Okay, okay – technically, Princess Diana’s 1985 Ford Escort RS Turbo S1 is part of a trio built for the princess and her security detail. But, they’re still unique among all other RS Turbos produced at that time: as part of a compromise between the Royalty Protection Command and Ford’s PR division, they were painted black on the assembly line.
The aim of the deal was to get the Princess out of her not-so-secure Escort Cabriolet convertible, itself a replacement for a meek 79-horsepower Ford Escort Ghia sedan received as a wedding gift from Prince Charles. We can’t ding him too hard: the choice was intended to project sensibility at a time when many Brits were feeling the pinch of austerity. Yet the RS Turbo was seen as the commoners’ sports car, standing in stark contrast to the Rolls-Royces and Daimlers commonly used to shuttle royals around.
Would-be bidders should know Princess Diana’s S1 clocks in at 132 horsepower with 133 pound-feet of torque at 3000 rpm and it is offered from a private collection with just 24,961 miles on the odometer. You’re not going to gap a Tesla Model S Plaid with those numbers, but taken against its dainty 2,000-pound weight, this Escort’s got more than enough zip to leave meddlesome security details in the dust. The live auction, held by Silverstone Auctions, will take place on Saturday, August 27th at 10:30 BST.
For another iconic car coming up for auction, check out Paul Walker’s 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7.