) in 1966 and became part of the larger British Leyland conglomerate in 1968. BMC and Jaguar each had their own limousines before merging operations: the Vanden Plas Princess and the Daimler DR450, respectively. Rather than build two competing products, they decided to consolidate limousine production to a single model under the Daimler marque. Most of the engineering of the DS420 would be carried out by Jaguar, the new model to share parts such as the engine, gearbox, and suspension with the Jaguar 420G. Production of the DS420 was announced in June 1968, with the cars being built at the Vanden Plas works in Kingsbury. The short designation DS420 was in accordance with earlier Daimler designations where the first letter stood for Daimler, the second letter was part of an alphabetical sequence (i.e. the predecessor was "DR", thus the successor was "DS"), and "420" referred to the 4.2-litre (260 cu in) displacement of the XK engine.

Description

The DS420 was built on the floorpan of Jaguar's 420G flagship model with the Jaguar wheelbase extended 21 in (533 mm). The front styling was like the contemporary Daimler Sovereign with the traditional Daimler fluted grille and the headlights of the Jaguar 420G. The new limousine also shared the 420G's twin ten-US-gallon (38 L) fuel tanks set in each of the rear wings, each with its own electric SU pump selected by a dashboard-mounted switch. The driver sat on a fixed full-width bench seat in a relatively upright position with no more allowance for the driver's size or shape than 2.75 inches (7 cm) of telescopic adjustment to the column of the low-set steering wheel. The passengers were seated behind a bulkhead with a sliding window that separated them from the driver's compartment. Three of the six passengers sat facing forward on a bench seat over 6 feet (1.8 m) in width, while the other three sat on occasional folding seats. In comparison to a Rolls-Royce Phantom VI, the DS420's wheelbase was 4 inches (10 cm) shorter, its body 12 inches (30 cm) shorter, it was approximately 350 kilograms (770 lb) lighter, and its engine had only about two-thirds the displacement of the Rolls-Royce V8. As such, the Daimler was less expensive than a Rolls-Royce, less than half the price of the long-wheelbase Silver Wraith II.

Production

Originally, the cars were built at the Vanden Plas works in Kingsbury Lane, London, from body shells made by Park Sheet Metal Company, assembling panels supplied by Motor Panels of Coventry, and by Pressed Steel Fisher. Early limousines bore the "Daimler Vanden Plas" designation on tread plates and workshop manuals. The Kingsbury plant was closed in 1979 and production moved to Jaguar in Coventry, where it continued until 1992. The move to Coventry also brought the second and most extensive facelift in the car's life, when larger bumpers and a revised rear number-plate frame were fitted. The previous facelift had occurred in 1972 modernizing the window arrangement for the rear passengers. This involved a change from the previous design's division glass design (split between one vertically sliding portion and one fixed pane) to one single window that could slide up and down. It also addressed the corrosion issue of earlier cars (which was related to the division glass), slightly changed the dimensions of the grille, exterior badge placement, and reduced the amount of woodwork in the interior. The third and final facelift came in 1987, with the change to new, plastic-coated bumpers and minor changes to the interior. This last model, known as the "Mk IV", was produced until 1992, when Jaguar/Daimler ceased production of their last coach-built limousine. The factory also supplied part-bodies to external coach-builders to allow them to construct hearses. Delivered vehicles varied from very basic models, with manually operated windows, to a model—reportedly produced in 1984 for the use of Jaguar boss John Egan—that was outfitted as a mobile boardroom, complete with a TV, computer, printer, and cocktail cabinet. The DS420 had an extensive list of additional options. Private ow

Customers

The Daimler DS420 is widely used among the funeral trade, serving as both the executive car for mourning relatives and the hearse, after customization, for the deceased. The most prominent funeral with a Daimler Limousine and hearse was that of Diana, the Princess of Wales in 1997. Diana's coffin was transported in a 1985 Daimler hearse from RAF Northolt to St. James Palace for a lying in state. Her two sisters followed in a 1992 Daimler Limousine belonging to Elizabeth II. The limousines have also been used to transport representatives of the Monarch worldwide, as well as diplomatic missions in London, including governors of Hong Kong, the High Commissioner of New Zealand, the Governor of Tasmania, and the Governor of Guernsey. A Daimler Limousine still serves the Lieutenant Governor of Jersey. Diplomatic missions that have used the DS420 include Jordan, Oman, Portugal, and Spain. The DS420 was also the choice of other governments who were looking for an appropriate car to transport dignitaries during state visits or for use by their own officials on formal occasions, such governments including those of Australia and New Zealand. The vehicles were also used by hotels that provided them to their guests for transportation. The Regent Hotel in Hong Kong (today known as the InterContinental Hong Kong) had, over the years, no less than 22 in service for its guests.

Royal tradition

Daimler has delivered automobiles to all five monarchs of the United Kingdom since 1901. Prince Philip opened the door to Rolls-Royce with an order for a private car, a Rolls-Royce Phantom IV, which was delivered in 1950 and became part of the official fleet in 1952 when Princess Elizabeth became Queen. Daimler was challenged by the next generation of Rolls–Royce cars, whose Phantom V was more successful, with orders from five reigning monarchs—Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, King Hussein of Jordan, Emperor Hirohito of Japan, Hakim Isa ibn Salman Al Khalifa of Bahrain and Emir Sabbah III of Kuwait—while the Daimler DR450 was delivered to King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand and King Hussein of Jordan. The Daimler Straight Eight (DE36) was a favourite among reigning monarchs, including King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, King Mohammed Zahir of Afghanistan, Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands and Prince Rainier of Monaco. William Lyons launched the Daimler DS420 in the same year as the Rolls-Royce Phantom VI. The new Daimler was to re-establish Daimler supremacy with royal courts, starting with King Frederik IX of Denmark, who would experience the very first Daimler Limousine, a pre-production demonstrator on his visit to London in April 1968 and who later ordered a black production model, delivered in March 1970. After the death of King Frederik IX, this car served his successor Queen Margrethe II, the dowager Queen Ingrid, and Crown Prince Frederik at his 2004 wedding to Crown Princess Mary. In 2008, the Daimler would again serve in the same role at the wedding of Prince Joachim and Princess Marie, whom the Limousine then served subsequently. This first DS420 Limousine delivered to a monarch is still with the Queen's fleet a

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name: Daimler DS420
aka: Daimler Limousine
Manufacturer: The Jaguar Company Limited (Jaguar Cars)
Production: 1968–1992, 4,141 (limousines), & 903 (chassis only)
Class: Luxury car
Body style: Limousine
Engine: 4235 cc Jaguar XK straight-six
Transmission: 3-speed automatic:, • BorgWarner Model 8, • BorgWarner Model 12, • GM Turbo-Hydramatic 400
Length: 574 cm (226 inches)
Width: 197 cm (77.56 inches)
Height: 161 cm (63.39 inches)
Kerb weight: 2133 kg (4702 pounds)
Wheelbase: 358 cm (141 in)
Related: Jaguar Mark X
Predecessor: Daimler DR450 and Vanden Plas Princess limousines
Successor: None
sp: uk
Assembly: United Kingdom: Kingsbury, England (1968–1979), United Kingdom: Coventry, England (from 1979)

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Measured facts from Wikidata (CC0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

Sources

Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1157619CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daimler_DS420CC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1377182887 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Daimler_DS420.jpgPublic domain · Photo: en:User:Abarthaddict, photo uploaded by User:Bravada and modified with GIMP (license plate number removed, brightness/contrast adjusted) · retrieved 2026-10-01
Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.