Lot details
Registration No: 74 AXA
Chassis No: 100614
Mot Expiry: None

Daimler's attempts to crack the lucrative US sports car market culminated in the introduction of the SP250 (codenamed `Dart') at the 1959 New York Motor Show. Transatlantic styling was a feature of the ultra-strong GRP bodywork, but the understated interior gave a truly British flavour. Built on a traditional cruciform-braced ladder-frame chassis equipped with independent coil-and-wishbone front suspension and a leaf-sprung 'live' rear axle, it was the SP250's advanced powerplant and strong performance that intrigued the contemporary motoring press. The engine was designed by Edward Turner, and used a combustion chamber design first seen on the Triumph vertical-twin motorcycle engine. With hemispherical combustion chambers, the engine proved powerful for its 2.5 litre size, and makes a glorious noise when driven. The Metropolitan Police used a fleet of Black SP250s as high-speed pursuit cars, and the model is noted for being the last car US racing driver Mark Donohue owned, raced and modified as an unsponsored amateur driver. `A' series variants were only built until 1960, when Jaguar-modified `B' spec cars were released, addressing some complaints to ride quality and door security. Later `C' series cars had a heater as standard. Production lasted until 1964, by which time 2645 examples had been built.

Finished in green with an attractively-coloured chestnut and tan interior, this particular example has been on static display as part of a private Lake District collection for many years. Although reported to have been driven into the collection building under its own power, the Daimler is currently a non-runner and will require re-commissioning prior to road use. Sold strictly as viewed it is accompanied by a green logbook and V5 / V5C Registration Documents.