Whether you’re fully embracing the King’s Coronation or simply enjoying an extra Bank Holiday, some special cars will be the stars at Saturday’s big show.
One of the most impressive, though least powerful, will be the Gold State Coach. Admittedly it’s not a car, but it does have a total of eight horse power (pulling the carriage…) and what it lacks in performance it certainly makes up for in glamour.
Created more than 250 years ago from wood, with a thin layer of gold leaf on top, it is adorned with Roman gods and goddesses. Weighing a hefty four tonnes – similar to a pair of fully-equipped Ranger Rovers – its whopping weight and old age means it can’t go faster than walking pace.
By all accounts, that’s just fine with passengers because it’s not the most comfortable thing to ride in, and there’s no heating.
No such problems for the pair of modern British-built Bentleys that form part of a five-car stable of State cars expected to turn wheels at the weekend. These limousines are worth way more than any Bentley shining in showroom windows, at £10 million each.
With strengthened glass and bodywork, the cabins are also air-tight should there be any sign, or smell, of a gas attack. And, adding to their imperial appeal, these Bentleys don’t need to display registration plates.
Unlikely to be seen on the capital’s streets, however, is the King’s crowd-pleasing 1965 Aston Martin DB6 Volante, which was a gift from his parents for his 21st birthday. Valued at around £1 million, which is roughly double the car’s value for a current non-Royal example, it runs on bioethanol fuel to fit with the King’s environmentally-friendly mindset.
But nothing, surely, can be as organic as that golden horse-drawn carriage that will shine and shimmer its way from Westminster Abbey with the newly-crowned King and Queen Consort on board.
They’ll no doubt be grateful the rock-hard ride will last for just over one mile to Buckingham Palace, as opposed to the 500-mile route to Balmoral, which is hosting its own celebrations in their honour. Have a great day if you’re heading there!
And how about a souvenir to remember the occasion? The most charming one I’ve seen is a 23cm Matchbox model of the State Coach for £60 complete with horses and gold-coloured figurines riding inside (grinning through the pain…).
Happy Coronation Weekend!
