What's going on here?
Princess Diana's Ford Escort RS Turbo S1 sold for £722,500.
Tell me more
Silverstone Auctions sold the vehicle at their Silverstone Classic sale on Saturday 27th August. The vehicle used by Princess Diana to facilitate her West London social life is believed to be the first and only black RS Turbo against the then current range of all-white cars on sale. A strategic move by the Ford PR Department.
The vehicle was fitted with a regular five-slat front grille to assist in the Royal Protection Unit's efforts to make the vehicle more discrete. Other enhancements included a secondary rear view mirror for the protection officer with a radio in the glove box.
Why should I care?
A famous owner or celebrity linkage for years has been a predictable driver in the valuation of a vehicle. However, this sale is as fascinating for its unpredictability as much as it is for its predictability. Of course, Princess Diana having a linkage to a vehicle has a multiplier on the value - that's predictable. What wasn't predictable was the scale of the multiplier in this instance. So, next time you're considering buying or selling a vehicle with a link to a famous prior custodian keep this sale in mind. You never know, that multiplier might be bigger than you thought.