The Last of the Aristocrats - The Daimler DS420 

Thank you for this video. My Uncle, Graham Stevens, was one of the team that built the last DS420 in the "Limo shop" at Browns Lane. Shortly before completion, all of those who worked on it signed the support panel that is underneath the rear seat. Unfortunately, he passed away on 11th January, aged 79. His funeral will be on Wednesday 2nd February. This car will be attending his funeral, courtesy of JDHT.

I'm American and saw one of these here back in the 70s and I found it to be a very well made car that seemed more practical , functional and even better looking than the higher end rivals you mentioned. Our Imperials , Cadillacs and Lincoln Continentals were all configured with either folding jump seats or rear facing theater style seats depending on the customer's preference. I can't fathom why the limousine market is drying up in favor of vans and SUVs with spartan interiors and a truck ride, it's really beyond me although the millennial's taste in everything puzzles me.

I drove one as a chauffeur in the West End. Dreadful driving position but an otherwise great machine.

Not quite as down-market as implied - the Queen Mother personally owned four in sequence.

A neighbour (private chauffeur) had one of these in the 1970s, he sometimes gave my sister a lift home from the local ice-rink. Impressed the other teens.

It still looks more imposing than any S-Class. And it‘s really not about a 0-60time

Good video overall. But at 3:44 you state the 420G was otherwise known as the MkX. This is simply incorrect. The 420G was an evolution (ok small iteration) of the MkX and was always a separately named car. Granted not many casual observers of the marque would be able to tell the difference but the 420G was and for the surviving cars, remains a distinct Jaguar product. And even if many people errantly call the 420G a MkX, repeated errors do not change the facts. Yes I once owned a 420G so the different nomenclature is quite important to me and I suspect this is the case with most current and former 420G owners.

Enjoyed this. Don't think it would be £31,800 today though ! £200,000 missing from Phantom too. (A guess). Is Vanden Plas not Plah. Dutch, not French. Still a thumbs up.

Taking into account 2021 prices, the Rolls Royce and Daimler seemed remarkably cheap. A bone stock vw caddy van is around 23k. Another informative and enjoyable video.

Really appreciating your coverage of the history on so many British Leyland era vehicles.

van den Plas . . farn den Plarse . Dutch name not French. Not Plaah . ( yes I know he was Belgian) but a command mistake.

Very early Daimlers did actually use Daimler engines from Cannstatt (Stuttgart) and Gottlieb Daimler was made a director, though he took no part in any executive decisions.

We briefly had one at the MG Rover dealership I used to work at, and I managed to borrow it one weekend on the pretext that a family member was interested in buying it. It was absolutely horrible to drive, but wonderful to be a passenger in. The 'family member' chose not to proceed with the purchase, and I think it ended up going to auction. The funniest thing was that the limousine was part exchanged against a used Ford Scorpio Estate. Funny old world.

3:38 Just to add, the Mk10 (shown) had a 3.8 litre engine whereas the replacement updated version of the Mk10 was known as the 420G with a 4.2 litre engine.

Sort of like the ageless American Checker taxicab, but with pearls.

Dunno - I always thought the Daimler limo was actually rather understatedly classy - whilst the Rolls alternative a bit....vulgar. If you wanted to show off your cash, you'd buy a Roller, but if you wanted to exude class, the Daimler was probably better!

This channel is awesome, and this presenter is so great at speaking. Loves the pictures included with the video too. No suggestions or complaints. Keep up what you're doing, good sir!! : ) Have an excellent weekend!

Daimler's fortunes as limousine builders never really recovered from the present Queen's choice of Rolls Royce. Prior to that all Royal cars had been Daimlers, not least because the patented fluid transmission made them easy to drive smoothly at walking pace in processions.

The DS420 was never a £30K plus car in today's money. The E-Type in 1961 at around £2K was around £40K in today's money

Nice video. I worked in the building (gloriifed big shed) at Browns Lane where Daimler limo assembly moved into from VDP. We were working on a Jag vehicle electrics test system (much needed but not heeded by Jag!) in that same building. Late 79. The limo was an amazing but archaic vehicle. And yes, best known as a hearse or mayors' car. The old Daimler factory - Radford - was the Jag engine factory by then. Only 2 or 3 miles from Browns Lane.

