Luxury Cars For Royal Tour Of N.Z.

Chronicle (Levin), 5 November 1948, Page 5

Luxury Cars For Royal Tour Of N.Z.

Received Thtirsray, 7 p.m. LONDON, Nov. 4. * The cars to be used during the Royal tour of New Zealand have been approved by the King and Queen ' at Buckingham Palace. All will be shipped in the Hororata and it is expected they will be unloaded in New Zealand shortly after Christmas, The malcers (Diamlers) are sending their engineer, ' Mr.' R, Crouch, to * 'tTe' Dominion at the beginning of Feb,ruary to instruct drivers and arrange maintenance during the tour. Of twelve cars going to New Zealand, six have bee'rt ordered by the New Zealand Government and will be used for oflicial purposes after the tour. These are all "straight eights," oi litres and 36 horsepa ^r. They are valued in England at jnst over »£4000 each. Two are limousines, two are landaulettes arai two have "all weather" bodies with hoods letting riglit do wn. The remaining six cars are 2i litre saloons worth £1250 in England. They will be used by members- of the Royal staff and have not been ordered by the Government. They are to be sold privately by the makers after the tour.

All six cars to be -used by their Majesties are models of comfort and luxury with powerful engines which can dawdle in processions or aceelerate rapidly to 90 miles houriy. All are in royal blne and black and the limi ousines and landaulettes are upho-lster* 1 ed in grey Bedford cloth with grey sheepskin floor rugs. The drivers' seats are in blne leather. The other two cars are in red plush Bedford cloth and red leather in the front seats. No details for convenience and comfort have been overlooked, The limousines have wireless sets, and the windows and a screen sealing off the driver, operate electrically at the touch of a button. The limousines also have an eleetrically operated panel which slides back to reveal another window in the roof. A hand mirror has been thoughtfully slotted into the Queen 's armrest. These six cars carry a crown painted on a scarlet background which can be lit up at night or erxchanged foi the King's or Queen 's personal coat of arms. There are also short crown-top-ped masts from which the Royal Standard will flutter. The doors are fitted with double seals for protection against dust which makes them slightly more difficult to shut than 6rdinary doors. The engines also have special dust protectccrs and fans and louvres for keeping their temperatures constant during processional driving. The gears are pre-selecting and there are fluid fly-wheel drives. Everything has been provided for down to the last detail— even repTacements of the Royal Standards that may perhaps take the eye of souvenir hunters.