View source for Austin Princess

{{For|the 1970s car produced by British Leyland and referred to in certain markets as the "Austin Princess"|Princess (car)}}
{{more citations needed|date=February 2008}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Infobox automobile
| name         = Austin Princess
| image        = Austin Princes III 3995cc registered March 1954.JPG
| caption      = Austin Princess III 3995cc, registered March 1954. This car is not completely representative, having special "bespoke" headlights.
| aka          = Princess (1957–1960)<ref name=aronline>[http://www.aronline.co.uk/blogs/cars/vanden-plas/marques-vanden-plas/ Marques : Vanden Plas, www.aronline.co.uk] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121129042702/http://www.aronline.co.uk/blogs/cars/vanden-plas/marques-vanden-plas/ |date=29 November 2012 }} Retrieved on 13 January 2013</ref><br />Vanden Plas Princess (1960–1968)<ref name=aronline/>
| manufacturer = [[Austin Motor Company|Austin]]/[[Vanden Plas]] ([[British Motor Corporation|BMC]])
| production   = 1947–1968
| predecessor  = [[Austin Twenty#Austin Twenty-eight|Austin 28 Ranelagh]]
| successor    = [[Daimler DS420]]
| class        = [[Full-size]] [[luxury car]]
| body_style   = 4-door saloon<br />4-door [[limousine]]
| layout       = 
| platform     = 
| engine       = 
| transmission = 
| wheelbase    = 
| length       = 
| width        = 
| height       = 
| weight       = 
| related      = [[Austin Sheerline]]
| designer     = 
| sp           = uk
}}

The '''Austin Princess''' is a series of large [[luxury cars]] that were made by [[Austin Motor Company|Austin]] and its subsidiary [[Vanden Plas]] from 1947 to 1968. The cars were also marketed under the Princess and Vanden Plas marque names.

The '''Princess''' name was also used as follows:
* From October 1959, the name Princess was used on a deluxe version of [[Austin Westminster|BMC's full-sized executive cars]] badged as an [[Austin Westminster#A99|Austin Westminster]], [[Vanden Plas Princess]] and [[Wolseley 6/99|Wolseley 6/99-6/110]]
* From October 1962, Princess was used on a deluxe version of the [[BMC ADO16|Austin/Morris 1300]].
* From September 1975, Princess was used as a name for mass-produced family cars in Leyland's [[Princess (car)|1800/2200 former Austin/Morris/Wolseley]] range.<ref>{{cite news | title=Leyland's Princess | newspaper=The Times | date=11 September 1975 | page=27, col A | issue=59498}}</ref>

==Naming==
[[File:Voiture d'apparat Princess de la présidence de Malte.jpg|thumb|State car of the President of Malta]]
The first ''Austin Princess'' A120 was launched in 1947<ref>{{cite news | title=New Austin Cars | newspaper=The Times | date=14 March 1947 | page=6, col G | issue=50709}}</ref> as the most expensive flagship model in the Austin range at the same time as the A110 [[Austin Sheerline]] (designed during the war) which body was built on the same chassis at Longbridge, the A110 produced 10 less horsepower being fitted with a single carburettor. Both cars always had bodies that were massive and heavy in appearance. The Princess (model code A120) featured a body by the coachbuilder [[Vanden Plas]] and was a large [[sedan (car)|saloon]] or [[limousine]]. The car was offered with two distinct interiors. The "DM" or limousine type had a sliding glass partition between the driver and rear passengers plus picnic tables, and the "DS" was the saloon. The saloons were successful as a top-executive car, many Princesses (and Sheerlines, for that matter) were bought for civic ceremonial duties or by hire companies as limousines for hire. The standard saloon weighed almost two tons, was 16&nbsp;ft 9&nbsp;inches long and 6 feet 1¼ inches wide on a 10-foot 1¼-inch (the short) wheelbase.

The Princess model was updated over the years through Mark I (A120), Mark II (A135) and Mark III versions, the largest variation being the introduction of the long-wheelbase version in 1952 with a longer body and seven seats: apart from that the bodywork and running gear hardly changed, nor did the [[Austin D-Series engine|D-Series 4-litre straight-6 engine]]. The radiator was fairly upright in old-fashioned style and the car had separate front wings, but these cars were always more modern in style than the equivalent-sized [[Bentley Mark VI]] or [[Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud]] and, for the saloon, the price was just a little more than two-thirds of the Rolls-Royce.

