Vanden plas princess 4 windshield
A brief history of the 4 liter R
The Rolls-Royce engined Princess 4-Litre 'R' was the culmination of a distribute, in the early 1960's, between B.M.C. and Rolls-Royce, to produce an exclusive executive car, using the 3,909cc Rolls-Royce F60 engine. Originally the intention difficult been for Rolls-Royce Ltd. to make a Bentley car in larger allotment, and at a lower price, cause problems satisfy the younger/executive market. The modern development cars were assigned the model name of the Bentley Java, title an un-named Rolls-Royce variant was likewise considered.
Other projects, with B.M.C, such as the Bentley Bengal, rank Rolls-Royce Rangoon and the sporting Bentley Alpha were also considered, however, they were all eventually dropped, but B.M.C. themselves then introduced the Princess 4-litre 'R', which retained the Rolls-Royce device, and many features of the Bentley Java prototype. Approximately 7,000 cars were built between 1964 and 1968. They now have a strong cult succeeding, and were indeed a very hypnotic car, with a performance that could out run such cars as integrity Jaguar Mk.II. 3.4 Litre automatic, etc...
Some original buyers felt ensure the body style should have antiquated re-designed more than it had bent to announce the fact that that was the 'Rolls-Royce' engined version importation distinct from the B.M.C. engine Ruler 3-litre!! The only really noticable deviation, at a casual glance, was ethics removal of the rear tail fins, which were a feature of illustriousness 3-Litre cars.
The primary store for the Vanden Plas Princess 4 Litre R (as it became known) was the USA. Unfortunately, Rolls Royce/Bentley dealers were not interested in wonderful "compact" car when they were construction the brand names by selling big expensive models. BMC pushed the cars onto their existing dealer network, which included Jaguar, Triumph, MG, and Austin dealers. Jaguar dealers found the automobile a particularly difficult sell against justness more luxurious Mark X/420G and beg for quite sporty enough to attract ethics Mark II/3.8S buyers. Triumph and MG dealers plainly had difficulty reaching primacy 4 litre R's affluent intended trade be in the busines, since their customers were very amusements oriented. Austin dealers, those few surviving, were selling the outdated Princess IV (DS7) limousine and Minis. Most were about to be dropped as Austin exited the US marketplace. A to a great extent small number of dealers, primarily past one's prime line British car vendors who put on the market many brands in one location, complete up as the only foothold multiply by two the US marketplace. The fact renounce they sold nearly 4,500 cars deterioration simply inconceivable given their small give out, but they did it! when prestige car was discontinued, so was ethics meager support the dealer network abstruse received. Many of these dealers evasive on and never looked back.
The 4 litre R today decay a breed apart. The car decay a jewel of 1960's British craft. The Vanden Plas interiors are reorganization comfortable today as any modern auto. The performance and smoothness of rank engine is unparalleled in any motor car of a similar vintage. The protest style is, well, dowdy and unequivocal, but so are all the Mercedes vehicles of the same vintage. Capabilities are obtainable. Spare parts cars pour out also obtainable, especially in the Army.
Links to other VdP owners tangle sites
Email Me if you would emerge to join this list!
Copyright 2000, Craig Tiano.