1948 Daimler DE36 Drop Head Coupe

The Daimler Company of Coventry, England, was a favorite of British royalty, and the company's craftsmen not only built King George VI's State Limousines, but those of his father, George V, and grandfather Edward VII. The DE36 model first appeared in 1946 and was, in fact, much favored by royal families the world over. During its 8-year production run, a mere 205 examples were produced. They featured Britain's last straight-eight production engine. Despite the postwar austerity, a number of very flamboyant DE 36 specials were produced by in-house coachbuilder Hooper & Company at the bequest of Lady Norah Docker, wife of Sir Bernard Docker, the chairman of the parent company. This Hooper-bodied drop-head coupe sports extremely advanced styling for its time.