1964 Daimler 2.5 V8 Saloon

Description

With a name as old as the industry itself, Daimler was purchased from the BSA group by Jaguar in 1960 and one of the key assets was Edward Turner's superbly refined and remarkably lightweight 90-degree V8 engine. The 2.5-litre unit produced more power, was smoother and weighed considerably less than Jaguar's own 2.4-litre XK unit. Recognising the potential of Turner's engine, William Lyons and his engineers installed the V8 in the compact Mark II, creating a car with an entirely different character, one endowed with excellent handling and ride and relaxed. Most Daimler 250 V8s came with Borg-Warner's excellent T35 automatic transmission, that, when combined with the V8s power, offered plenty of relaxed performance. With twin SU carburettors, the engine developed 140 horsepower and the Daimler could reach nearly 110 mph. Inside, the Daimler had a lovely coachbuilt feel, with a Walnut veneer dash complete with full instrumentation, a split bench front seat and West of England headlining. Power steering was commonly specified and most Daimlers came with leather upholstery, even after Jaguar switched to the cheaper 'Ambla' material on the Mark II in September 1966. The Daimler 250 proved a very popular addition to the Jaguar range and nearly 18,000 were made before production ceased in 1969 - becoming the most successful car to wear the famous fluted radiator in the process. With the rapid increase in prices of Mark IIs in recent years, the Daimler 250 V8 is something of a bargain in comparison and those in the know will continue to seek out good examples like the car on offer here.