You should put your historical data to the test. Contrary to your inaccurate information, the company bought the right to the use of the Daimler name simultaneously from Gottlieb Daimler and Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft of Cannstatt, Germany.

The embasy of England in Santiago, Chile had 3 of these DS420. One day walking close to my house, in 1990 around, I saw them for auction. I asked minimun price, they told me USD14,000 initial price. When Sheena Easton was here in Chile she was passed on a Daimler of the British embasy during her travel to the Viña del Mar song festival in sumer of 1984. Thank you very much.

One turned up in Casino Royale (2006). M.

Another well researched and very informative piece of work

The “S” in Vandenplas is not silent. It is a Flemish name and an s at the end of a word must be pronounced.

Grandma had a Daimler Jag of some kind in the 70s/80s (maybe a "double six", but I could be mistaken). Big old green bruiser (the car, not granny), which wafted us around Lincolnshire for Sundays out. EDIT: found my dad’s comprehensive car diary. It was a Sovereign, MTL 60M, obtained Jan 27 1975 (they traded an NSU Ro80 in for it). Part-exed for a Renault 5 Auto in 1985 - got £1,013 for it.

Very informative but the browns lane factory was in Coventry not in Birmingham and was the hq of Jaguar for many years

I haven't driven one of these since the late 1970's but I got the impression from the interior switchgear and dashboard I was driving a LWB Jaguar XJ6 wearing a different party frock

Those Docker Daimlers are amazing, do they all still exist? That is worth a bit of a documentary of their own!

When the XJ moved to X351, Daimler should have been kept on the X350 chassis, retaining the traditional shape

1:47 The madness of building cars in Great Britain: Jaguar wanted to build a new factory but couldn't get permission. The Britons did everything to destroy their own car industry.

Vanden 'Plas' correct pronunciation is 'Plass' and NOT 'Plah'! I cannot recall a Rolls Phantom 6 at much below £6000. Around £2000 seems about right for a DS420 around 1969. The Borg Warner type 8 was replaced by the type 12 with possibly a GM unit near the end of production. I can't be sure off the top of my head.

Honestly, I think they should have kept the 420G going as a Daimler and given it and the DS the V12 when it came available… at least an an option for the DS. And maybe done a coupé and convertible version of the G. It would have allowed Daimler to gain some distinction from Jaguar and the V12 would have added more desirability. I really like the DS and am amazed at how long a life it lived. It has some awkward angles to it, but I think it’s lovely overall. I like its unassuming nature. And if that was good enough for several Royal families, who cares that others considered it less than a Rolls or Bentley?

“What’s the best way to get to Buckingham Palace?” = “In a Daimler saloon”.

It's rather sad that it hasn't been used much by the Belgian Royal house, with it mainly and probably most famously used to carry Queen Elisabeth II during King Baudouin of belgium's funeral.

Really like this channel, concise and to the point Do not miss

These DS420s are now available relatively cheaply-usually you can find at least one for less than £10,000. Tread carefully, though!

I regularly drive a 1969 Daimler DS420, beautiful motors, very elegant and lovely to drive. Have a few videos of it on my channel. 👍😎

Of course the English Daimler had a relationship to Gottlieb Daimler. He was even part of the foundation company in 1893.

Your videos about cars are phenomenal. No nonsense, thorough dive into the history, lovely voice. Thanks Keep them coming!

These were and still are a beautiful car and underrated.

Thanks for that mate, brought back alot of memories for me, my Dad was an Australian government driver & used to bring one of those home on a regular basis, mind you our garage was extended by the government to fit it in, Rj in Oz

I disagree with this video, although some of what was stated is correct, these vehicles are marvellous they are comfortable, and drive like a modern car. They should truly be celebrated, they were a far superior car to the Rolls Royce Phantom VI, and the main reason people didn't and don't often have them as a private car is because they are 20ft long, which don't fit in most garages. Unfortunately many have been and are being banger raced, and this needs to stop, to preserve these brilliant machines for the future.

