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princess diana’s treasured audi 80
Audi 80 Convertible 2.3E

By: Charlie Warner Tue, 01 Dec 2020
Car People

Princess Diana’s Treasured - Audi 80

Diana, Princess of Wales, is still a source of fascination to so many people around the world. There’s no doubt she was a glamorous, fascinating and complicated lady, whose legendary status was immortalised in the tragedy of her untimely death in 1997. She was also a well know fast car nut. She previously had a Ford Escort RS Turbo, a Cosworth Ford Sierra, and a Jaguar XJ-SC V12. She caused an uproar in the British Royal family when she bought a Mercedes-Benz SL500 in December 1991.

Having had an embarrassing marriage separation with Prince Charles, Prime Minister John Major announced their divorce in December 1992. Now living as a single mother, in March 1994, she seemed willing to have yet another German car, when she took delivery of an Audi 80 Convertible 2.3E. The car was loaned to her by Dovercourt Audi, the main dealership in London, for her personal use as a family car. She owned the Audi 80 convertible for less than a year, taking delivery in March 1994. Diana used it to ferry the young Princes William and Harry around during their schools summer holidays that year. When Diana returned the vehicle to Dovercourt Audi in late July 1994, it had just 4,000 miles on the clock.

Dovercourt Audi, said they loaned it to her because it promoted their motor cars. It was a fantastic marketing strategy, because, she owned and drove it, at a time soon after she separated from Prince Charles, consequently she was frequently being photographed in it by the paparazzi. Audi later reported that sales of that model had doubled since Diana was seen driving their car. The car is finished in metallic Gomera green paintwork and has its original light beige hide interior. It is an automatic, has an electric roof and windows, sports steering wheel and walnut dashboard. It’s had several owners since Diana and now, still only has 22,000 miles on the clock, and it still has the same number plate L449 TRP.

 

At one point it was sold to political commentator Ian Dale of LBC radio, and has been in a couple of private collections since. It was sold at auction in 2017 for £58,000. It went up for auction again on 19 May 2018 with Historics Auctioneers of Buckinghamshire. Offered with a sound history file including relevant handbooks and manuals, but the car failed to sell at the Brooklands Motor Museum in Weybridge, Surrey. Coincidentally the Royal Wedding of her son, Prince Harry, to Meghan Markle, took place on the same day. The car was re-offered at the Practical Classics show in March 2020, but once again failed to sell.

Registration number: L449 TRP

Chassis number: WAUZZZ8GZRA004422

Simon Langsdale consigned this car.
contact on 07496 556325, or email [email protected]




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