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HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN’S STATE LIMOUSINE

A ROYAL COMMISSION

Built to honour the Her Majesty the Queen’s first fifty years on the throne, this one-off Bentley luxury car was created with input from the Duke of Edinburgh, Her Majesty's Head Chauffeur and Her Majesty herself, and it was used for official engagements for more than two decades.

DESIGNED FOR ROYAL DUTIES

For many people, a glimpse of a Royal car slowly driving past may have been their only opportunity to see the Queen as she acknowledged the crowds that greeted her.   For this reason, her car was designed around a ‘panoramic glasshouse’ concept, to offer greater visibility from the outside. That means that as well as being more than 80 cm longer than the production Bentley Arnage on which it is based, it is also wider and higher – high enough, in fact, for Her Majesty to literally walk in and out of the car without the need to stoop. The doors are hinged at the rear and open to a ninety-degree angle, making this even easier.

Further bespoke features include a mount point on the roof to allow for an illuminated coat-of-arms and a pennant, while flashing blue lights are fitted inside the radiator grille and on the front bumper, for occasions when the car needs to move quickly through traffic.
  

THE PINNACLE OF CRAFTSMANSHIP

It was critical that Her Majesty be comfortable in the car for long periods of time.   A monocoque construction was therefore chosen, allowing the transmission tunnel to run underneath the cabin, for a flatter floor.

The rear seat position was determined using a model of the exactly the same height as the Queen, while handbag stowage was designed around the dimensions of the Queen’s favourite bags.

British textile manufacturer Hield Brothers produced the lambswool cloth used for the upholstery of the rear seats, with all remaining upholstery rendered in Bentley’s light grey Connolly hide. The carpets, meanwhile, are pale blue in the rear and dark blue in the front.
  

PROTECTED FROM ALL EVENTUALITIES

As a head of state, Her Majesty had to be protected at all times from the threat of attack, however unlikely it may have seemed. To that end, all of the car’s bodywork and glass has been specially strengthened. The cabin is blast-resistant and it can be sealed air-tight in the case of a gas attack. Even the tyres are reinforced with Kevlar, to ensure it can still be driven at speed in an emergency situation.

Mulliner has created cars with armour to protect their occupants on numerous occasions. To enquire about a coachbuilt car with protective features like this, please contact us directly on +44 (0) 1270 653 653.