Bentley State Limousine

Infobox Automobile


name=Bentley State Limousine
manufacturer=Bentley Motors Ltd
production=2002
2 produced
length=Auto in|249
height=Auto in|70
wheelbase=Auto in|154The Bentley State Limousine is an official state car created by Bentley for Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of her Golden Jubilee in 2002.

The vehicle's twin-turbocharged, 6.75-litre V8 Engine has been modified from Bentley's Arnage R version to produce convert|400|hp|abbr=on and Auto ftlbf|616 of torque. Maximum speed is Auto mph|130.

The State Limousine is three feet longer than a standard Bentley Arnage, 10 inches (254 mm) taller, and six inches (152.4 mm) wider. It is equipped with broad suicide doors, called "coach doors" which are hinged at the rear and open almost at a 90 degree angle.

The car has been given an armour-plated cladding, a mine-resistant floor, armoured glassFact|date=October 2007, and a cabin that can be sealed against a gas attack. These security and safety measures hike the car's weight to almost Auto kg|4000, and it rides on run-flat tyres.

Only two of these exclusive luxurious vehicles were ever built to a bespoke design, both for the Queen, making it even rarer than the legendary Rolls-Royce Phantom IV, of which only 18 were built, exclusively for royalty and heads of state.

The Bentley is used only on official engagements and, when the Queen is aboard, is always escorted by a covert police vehicle, usually a black Jaguar XJ or dark green Range Rover. Members of the Queen's entourage including royal protection staff travel in a silver Volkswagen Caravelle T5. For non-official journeys, the Queen will usually be driven in an armoured Daimler Super V8, similar to that used by the Prime Minister. On visits to Balmoral and Sandringham House, as well as in the film, The Queen, she has also been seen at the wheel of a Land Rover Defender.

ee also

* Official state car

External links

* [http://www.rrab.com/bgoldjub.htm#top Bentley State Limousine for H.M. The Queen]
*The Duke of York.org Cars. [ [http://www.thedukeofyork.org/OutPut/Page5022.asp]