From August 1957 the Austin part of the badging was dropped so it could be sold by Nuffield dealerships as "Princess". From May 1960, the Vanden Plas name was added in front of "Princess".

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==Austin Princess I, II and III==
{{Infobox automobile
| name         = Austin A120-135 Princess I, II and III
| image        = Austin A135 Princess MkII DS3 front.jpg
| caption      = Austin A135 Princess II (DS3)
| manufacturer = [[Austin Motor Company|Austin]] ([[British Motor Corporation|BMC]])
| production   = {{Plainlist|
*'''Princess 1''': 1947–1950<ref name=austinsheerlineprincess>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20180820234827/http://www.austinsheerlineprincess.org/models.html Sheerline and Princess models, www.austinsheerlineprincess.org]}} Retrieved on 11 March 2013</ref>
*DM2 (SWB limousine): 57 
*DS2 (SWB Saloon): 743

*'''Princess II''': 1950–1953<ref name=austinsheerlineprincess /> 
*DM3 (SWB limo): Unknown
*DS3 (SWB Saloon): Unknown

*'''Princess III''': 1953–1956<ref name=austinsheerlineprincess /> 
*DM5 (SWB limousine): 51
*DS5 (SWB Saloon): 299
}}
| engine       = [[Austin D-Series engine|Austin D-Series 3460cc and 3991cc 6-cylinder]]
| height       = {{convert|70|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}<ref name=Motor1953 />
| width        = {{convert|74|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}<ref name=Motor1953 />
| length       = {{convert|215|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}(long-wheelbase)<ref name=Motor1953 />
| wheelbase    = {{convert|132|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}(long-wheelbase)<ref name=Motor1953 />
}}
In 1947, Austin produced two virtually identical chassis, one for the A110 (later A125 Sheerline, built entirely by Austin at their [[Longbridge plant|Longbridge factory]]) and the A120 (later A135) chassis used by Vanden Plas to produce the Princess at their [[Kingsbury, London|Kingsbury]] works (North London). Although Vanden Plas was by now wholly owned by Austin and much of the running gear and instrumentation was the same in the two cars, the Princess was the Austin flagship, with a higher specification leather, wool and [[Juglans|burr walnut]] interior.

The original Princess was powered by a 3.5-litre straight-six engine. This was enlarged to a 4.0-litre unit without further modifications. The Princess was often built to order. Customers could specify the colour required and a range of different setups were available. These included triple or single carburettors and twin or single exhaust systems. Whilst the sportier multiple carb version performed better, it achieved only 12 to 14 mpg. The single carburettor version gave slightly better fuel consumption. Performance was good for a car of its size, with a top speed of {{convert|90|mph|abbr=on}} and acceleration from 0 to 60&nbsp;mph in 20 seconds. In 1950, the Limousine version was introduced. The chassis length and passenger area were enlarged to enable a pair of drop down seats to be mounted on the rear of the front seats and a glass division was standard.

These early cars are now extremely rare, especially the saloon versions. Many of the saloons were converted for use as taxis in the late 1950s, fitted with [[Perkins Engines|Perkins]] diesel engines for better economy. The 3993cc 6-cylinder engine was also fitted, as a petrol option seldom taken up, to the Austin and Morris normal-control (i.e. "bonneted") WEK and WFK commercial vehicles.

During the life of this model (in 1952), Austin became part of the [[British Motor Corporation]] (BMC).<gallery widths="220" heights="140">
File:Austin Princess DS3 (1951) - 53212842866.jpg|Austin A135 Princess II (DS3)
File:Austin Princess DS3 (1951) - 53211958867.jpg|Austin A135 Princess II (DS3) interior
</gallery>{{clear}}