Still a link to Gottlieb Daimler (Wikipedia): “The company bought the right to the use of the Daimler name simultaneously from Gottlieb Daimler and Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft of Cannstatt, Germany.”

If the company was founded in 1896 by H. J. Lawson of Coventry and had no connection to Gottlieb Daimler, why did it use the name "Daimler"? There were in fact earlier companies founded by engineer Frederick Simms that had licensing arrangements with Gottlieb Daimler to produce Daimler engines and later cars, in which Lawson subsequently acquired a majority interest.

Magnificent, dignified and elegant cars. Their value today is not correctly stated by you. I am not sure how you arrived at the figure for 2020, but it is possibly out by a further GBP250,000 (British Pounds) at least. The Docker Family (Chairman Of Daimler) had an enormous influence on the Companies downfall, (if not infact the total downfall) as they cheapened the Daimler image by coating some cars in pure gold stars etc. and even used Zebras skins to the upholsterey. At the time considered to be in extreme "poor taste'" and Sir Bernard Dockers wife acting in public and who was after all, nothing but a cheap social climber, paraded around with the cars without any dignity at all, that to which Daimler had been so held to, and thus the Royal Family (except the Queen Mother) were assisted in their decision to turn to Rolls Royce.) having been loyal to Daimler since inception. The Dockers were eventually thrown out of the Daimler Company, having spent carelessly enormouse amounts of Company money on "cheap gimmicks" to a well respected Brand.Regards John (Australia)

My old man had a Majestic acquired from his pal, an undertaker. Oddly, it wasn't a funeral car, but an ordinary saloon. Boy, could it go, given the chance! The rust got it in the end, a fate of most of them.

I drove the old Daimlers as an undertaker. We had to sell them in the end as parts became difficult to get. The firm replaces our 3 old Daimlers (one hearse) with new V12 stretch jaguars. I saw a Daimler Dart police car in Surrey many years ago.

Fascinating and all my questions answered . Get me to the altar or for that matter the grave on time ! Though it must be said such was the fate of many a white Silver Shadow on a Saturday conveying the blushing bride to the altar . Jaguar might consider reviving the the Daimler brand as Mercedes did with the Maybach .

@Danger Otter: I know that two of the DE36 Docker Daimlers were in the USA about 10 years ago, owned by the same (elderly) owner. He had them restored. Gottlieb Daimler licensed the UK Daimler firm his engine design for use in boats, and allowed them the use of the Daimler name. They quickly pivoted to automobiles, with some early cars having a Gottlieb Daimler engine. The mobile office car shown in the video was a one-of-one show vehicle, later used by Sir William Lyons. The photograph of the drinks cabinet in the rear compartment lacks the jump seats on either side, so it must have been a custom order. There was also a rear video cabinet option, which included a television behind a tambour door. The vast majority of cars did not have these cabinets, and instead had two jump (occasional) seats that would allow 6 people to be seated in the rear compartment. Daimler Hire was a chauffeured limousine service offered by Daimler starting (IIRC) in the 1910's. That division was sold to Avis in the 1970's, who continued to use Daimler DS420's, ordering new ones each year. Their standard configuration included dual zone air conditioning, bonnet flag mount, roll-up windows, rear arm rest radio, and an exterior in either black or maroon. The photograph of the bare shell of the DS420 shown tilting upwards is emerging from a full immersion rust proofing treatment. The early cars did not have this level of rust treatment, and had significant problems with rusting of the rear floor and wheel wells. Cars after approximately 1976 were full immersion, and do not have the rust problems of the early cars. The Daimler trademark was diluted in the USA because of Daimler-Benz's ubiquity post-war. They did import cars into the USA under the Daimler name prior to the DS420, and the DS420 was imported as a Daimler. XJ6-XJ8-XJ12 Daimlers imported into the USA were imported and sold as Jaguar Vanden Plas models. Brining the DS420 and the XJ6 series I/II together in sales literature, the DS420 was known as the "Daimler DS420 with coachwork by Vanden Plas". The rear sill plates stated "Coachwork by Vanden Plas" for most of DS420 production. Interestingly, Jaguar sold the worldwide Vanden Plas trademark to a Chinese company, but exempted the USA (as Jaguar's Vanden Plas trademark is quite valuable there). As noted in the video, the Daimler trademark isn't currently being used, but is still registered.

