Daimler (pronounced Dame-ler) has, since 1896, been the motor car marque of the British Daimler Motor Company, based in Coventry. The company was a subsidiary of BSA from 1910 up until 1960, when it became part of Jaguar and the brand was used for their luxury models. It is now a subsidiary of the Premier Automotive Group, making it part of Ford. As of 2006, its production is limited to only one model, the Daimler Super Eight.
The Jaguar XJ is a luxury saloon sold under the British Jaguar luxury marque. The XJ was launched in 1968 and has served as the Jaguar flagship model for most of its production span which continues through to today. It was the last Jaguar saloon to have had the input of Sir William Lyons, the company's founder. single 2-door XJ covertible was built in 1996 to commemorate Daimler's centenary. The concept car, called the Daimler Corsica, is based on the Daimler Double-Six saloon and can seat four. The prototype, which lacked an engine, had all the luxury features of an XJ saloon, but a shorter wheelbase.
It is painted in a now-discontinued color called "Seafrost." The Daimler Corsica was named after the 1931 Daimler Double-Six Corsica. The concept was a one-off, and was never intended for production. The car has made a limited number of appearances at car shows and events since 1996. It has most recently appeared at the Belfast Sports Car Show in January 2004. The Daimler Corsica prototype is owned by the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust, who have recently commissioned the work required to complete the prototype as a fully functional road-legal car. It is on display at their museum at Browns Lane in Coventry, England. The car was recently displayed at Harewood House as part of the Jaguar Enthusiasts' Club show.
In 1960, the Daimler name was acquired by Jaguar Cars. William Lyons was looking to expand manufacture, and wanted the manufacturing facilities, but then had to decide what to do with the existing Daimler vehicles. The Daimler Majestic Major and the sporty Dart, already in production, were continued for a number of years, using the Daimler V8 engine. In 1961 Daimler introduced the DR450 , a limousine version of its Majestic Major with a longer chassis and bodyshell and higher roofline. It continued in production until the DS420 arrived in 1968, by which time it had sold almost as many as the "Major" saloon. These were the last Daimler-badge cars not designed by Jaguar.
The Daimler was a popular British police car in the 1960s and was featured in British films and TV series of that era. The Beatles rented and drove a Daimler motorhome during their first Canadian tour. A Daimler Sovereign Series 3 was driven by character Arthur Daley in the popular 1980s television series Minder. A green Daimler SP250 'Dart' was used in the ITV Series Heartbeat in 2005. A Daimler Limousine was the Queen Mother’s favorite car and as befitted her position, was typically the car immediately following Her Majesty the Queen’s Rolls Royce, during official events. The funeral of Princess Diana featured a convoy of Daimler DS420 hearses and limousines. A Daimler hearse was used for the Queen Mother’s funeral.
The Queen's own car for personal use is a 2002 Daimler V8 Supercharged (based on the MkII XJ). A vintage Daimler Motor Wagon from 1886 is driveable in Gran Turismo 4.
