Princess Diana's unique Ford Escort sells at auction

Classic car specialist Arwel Richards said there was 'fierce bidding' for the car

The 1985 Ford Escort RS Turbo previously owned by Diana, Princess of Wales. PA

A car used by Diana, Princess of Wales has sold for £650,000 ($766,000) at auction.

The one-of-a-kind black Ford Escort RS Turbo, driven by Diana from August 23, 1985, to May 1, 1988, sold to a UK buyer at the Silverstone Auctions sale on Saturday.

In June 2021, another Ford Escort used by Diana sold at auction for £52,000.

The Escort was sold in the days leading up to the 25th anniversary of her death in a car crash in Paris in 1997.

Arwel Richards, classic car specialist at Silverstone Auctions, said it was “an incredible result” with “fierce bidding” and a packed room.

“The car exceeded all expectations,” he said. It was a “top 10 world record for its type”.

“The selling price of £650,000 plus 12.5 per cent buyer's premium shows that a unique Ford can sell for supercar money,” Mr Richards said. Including the buyer's premium, the buyer paid £730,000 in total.

Diana was photographed with the RS Turbo Series 1 outside the boutique shops of Chelsea and the restaurants of Kensington.

But she preferred to drive her own car and had a member of the Royalty Protection Command (SO14) in the passenger seat.

The car is believed to be unique as the first and only black RS Turbo Series 1, as agreed by S014 and the Ford PR department for reasons of discretion, instead of the only-white manufactured model.

The Ford factory's special vehicle engineering department was tasked to supply the car and it fitted a regular five-slat front grille to assist in the makeover.

There was also a secondary rear-view mirror for the protection officer with a radio in the glove box, with the cable still visible. The car has just 24,961 miles on the clock.