Way too many of these have ended their days banger racing.

The Daimler Motor Company Limited, was an independent British motor vehicle manufacturer founded in London by H. J. Lawson in 1896, which set up its manufacturing base in Coventry. The company bought the right to the use of the Daimler name simultaneously from Gottlieb Daimler and Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft of Cannstatt, Germany. (Wikipedia)

Tasteful and unpretentious.

Gorgeous car. Of course Howard Hughes would have the most eccentric specification.

Not just temporarily enthused by this video, it was my favourite car as a child. It remains one of them, to-day. It has, now, a resolute dignity; an appearance of a sad, but absolutely detemined air to carry on for as long as possible, in a world now so wholly cheapened as to be irredeemable.

As an American I am unfamiliar with these cars, but through this video I can see the lineage that led to the styling of my next door neighbors 2006 XJ. Thanks for an informative video.

Well, I learned something today. Until now, I had no idea that there was a British car company called Daimler. Like the narrator said, I, like probably so many others, just assumed that anything with the name Daimler attached to it was related in some way to the wider Mercedes family. Even before watching this video though, I had an idea that something was going to diverge from my normal understanding. I looked at the thumbnail and thought to myself - "gosh, that looks an awful lot like an old Jaguar." Now I know why. Beautiful car!

I'm from Gottlieb Daimlers birth town in Germany and was expecting a Mercedes Product i never heard of

I remember the Co op funeral service hearses - looked better than their rivals.

In terms of the quality of the cars I do have to note that on the red car in the first picture, the front right door appears to either be wonky or not shut properly.

Fascinating material. Charming vehicle 😄

Explained that British Daimler was unrelated to German Daimler, but frustratingly omitted origin of British usage of same.

It turned out to be the ideal high end taxi. Peace Charlie 🇬🇧

I think this must be the car featured in the opening scenes of the Eurythmics video “Love is a Stranger” - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-o6f593X6rv8.html

Sadly Jaguar left it too late to update the DS420.. They produced 4 updated prototypes with an injected 4 litre and full electric seats from the XJ40... never went into production..

6:30 I wonder if the toilet had a tank of some kind, or if it was just designed to leave its droppings on the road as the car was being driven, the way trains sometimes do. Enquiring minds must know these things.

Absolutely Beautiful Automobile.

Please make a video on Avro HS 748 .

Stumbled across one of these a few years ago, and couldn't pass on buying it, a LHD version with dual air con as well.

This use to be the presidential limo in my country up until the late 1990s

Great for pax - terrible for chauffeur - I worked the West End. OK on short jobs, but long hours or long drives - terrible, as no driver bench seat rake - constant backache. Rake angle as bad a VW beetle.

These cars really represent the bygone era or gentlemens cruisers….

These were used often for funerals but wow they were fantastic machines.

DAIMLER DS420 in 1968....1826 pounds ?...that cant be right ..3330 pounds for a 1968 RR phantom V1 must also be wrong . After some research a nicely equipped 1968 DS420 would have been around 23,000 pounds and an equivalent RR phantom around 35,000 pounds in 1968.

These rotted for fun and generally needed inner and outer sills and other extensive amounts of welding by the time they were 5 years old. My cousin used to do body repairs for the co-op fleet in Glasgow, and these were the absolute bane of his life.

My car is a 2006 Jaguar S Type. I love it, be cause I feel as driveing a Dainler or Rolls.

