by Charles III loves fast driving and luxurious sports cars. The car collection of the King of Great Britain is rich in interesting and not cheap models, some of which are made especially to his order.
Interestingly, Prince Charles’s first car was not that expensive. In 1968, the 19-year-old heir to the British throne bought an MGC GT. The sports coupe with a three-liter 145-hp six-cylinder engine accelerated to 193 km/h. It is still owned by the royal family and is on display at Sandringham Palace.
On his 21st birthday, Charles received a more serious vehicle as a gift from his mother, Elizabeth II – an Aston Martin DB6 convertible. It was more powerful and faster – thanks to the 282-hp 4.0-liter engine, it reached 230 km/h. Interestingly, triple Formula 1 champion Graham Hill gave the prince sports car driving lessons.
In general, Aston Martin is probably the king’s favorite brand, and he always chose convertibles. In 1985, the Emir of Bahrain gave Charles an Aston Martin V8 Vantage with a 5.3-liter 406-hp V8, capable of reaching 282 km/h.
And in 1994, a custom-made Aston Martin Virage convertible was created for the prince. The standard 354-hp V8 was not enough for him, so they installed a 6.3-liter engine with 462 hp. The suspension was also modified. Prince Charles used the car until 2007, and in 2012 and 2019, it was sold at auctions.
In recent years, the monarch has become an eco-activist and advocates for the reduction of harmful emissions. Therefore, his favorite Aston Martin DB6 has been converted to biofuel (and now its exhaust smells like alcohol, which pleases the king), and for everyday driving in London, he started using an electric Jaguar i-Pace.
However, after being proclaimed king, Charles III still arrived at Buckingham Palace not in an electric car, but in a 1977 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI limousine. The car was built for his mother for her 25th coronation anniversary and is often used by the royal family for various ceremonies.
