Ford Escort driven by Princess Diana fetches whopping $764,000 at auction

A 1985 Ford Escort RS Turbo S1 car used and driven by Princess Diana in the 1980s has been sold for 650,000 pounds or $764,000 at an auction on Saturday, just days before her 25th death anniversary. Before the sale of the black Ford Escort at the Silverstone Auctions, there was “fierce bidding". The UK-based buyer, whose name has not been disclosed, paid a 12.5% buyer’s premium on top of the selling price, according to the classic car auction house.

The late British Royal was known for driving the Ford Escort RS Turbo Series 1 around Chelsea and Kensington in London, sometimes with Prince William sitting in a special car seat in the back. Diana often liked driving herself around, which meant her bodyguard was relegated to the passenger seat.

Diana drove the Escort from 1985 to 1988 and has been several times photographed with it outside boutique shops in Chelsea and restaurants in Kensington. In fact, she died in a high-speed car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997. Britain and Diana’s admirers worldwide are preparing to mark a quarter century since her death.

While the Ford Escort RS Turbo Series 1 was typically manufactured in white, Diana got it in black to make it stand out. Ford also added special features for her security such as a second rear-view mirror for the protection officer. It even had a grille from the standard model Escort to conceal its added power and value. The car driven by Diana has clocked only under 25,000 miles on it.

Though the Ford Escort was not a luxury vehicle, it was one of the UK's best-selling cars, although the RS Turbo was out of reach of many less wealthy Escort drivers.

Last year, another Ford Escort used and driven by Diana was sold at auction for 52,000 pounds or $61,100.

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