Had a Daimler as the hotel car when I worked at the Windsor Court in NOLA. I was given the responsibility to get it running again post Katrina. Could not find anyone to work on it. If you read the handbook, there is a small section that suggests a course of action in the case of a "nuclear incident" (contact the local embassy).

Unfortunately, my most recent memory of one of these car's is a picture of it burning after the horrific Shoreham Airshow Crash

Great video! More obscure 1940’s aircraft next please!

I think this was the oldest British car brand what a shame Daimler is no longer around. Loved the 250 V8.

Sophisticated car..

I drove one of these vehicles in London in 1980/81. Among the smaller cars it was like commanding a battleship through the fleet. Cramped driving position for me (186cm tall, 100kg) but otherwise a delight to drive. Because of its length and power it felt like a powerboat when accelerated firmly with the front rising as the vessel, sorry, car, sped up. Roumor had it that a cerain star of Dynasty had a nookie in one of these cars while being driven through Hyde Park. There is certainly enough room for a small orgy.

I delivered many of these old girls to Funeral Directors in the 80s, I worked for a specialist coachbuilder Startins of Aston. I seem to remember they used a low compression version of the 4.2 XJ6 engine so that it could perform well at slow speeds. They were beautifully made and not terrible to drive. It was fun was to drive the chassis only on a wooden box for those destined to become a funeral car.

Great video as ever, but you got something wrong - Daimler DOES have a connection to Karl Daimler - the company started out by building his products in the UK under license

Never knew Daimler made a MK II, with a 2.5 Litres V8 ! The SP250 is also very unique ! Thanks for another great History Lesson !

Probably the only bespoke classic luxury car left that is relatively affordable. In the mid nineties these these were about the same cost as the old mark 2 Granada Dorchester. Lovely old car, that is still a cut above the rest.

Wonderful old cars......so sad that many fell into disrepair.....or were simply poorly maintained and left to rot away

I insisted on a Daimler 7 seater for my wedding. Because the only other ride you get in a Daimler is when it's a hearse and everyone gets taken to their wedding in a Royce.

H J Lawson bought the company from Frederick Richard Simms who was a friend of Gottlieb Daimler and had acquired the licence to build engines from him originally to build motor launches. So despite of what you are saying Daimler UK is called Daimler because of its connection to Daimler Germany. When Lawson started Daimler Motor Company proper Simms was appointed 'consulting engineer' while being member of the board of directors of the Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft of Cannstadt, Germany.

Keep up the good work! Another great video thanks

I escorted a Chinese delegation around England in one of these in 1986. We all fitted in and it was quite comfortable. Now for some name dropping: We turned up at Blenheim Palace to meet the duke and a gentleman in a sports jacket was on the steps to greet us. I bounded out of the limo to make the introductions: “ Good afternoon your Grace”. He replied: “ I m not the duke, just the estate manager!” I took another look and realized that his jacket was a bit threadbare, not at all fitting for an aristocrat. One of my many faux pas in my career.

Still great to be picked up in one and taken to dinner. We did that for my parent's 50th wedding anniversary.

My memory of these vehicles were of them being used for weddings and funerals but never as a luxury cars. They weren’t the prettiest cars to be honest… you didn’t say why the Daimler name was used when it wasn’t related to the other Daimler company.

Minimal reinvestment and no real product development just cosmetic changes doomed the British carindustry.

Loooooooove this car and the Bentley the Queen uses

I thought BSA sold Daimler to Jaguar for 6m. Daimler once been seen as more prestigious than RR and Bentley

It's not correct to state their was no connection between Daimler and the UK company. Daimler sold his UK and British Empire patents to the company.

Drove one for a dealership in San Francisco in the eighties. It was frightening in that it was huge car that I had to drive in the financial district without a single scratch

I remember reading that in the standard configuration, the driver's compartment was so cramped that the car was not considered roadworthy in Germany. I don't know if and how they ever created some export version to solve this.

Excellent video, well researched except that the Browns Lane factory was in Coventry, not Birmingham.