1999 Daimler Super V8

First registered on the 27th of April 1999, this wonderful Daimler Super Eight benefits from the supercharged engine in the long-wheelbase chassis, a combination that endows it with other-worldly speed allied to the sort of luxury that few of us will have experienced in our automotive past.

With the vendor for the past two years, it is finished in a glorious dark green with a cream leather interior. Still showing just 67,500 miles, it has a comprehensive maintenance and MOT history as well as the usual book pack and wallet.

Used to tour Ireland not once but twice, it is only being sold because the vendor’s circumstances have changed. However, his loss could be your gain not least because he has sufficient faith in you all to offer it with no reserve so it’s going to sell from the very first bid!

The Daimler’s bodywork says only good things about the life it has lived. With straight flanks, very good alignment, and tight shutlines it still whispers (no Daimler has ever shouted…) reassurance.

The colour is glorious too, only revealing itself as green in the right light, otherwise taking on the same sort of discreet and unobtrusive hue as the very best Savile Row suit.

Barely adorned – let’s face it, a shape this gorgeous doesn’t really need embellishment – the 17-inch alloy wheels are the only thing that even slightly hints at bling.

In great shape, they’re fitted with matching Pirelli P6000 tyres, all of which have good tread. As we will never tire of explaining, our experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you an insight into their attitude towards maintenance.

Aside from the usual stonechips and minor marks, the only blemishes we can see are some crustiness to the rear of the offside sill and both lower rear wheelarches.

Oh, and while the sunroof fits well, it stopped working on the trip over here from Ireland…

As befits a car of the Daimler’s status, all four leather seats are heated with the front ones being electrically adjustable. Cream with a dark brown piping, the headrests are embossed with the Daimler script.

They’re all in great shape with only the lightest of creasing but then you’ll have guessed that already if you’ve peeked at the service history.

The rear seats also have a pair of fold-down picnic tables. They’re in great shape, as is the rest of the extensive wood trim throughout the cabin. The driver’s door card has a few small marks on the cream leather but the other three look to be largely unmarked. The door cards are fitted with high-end Harman/Kardon speakers, too.

The carpets are still in great shape and they’re protected with Daimler-branded lambs’-wool overmats, whose depth of pile can be measured in inches rather than millimetres.

A nice touch is that the original car phones are still in the cubby box. The vendor has never tested them, so can’t say if they are working but their presence adds another authentic touch.

We've noticed that the air conditioning is weak and would benefit from a re-gas in the near future.

The boot is clean and neatly laid out. It’s home to the CD multichanger and battery plus a matching alloy spare wheel shod with a Pirelli P6000 tyre, just like the rest of the wheels.

Apart from the usual sagging headlining, faults seem to be limited to a patinated front armrest/cubby box plus the odd minor mark to some of the cream leather.

Well serviced and maintained over the years to the tune of around £5,000 since 2009, the vendor describes it as “a beautiful car to drive”, adding, with an element of understatement: “it goes very well”. We’ve driven it and can confirm that it drives as we would expect it to.

The engine bay is very clean and is home to the toolkit, which looks to be unused.

The underside looks to be strong but has had the inevitable repairs and some welding to it over the years.

We note that the car sometimes shows the ABS/traction/stability lights on the dash at start-up. The vendor states within a mile or so of driving these soon disappear, presumably after a self test. The vendor drove the car to our auction over 200 miles with a number of stops and reported the lights only showing in the very first mile.

The Daimler’s MOT certificate expires in July 2021. It has no fewer than 19 expired MOT certificates plus a sheaf of invoices and bills to confirm the work that has been done to it over the years.

It also still has its original owner’s handbook, book pack, and wallet - and even a period Daimler pen.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained to a very good standard.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

And please be reassured, we’ve undertaken a full COVID-assessment and put into place strict control measure to enable us to safely facilitate a no-contact, socially distanced viewing that includes disinfection of the vehicle before and after your viewing.

However, if you’d rather not come to see the car in person, please give us a call and we can shoot a personal video of the car honing in on any areas you’d like us to concentrate on.

Or, even better, why not contact us with your mobile number and we can set up a WhatsApp video call? You get to direct us in real-time, giving you a virtual personal viewing experience while maintaining the lockdown. We like to call it ‘The Market’s 2020 Vision’…

The Daimler Super Eight did a brilliant job of balancing the need to bring the company into the 21st century while acknowledging the firm’s rich 20th century heritage. It’s modern and funky and yet dodges the sort of crass faux retro design that plagues modern interpretations of classic designs like the BMW MINI.

It’s also incredibly fast, handles very well, and was one of the world’s most luxurious cars at the time. It’s more reliable than you might think too, especially when it’s serviced by folk who know and understand it.

Which makes our guide price of somewhere between £6,500 and £9,000 look like spectacular value to us, especially as it is being sold with no reserve, so will sell from the very first bid.

Which means that while others might plump for something German - or even take a couple of brave pills and go Bentley - the lucky new owner of this delightful slice of Middle England will be able to waft around knowing they’ve beaten the system in something British and vaguely sensible.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.