Daimler DR450 Limousine

 1961 to 1968

Manufacturer	The Daimler Company Limited
Production	1961 to 1968
Produced	864 produced
Assembly	Coventry England
Class	luxury car
Body style	4-door 8-passenger limousine
Layout	Front-engine, Rear-wheel-drive
Engine	4.561 litres (278 cu in) V8
Transmission	Borg Warner DG12 automatic
Wheelbase	3,505 mm (138.0 in)
Length	5,740 mm (226.0 in)
Width	1,868 mm (73.5 in)
Height	1,615 mm (63.6 in)
Kerb weight	2,122 kg (4,678 lb)

The Daimler DR450 is a limousine variant of the Majestic Major DQ450 saloon. Produced from 1961 to 1968, it was the last complete car designed by The Daimler Company Limited.

Intended for the carriage trade, as an executive express or as a hire car for those needing something larger than a five-seater saloon, the DR450 was produced in numbers close to those of the Majestic Major saloon on which it was based.

Design and specifications

The chassis was 24.0 in (609.6 mm) longer than for the Majestic Major and the necessarily flat glass of the three side-windows no longer could be let flow with the body-shape. The equally flat-windowed but bulbous Jaguar Mark X was released to the market the same year. The 4,561 cc (278 cubic inch) hemi-head engine pushed the 2¼ tonnes of car and driver to 100 km/h in under 11 seconds, to 100 mph in 37 seconds and provided a top speed of 183 km/h (114 miles per hour), rather better than the much shorter lighter 5-passenger Jaguar Mark X.The distribution of weight: 51% front axle, 49% rear axle.

chassis: massive box-section and cross-braced frame, separate from the all-steel body suspensionfront: Girling type with semi-trailing wishbones and forward facing arms, coil springs, Girling telescopic dampersrear: live axle, half-elliptic leaf springs, Girling telescopic dampers 

Brakes:Dunlop disc brakes vacuum-servo assisted front: 12.5 in (317.5 mm)rear: 12 in (304.8 mm)wheels: 16 in (406.4 mm) pressed steel, 5 studs, rims—5.5 in (139.7 mm) tyres: Dunlop RS5, 700-16 with tubes steering: Hydrosteer power assisted ,steering wheel diameter 18 in (457.2 mm)Steering column: adjustable for reach,headlamps two 50/40 watts and fog lamps

seating, 8-seater Limousine three on the front bench seat, three on the back seat and two on the folding occasional seatsfolding occasional seats have received particular care in shaping for comfort and support. They fold away into their own footwells below the division when not required

Performance

• Engine Capacity 278.31 cu in, 4,561 cu cm
• Fuel Consumption 17.1 m/imp gal, 14.2 m/US gal, 16.5 1 x 100 km
• Max Speed 113 mph, 181.9 km/h
• max power (SAE): 223 hp at 5,500 rpm
• max torque (SAE): 283 1b ft, 39.1 kg m at 3,200 rpm
• max number of engine rpm: 6,000
• specific power: 48.9 hp/l
• power-weight ratio: 20.9 lb/hp, 9.5 kg/hp
• acceleration: standing 1/4 mile 18 sec, 0—50 mph (0—80 km/h) 8.2 sec

A 1966 Daimler DR450 Limousine in The Italian Job Movie from 1969