Princess Diana's Black Ford Escort RS Turbo Sells For $850K, Cited For 'Condition, Rarity, Low Mileage'
Princess Diana's 1985 black Ford Escort RS Turbo sold for about $850,000 on Saturday at the Silverstone auctions, about 60 miles northwest of London.
The car was described as being in incomparable condition and with just 24,961 miles. It also was the "first and only black" version of the car as it was requested by security for discretion. She drove the car from 1985 to 1988, according to a Silverstone release.
"We have sold a number of motorcars that have had a Royal pedigree, but this car ticks every box ... The market adores early Ford RS models," the Silverstone release said.
Silverstone noted that Royal cars sold at auctions are usually more prestigious, but that Princess Diana's car choice reflected her "modest status." Her choice to drive the car has also been described as "very brave."
"When Royal cars come to auction, they're usually Rolls-Royces or Range Rovers so to offer the very best example of the working-class hero's sports hatchback with such provenance is perhaps unique and therefore very exciting," the release said.
"The RS Turbo is a driver's car and the late Diana, Princess of Wales was clearly a fan, and it was a fascinating choice for the daughter of an Earl, mother of the future King and the daughter in law of The Queen to choose," the release added.
Two other cars that belong to Princess Diana were also sold by Silverstone including her 1994 Audi Cabriolet for about $63,400 in 2016, and her first Ford Escort for about $61,000 in 2021.
The buyer of the Escort RS Turbo is from the U.K. The buyer's name has not been released.
The 25th anniversary of Princess Diana's death is on Aug. 31. Diana and her companion Dodi Fayed died in a car crash in Paris while their driver, who also died in the crash, was fleeing the paparazzi.
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