Lot details Registration No: 380 XUE Chassis No: VB514484 Mot Expiry: June 2008
Introduced in 1959, the Vanden Plas Princess 3-litre was aimed at the growing owner / driver luxury car market. Flagship of the BMC range, its distinctive Bentley-esque grille was styled in-house by Ronald Fox. Based on the same platform as its Austin A99 and Wolseley 6/99 siblings, it was equipped with independent coil-sprung front suspension and disc / drum brakes. A lively performer (courtesy of the straight-six it shared with the Austin-Healey 3000), its sumptuous leather and burr walnut interior was hand-finished to traditional coachbuilt standards by the Vanden Plas craftsmen at Kingsbury. Benefiting from a longer wheelbase, revised rear suspension, uprated brake servo, more powerful engine (120bhp) and new fascia, the MKII arrived in late 1961.
Finished in pale green with grey leather upholstery and beige carpets, this particular example is described by the vendor as being "very original throughout". Said to have covered less than 65,000 miles from new in the hands of just three owners (the first of whom kept it for thirty years), the 3-litre boasts a stainless exhaust and Kenlowe electric fan. An automatic transmission model, it rides on steel wheels shod with 'VP' initialled hubcaps. Something of a 'timewarp' even down to its 'Princess' badged rocker cover, this well preserved Vanden Plas saloon is offered for sale with various owner's / workshop manuals and MOT certificate valid until June 2008.
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