NEW CARS FOR ROYAL TOUR WORTH £60,000

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22669, 21 June 1948, Page 4

NEW CARS FOR ROYAL TOUR WORTH £60,000

The 18 Daimler and Humber motorcars likely to be used during next year’s Royal Tour of New Zealand represent a retail value of well over £60.000 in the Dominion.

The six big Daimlers are estimated to cost about £6OOO each in New Zealand, the six smaller cars from the same factory are priced at £2280 each retail in the Dominion, and the Hum- * bers, of which six have been offered, are about the same price. The big Daimlers, among the finest and most luxurious motor-cars in the world, cost a buyer in Britain up to £6410 each, including purchase tax of £2290, They are powered by eightcylinder engines, and those coming to New Zealand on order for the Government are two open cars, two landaulettes and two full limousines.

The smaller Daimlers, to be supplied by the manufacturers without charge but with the right of purchase, will probably be 21- litre saloons, and the Humbers. furnished by the makers on the same basis, are ntxury cars of a similar type.

Since the days of King Edward VII, Daimlers have been the first choice of British Royalty. Described in a recent issue of Country Life as “the most expensive and largest car in the world today”, the latest Daimler straight-eight is a complete! v new post-war design. In limousine form it is a huge car, weighing nearly three tons, its motor develops 150 brake horse-power, and its maximum speed is comfortably over 80 miles an hour. The car is 18ft. 6in. long over all, and as tested it did 10J miles to the gallon.