Jaguar revives Daimler badge

Luxury marque returns as the Super Eight

By PH Staff / Wednesday, 27 July 2005 / Loading comments

Daimler Super Eight

Daimler returns to the new car showroom this autumn with an all-new model, the Super Eight -- brought back according to Jaguar by demand from those loyal to the brand.

Trading on its heritage and reputation for luxury, the Daimler goes large on interior accoutrements. Claimed to have the longest wheelbase in its segment, the Daimler offers rear-seat passengers over 39 inches of legroom in the back plus powered reclining rear seats with four-way lumbar adjustment. Rear seat passengers can even move the front passenger seat forward using controls in the rear cabin. Just hope the driver is alert to this possibility.

Other luxury touches include lamb’s wool rugs and embroidered head-rests -- plus a bunch of technology of course. They include voice-activated four-zone climate control, fold-down business trays stored in the front seat-backs for laptops -- a convenient auxiliary socket is provided for sir (and it's more likely to be a sir, one imagines). Optional display screens in the front seat head-rests allow backseat passengers to watch television through the multi-media system that can also connect to iPod and MP3 players, DVD machines and computer game consoles.

For the driver, technology and comfort are also on hand in the form of multi-directional powered seats with heating and memory function, along with a reach and rake adjustable steering wheel and electrically adjustable pedals.

A simple and clear touch-screen control system allows the driver or front-seat passenger to programme the satellite-navigation system, four-zone climate control, telephone and audio system.

Interior finishes include three choices of soft-grain leathers in Champagne, Ivory or Charcoal. Classic Burr Walnut veneer inlay completes the gent's club look and feel.

Exterior

Behind the characteristic grille sits the same 4.2 litre supercharged V8 that Jaguar uses in the XJR. It delivers 400bhp at 6,100rpm and 408lb-ft of torque at 3,500rpm, and the performance of zero to 60mph in 5.0 seconds is also identical to the XJR.

Apart from the grille, 18-inch Rapier alloy wheels, chrome dressing to the wing mirrors and rear-light surrounds, and choice of two body colours that are unique to the Daimler – Garnet, a metallic burgundy, and Westminster Blue, the rest of the lightweight aluminium body is identical to the XJR.

The car goes on sale in November.

Daimler's history

Now owned by Jaguar, the Daimler Motor Company was formed in 1896 after the German-born British engineer Fredrick Simms had established an earlier agreement to sell Gottlieb Daimler’s engine technology in Britain. With funding from motor financier HJ Lawson, the first British-built Daimlers appeared in 1897 and were hugely popular – 89 were sold in the first year of production to customers amazed by a series of endurance trials, including Henry Sturmey’s run from John O’Groat’s to Land’s End.

Early Daimler owners included John Scott-Montagu, a Member of Parliament and enthusiastic motorist. He was the father of Lord Montagu of Beaulieu who established the National Motor Museum in his memory. When Montagu ran his four-cylinder Daimler in the 1899 Paris-Ostend road race with co-driver Charles Rolls, they became the first British drivers in motoring history to enter one of the famous long-distance races.

It was Montagu who introduced Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII), to the Daimler name in 1900. And in so doing he cemented a relationship with the British royal family that would extend for over a century.

The Second World War saw Daimler’s attentions diverted by the war effort – between 1939 and 1945 they built nearly 10,000 4x4 Scout Cars and 50,000 Bristol aero engines. But following the conflict attention returned to construction of the DE36, at the time the world’s largest production car, so designed because its chassis was the only one capable of supporting the enormous coach built bodies ordered by heads of state.

In 1960, Daimler was bought by Jaguar Cars.

Who will buy it?

Traditionally, Daimler has appealed to customers from the United Kingdom and mainland European countries such as Switzerland, Italy, Holland, Belgium and France. However, the burgeoning Far East market is also expected to show considerable interest in the new Daimler.

"In the past we’ve had very great success with previous Daimlers in countries like Switzerland," said Jaguar's marketing man Stephen Perrin. "But we also have a large following in countries such as Thailand, Malaysia and Japan. Just as in Great Britain, many royal families and political dignitaries in the Far East have traditionally used Daimlers and we expect this new model to appeal to them in much the same way as the previous generation did. We don’t expect to sell thousands of cars annually – but that is not the point of Daimler. We know there is latent demand out there and will sell them on an individual basis to Daimler enthusiasts looking for renowned British engineering and craftsmanship tailored to a name that is as distinguished as our customer base itself."