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Bentley State Limousine : Here Are 9 Facts About The Official Car Of King Charles Worth N18 Billion
Autojosh brings you 9 things to know about the Bentley State limousine, the official car of King Charles III worth N18 billion.
His Royal Majesty King Charles III was officially crowned on May 6th 2023 after ascending the British throne on September 8th 2022, following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, at the age of 96.
King Charles’ coronation was Britain’s first coronation in 70 years. Ascending the throne means he inherited most of the wealth amassed by her late mother, including the Royal fleets.
For official engagements, King Charles, like her late mother, mostly used the customized Bentley State limousines. Below are 9 things to know about the Bentley State limousine.
1) The Bentley State limousines was a gift from Bentley Motors for the late Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of her Golden Jubilee in 2002.
2) Just two were ever made with each costing £10 million (around ₦18.8 billion today), making the Bentley State Limousine the most expensive state car in the world.
3) The 4.4 ton armoured limousine is blast resistance, has sealed air-tight cabin from gas attack and rides on kevlar-reinforced tyres to keep it driving when punctured with bullets.
4) The cars are heavily customized versions of Bentley Arnage Red Label Limousine. It features a high roof which makes it easier for the QUEEN to get out in a suitably dignified manner.
5) The two Bentley State limousines are kept in the Royal Mews, which is the family’s collection of stables near Buckingham Palace.
6) When used to ferry the Queen, the traditional “flying B” on the bonnet is replaced with a mascot of St George slaying the dragon. A lion mascot is used if she is in Scotland.
7) They are always escorted by a selection of marked and unmarked Royal Protection Squad vehicles like Range Rover, along with local police vehicles and motorcycle outriders.
8) Powering it is a twin-turbocharged, 6.75-litre V8 engine. This upgraded engine produces 400-horsepower and 616 lb⋅ft (835 N⋅m) of torque.
9) The Bentley State Limousine isn’t designed to be raced in, so the luxury tank has a maximum speed limited to just 130 mph (209 km/h).