==Austin Princess IV and Princess IV==
[[File:VandenPlas Princess (17606863128).jpg|thumb|Princess IV rear view|left]]{{Infobox automobile
| name = Austin Princess IV (1956–57) <br /> Princess IV (1957–1959)
| image =Princess_IV_3995cc,_April_1958.jpg
| caption = 1958 Princess IV
| manufacturer = [[Vanden Plas]] ([[British Motor Corporation|BMC]])
| aka = 
| production = {{Plainlist|
*1956–1959
* DS7 Saloon: 175
*DM7 Limousine: 24
}}
| model_years = 
| assembly = 
| predecessor = Princess 125 and 135
| successor = none
| class = [[Full-size]] [[luxury car]]<ref name=TT54375/>
| body_style = 4-door saloon<ref name=TT54375/>
| layout = 
| platform = 
| engine = [[Austin D-Series engine|Austin D-Series 3991cc 6-cylinder]]
| transmission = 4-speed automatic<ref name=TT54375/>
| wheelbase = {{convert|121+3/4|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}<ref name=TT54375/>
| length = {{convert|201|in|m|2|abbr=on}}<ref name=TT54375/>
| width = {{convert|73+3/4|in|m|2|abbr=on}}<ref name=TT54375/>
| height =  {{convert|65+3/4|in|m|2|abbr=on}}<ref name=TT54375/>
| weight = 39¾ Cwt {{convert|4452|-|4452|lb|kg|abbr=on}}<ref name=TT54375/>
| related = 
| designer = 
| sp = uk
}}
The Austin Princess IV was introduced in 1956.<ref name=na>{{cite news | title=New Austin Model | newspaper=The Times | date=3 October 1956 | page=5, col F | issue=53652}}</ref>  Offered in Saloon (DS7) and Touring Limousine (DM7) models,<ref>{{cite news | title=Advertisement for the Austin Princess IV | newspaper=The Illustrated London News | date=9 March 1957 | page=2}}</ref> this replacement for the former Sheerline and A135 only stayed in the catalogue until 1959; 199 were built.<ref>Michael Sedgwick & Mark Gillies, A-Z of Cars 1945–1970, page 26</ref>

The engine was the [[Austin D-Series engine|Austin D-Series straight six]] with redesigned cylinder head and was fitted with twin [[SU carburettor|SU]] HD6 carburettors. The power output was 150 bhp. A [[Hydramatic|GM Hydramatic]] automatic gearbox and [[Girling Brakes|Girling]] power-assisted steering were fitted as standard.

The luxurious interior now featured redesigned dashboard with instruments directly in front of the driver rather than in the centre.

The last A135 Mark 3 had been priced at five times the price of an [[Austin A30]]. The new IV had to be priced at 6.5 times the price of an Austin A30, at which price there was almost no demand. The name was shortened in August 1957 when the car lost its "Austin" designation, now being branded simply as the Princess IV<ref>{{cite news | title=London Motor Show | newspaper=The Times | date=15 October 1957 | page=17 | issue=53972}}</ref> so it might be sold by either [[Morris Motors|Morris]] or Austin dealers. ''The Times'' tested the Princess IV and reported on it at some length in early February 1959.<ref name=TT54375>{{cite news | title=Power And Control Of The Princess | newspaper=The Times | date=3 February 1959 | page=5 | issue=54375}}</ref>

The Princess IV was discontinued in 1959 and replaced in the catalogue by a much smaller model, an upgraded [[Austin Westminster#A99|Austin Westminster]] ([[Pininfarina]]-designed Vanden Plas Princess see below), which retailed at little more than 40 per cent of the Mark IV's price.

An Austin Princess IV was road tested by ''[[Autocar (magazine)|The Autocar]]'' magazine on 3 October 1958, as No.1703 in the series. The engine was rated at 150&nbsp;bhp (gross) and it returned a maximum speed of 98.7&nbsp;mph, under the test conditions prevailing.
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==Austin Princess, Princess and Vanden Plas Princess Long Wheelbase Limousine (or Saloon)==
{{Infobox automobile
| name         = Austin Princess<br />Princess<br />Vanden Plas Princess
| image        = Vanden Plas Princess Limousine (ca 1965).jpg
| production   = {{Plainlist|
*1952–1968<ref name=austinsheerlineprincess/>
*DM4 Limousine: 3,238
*DM4 Landaulette: 18
*DS6 Saloon: 88
}}
| engine       = [[Austin D-Series engine|Austin D-Series]] 3991cc 6-cylinder
|related      = [[Austin Sheerline]]
|successor    = [[Daimler DS420]]
| height       = {{convert|70|in|m|2|abbr=on}}<ref name=Motor1962/>
| width        = {{convert|73|in|m|2|abbr=on}}<ref name=Motor1962/>
| length       = {{convert|215|in|m|2|abbr=on}} long-wheelbase<ref name=Motor1962/>
| wheelbase    = {{convert|132|in|m|2|abbr=on}} long-wheelbase<ref name=Motor1962/>
}}

