THE KING’S NEW CAR

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 12826, 22 August 1939, Page 6

THE KING’S NEW CAR

London, July 29 A week or two ago you might have found in a certain Coventry motorcar manufacturer’s delivery ledger the following entry: / “Delivered to His Majesty King George Vl'at Buckingham Palace one Lanctiester standard saloon.” Just below you might have found another Similar entry: “Delivered to John Smith, at New-castle-on-Tyne, one Lanchester standard saloon.” Just a couple of simple ledger entries about two perfectly standard British cars, yet they give an. exact picture of the present popularity of motoring among all classes of the community in Great Britain. * The King’s new car is the 40th to be delivered to Britain’s reigning monarchs since King Edward VII took the first, a 6 h.p. model, in 1899. Nor is the King’s interest in motoring confined to relaxing in the luxurious upholstery of the back seat in a stately Royal car. He is a very keen driver and the first real motoring monarch on the British throne. His grandfather was not so very keen about motoring, because, after all, it was a difficult and nerve-rack-ing sport in those pioneer days when a man with a red flag was supposed to preced the “evid-smelling monster.” , , .) George V appreciated the comfort and convenience of motoring but was never known to drive a car; while the Duke of Windsor, as King Edward VIII, was so fond of air travel that he accepted motoring merely as a convenient means of completing the shorter, cross-country journeys. Whenever the opportunity arises, the King takes the Queen and the Princesses for a run in .his own saloon, - He is a cool-headed driver; he prefers to travel at a moderate pace and to enjoy the passing, scenery. He carefully observes the 30 m.p.h. speed limits in built-up areas and has a friendly wave for the driver who lets him slip through a traffic jam. The King is especially friendly towards any car carrying the Order of the Road badge. He is a keen member of this organisation of motorists who have driven at least 10,000 miles. There is nothing very exceptional about the King’s favourite saloon, but the State cars, of which there are about 40, are very carefully planned and built. They incorporate a fluidflywheel device, which prevents any possibility of the engine “boiling” when the cars have to travel for long distances at a crawl. The fluidflywheel automatically sends the car into neutral when a ( more orthodox model would be grinding along in first gear. When a new Royal car is ordered, drawings of the chassis and coachwork are> submitted to the King for approval. Often His Majesty makes suggestions; more than once he has offered a practical idea to assist the chauffeur. The Royal cars used for the King’s household can be recognised by “finned” radiators, which are now always black, their brass lamps, and the maroon coachwork. The Royal State cars (those used

Britain’s First Motoring Monarch as a Driver

only for State processions) are distinguished by the absence of license plates and registration numbers; but the King’s own private car has a registration number and has to be licensed in the usual way. All the State cars have a particularly high roof to enable the King to wear the tall military and other headdresses for official occasions, and above the centre of the windscreen is a small blue light. This enables the police to recognise the car quickly after dark and so hasten* its progress through congested streets. A special. motor horn, with a distinguishing note, is provided for the same purpose, but so few) policemen have heard it that the chauffeurs now refrain from using it! >

The rear windows are carried back as far as possible so that their Majesties can be seen without having to lean forward, and extra equipment includes adjustable reading lamps, smoking equipment and a complete “secretariat” concealed in the centre armrest so that the King may write while motoring.