Princess Diana's last Ford Escort is up for auction

Princess Diana is an icon. Known for her royal pursuits and everything else in between, the People’s Princess was loved all over the world.

But don’t let her elegance fool you, though. This woman has a respectable taste for cars, even owning a slew of luxury sports models fit for the most masculine of men. And yet despite her royal status, Diana had owned three Ford Escorts for her modest daily drive.

The last one of these Ford Escorts was the 1985 Ford Escort RS Turbo Series 1, modified according to the late-princess’ specifications. Even though the Escort had a reputation of being the “people’s performance car,” the late princess owned the best trim there was.

This particular model was built for homologation in Group A racing, featuring a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine housing 130 horses, chassis upgrades, and Recaro seats. As most of the RS Turbo's 8,604-unit production run was painted in white, Diana’s car received a black paint job, and had a five-slat grille, instead of the single slat grille that everyone else had. Still, a very meek upgrade considering the social status the driver had.

Currently, the car is preserved in excellent condition with only 24,961 miles on the odometer. Princess Diana's Ford Escort will be put under the hammer through Silverstone Auctions on Aug. 27, and was reportedly offered with no reserve.

Article by: PAULO CUENTO

Photos sourced from Silverstone Auctions