The Austin A135 Princess Long Wheelbase Saloon (DS6) and Limousine (DM4) were introduced in 1952.<ref name=austinsheerlineprincess/> The [[Hydramatic|GM Hydramatic]] 4-speed automatic transmission and [[Hydrosteer]] power steering from Princess IV were fitted from 1956 as options.<ref name=Robson>Graham Robson, The Cars of BMC, page 131</ref> The marque name was changed from Austin to Princess in August 1957,<ref name=Robson/> and then to Vanden Plas<ref name=Robson/> from July 1960.<ref>{{cite news | title=Princess Models | newspaper=The Times | date=12 July 1960 | page=7, col F | issue=54821}}</ref> The long wheelbase models continued to be built by hand in limited numbers as the '''Vanden Plas Princess 4-litre Limousine''', until 1968. All now being parts of British Leyland, the Jaguar Mark X-based [[Daimler DS420]] was initially produced at the Vanden Plas works in Kingsbury, North London then replaced the Vanden Plas Princess within the new, slightly rationalised range. This had been foreseen in 1966 when [[British Motor Holdings]] (BMH) had brought [[British Motor Corporation|BMC]] and Jaguar together, and stopped development at Vanden Plas of the potential successor car. The limousine was luxuriously appointed with much polished wood, optional [[mohair]] rugs and radio with controls in the armrest. Among the long list of available extras were monograms and a flagstaff. The driving compartment was separated from the rear of the car by a division with an optional telephone for the passengers to communicate with the driver. The driving seat was finished in leather and the rear seats were usually trimmed in 'West of England' cloth, the usual arrangement on many luxury cars of the time. Though not as durable as leather, cloth was considered kinder to passengers' clothes. To increase seating capacity two occasional seats could be folded out of the floor.{{Citation needed|date=July 2016}}

The car had [[Independent suspension|independent coil suspension]] at the front with semi elliptic [[leaf spring]]s and [[anti-roll bar]] at the rear. The cam and peg type steering gear had optional power assistance.

An Austin A135 Princess Long-wheelbase Limousine tested by ''[[The Motor (magazine)|The Motor]]'' magazine in 1953 had a top speed of {{convert|79|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} and could accelerate from 0-{{convert|60|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} in 23.3 seconds. A fuel consumption of {{convert|15.1|mpgimp|L/100 km mpgus}} was recorded. The test car cost £2480 including taxes.<ref name=Motor1953>{{cite magazine |title = The Austin A135 Princess Long-wheelbase Limousine Road Test|magazine=[[The Motor (magazine)|The Motor]]| date = 29 July 1953}}</ref>

An automatic Limousine was tested by the British magazine ''The Motor'' in 1962 and had a top speed of {{convert|86.2|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} and could accelerate from 0-{{convert|60|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} in 23.5 seconds. A fuel consumption of {{convert|15.8|mpgimp|L/100 km mpgus}} was recorded. The test car cost £3,473 including taxes.<ref name=Motor1962>{{cite magazine |title = The Vanden Plas 4-Litre Princess Limousine|magazine=[[The Motor (magazine)|The Motor]]| date = 11 April 1962}}</ref>

==Popular culture==
At the height of [[Beatlemania]], Austin Princess limousines were the Beatles' preferred mode of transport. According to their chauffeur/roadie, [[Mal Evans]], the Princess was chosen because the wide coach doors opened allowing the Beatles to dive into the car to escape crowds of fans.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LDUuIm74pdMC&dq=Beatles+Austin+princess&pg=PA230 | title=The Beatles }}</ref>

[[John Lennon]] owned a 1956 Austin Princess Hearse which he bought secondhand from a mortuary in 1971 to use as his personal limousine for a few years. The hearse was famously used by Lennon and [[Yoko Ono]] in the 1972 promotional film ''[[Imagine (1972 film)|Imagine]]'' that accompanied [[Imagine (John Lennon album)|the album]]. Shortly after filming he customized the hearse by adding five airline seats in the rear of the hearse, (complete with ashtray arms).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cline |first=Amanda |date=2021-11-13 |title=The Beatles' John Lennon Had a 1956 Austin Princess Hearse With Airline Seats |url=https://www.motorbiscuit.com/the-beatles-john-lennon-1956-austin-princess-hearse-airline-seats/ |access-date=2023-11-22 |website=MotorBiscuit |language=en-US}}</ref>

A 1964 Austin Princess was used during the state funeral of [[Winston Churchill]], carrying his coffin through London from Festival Pier to Waterloo Station. The hearse survives and has been restored and put back into funeral service.<ref>{{Cite news |last=McGrail |first=Ben |date=2022-08-22 |title=Winston Churchill's hearse has been restored and is now available for funerals |url=https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2022-08-22/winston-churchills-hearse-has-been-restored-and-is-now-available-for-funerals |access-date=2024-10-22 |work=[[itv.com]]}}</ref>

On March 20, 1974, [[Princess Anne]] was returning to Buckingham Palace from a film premiere in a 1969 Austin Vanden Plas Princess Limousine when a lone gunman attempted to kidnap her. Several shots were fired into the car causing the Princess' bodyguard and chauffeur to both be shot and injured, but Princess Anne was fortunately unharmed despite being manhandled by the assailant. (This particular Austin Vanden Plas Princess was one of the last Princess limousines to roll off the production line in 1969 and delivered to the Royal Mews in 1972. As they went out of production, two were put aside for the use of junior members of the Royal Family for official engagements.)<ref>{{Cite news |last=Shuster |first=Alvin |date=1974-03-21 |title=Princess Anne and Her Husband Escape Kidnapping Attempt as Car Is Fired On |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/03/21/archives/princess-anne-and-her-husband-escape-kidnapping-attempt-as-car-is.html |access-date=2023-11-22 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

<gallery widths="175px" heights="150px">
Sandringham Princess, Sandringham Museum - Norfolk. (6143755343).jpg|1969 Princess at [[Sandringham House]]
1969 Vanden Plas Princess Royal Limousine Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon.jpg|1969 Princess at the [[British Motor Museum]]
Stoffelijk overschot van prinses Wilhelmina overgebracht, de lijkwagen verlaat d, Bestanddeelnr 914-5734.jpg|Funeral of [[Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands]] 1962
Vanden-Plas_Princess_DM4_Motorhome_front.jpg|Princess DM4 motorhome conversion
</gallery>
{{clear}}

==Vanden Plas Princess 1100/1275/1300==
{{Main|BMC ADO16}}

The Vanden Plas Princess 1100 was launched in 1963 as a luxury variant of the [[BMC ADO16]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Adams |first=Keith |date=2011-07-18 |title=Gallery : BMC 1100/1300 timeline |url=https://www.aronline.co.uk/cars/bmc/1100-1300/gallery-bmc-11001300-timeline/ |access-date=2023-11-22 |website=AROnline |language=en-gb}}</ref> Production of the Princess 1100 and subsequent 1275 and 1300 models ended in 1974<ref name=aronline/> with 43,741 examples produced.<ref>Michael Sedgwick & Mark Gillies, A-Z of Cars 1945–1970, page 211</ref>

<gallery widths="175px" heights="150px">
Vanden Plas 1100 Princess 1966 - Flickr - mick - Lumix.jpg|Vanden Plas Princess 1100
Arklow, Co Wicklow - Ireland (4572826504).jpg|Vanden Plas Princess 1300
</gallery>
{{Clear}}

==Princess (ADO71)==
{{unreferenced section|date=August 2015}}
{{Main|Princess (car)}}
[[File:British Leyland Princess HL 1979.jpg|thumb|Princess 2 HL of 1979]]
The final use of the "Princess" name was for the [[Princess (car)|Princess 1800 / 2200 of 1975–78 and the Princess 2 1700 / 2000 / 2200]] of 1978–81. This was not badged as an Austin on the home market (although it was badged as such in [[New Zealand]]), but was sometimes confused with one because for the first year of its life it was marketed (variously) as the Austin, [[Morris Motors|Morris]], and [[Wolseley Motors|Wolseley]] 18–22 Series. It was succeeded by the [[Austin Ambassador]] in 1982 and thus marked the end of the Princess marque, although the Vanden Plas name continued as the most luxurious trim level in the [[Rover SD1]] range.<ref>{{Cite web |title=British Leyland Princess development story – the wedge that failed to fly |url=https://www.aronline.co.uk/cars/austin-morris/princess/ |access-date=2023-11-22 |website=AROnline |language=en-gb}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://www.motorbase.com/profiles/vehicle/picture.php?i=288&p=751340342 1958 Austin Princess IV Saloon] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018180602/http://www.motorbase.com/profiles/vehicle/picture.php?i=288&p=751340342 |date=18 October 2012 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110910050604/http://www.austinmemories.com/page8/page35/page35.html Photos of earlier production]

{{British Motor Corporation cars, 1952-1966}}
{{British Motor Holdings and British Leyland cars, 1966-1986}}

[[Category:Austin vehicles|Princess]]
[[Category:Cars introduced in 1947]]
[[Category:Cars discontinued in 1968]]
[[Category:Limousines]]
[[Category:Rear-wheel-drive vehicles]]
[[Category:Front-wheel-drive vehicles]]