Daimler Double Six Series 2 Vanden Plas.
Plushest of all the Series 2 Daimler and Jaguar XJs of the 1970s was this model, the Daimler Double Six Vanden Plas, or VDP. The "Double Six" refers to its 5.3 litre V12 powerplant, re-using a title that had been applied to Daimler's twelve-cylinder models in the 1920s. The "Vanden Plas" title was used to signify the plushest of the already plush Daimlers (and was also applied to the loftiest of other models within the British Leyland empire - even the Metro!). Although only a badge by this point in time, highlighting a higher level of trim, several decades earlier it had signified the products of the Belgian coachbuilding firm of the same name. In 1946 the firm was purchased by the Austin Motor Company, which is how - many decades later - it came to be used as a badge of honour affixed to all manner of B.L. & Austin-Rover products.
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The S2 Double Six shared its engine with the contemporary Jaguar XJ12 and XJ12L S2s. Early cars were fitted with the Series 1 XJ12/XJ12L and Series 3 E-Type quad-carburettor engine, but production soon switched to a slightly-less fuel-hungry injected version of the all-alloy engine, in an attempt to raise fuel economy into the double-figures bracket - bearing in mind the fuel crisis of the early/mid 1970s, Jaguar clearly had to do something to make their flagship model a little less indulgent in the five-star fuel department. This injected engine would go on to be installed in the new-for-1975 XJ-S. Unlike the XJ-S, which was offered (in the early days at least) with the option of automatic or manual transmission, the V12 XJ saloons were all fitted with the automatic gearbox as standard, with no option for manual gearchanging.
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Keith sent over these two photos, along with pictures of the red Series 1 XJ6 his father also once owned. First is a head-on view of the car. The Daimler grille is clearly visible, as are the chrome side strips fitted to this model. HUE 443N is in good company here, as to the left of shot is a glimpse of a Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow (Series 1).
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Photo #2 is a rear view of the same car, at this point in time sporting Keith's own private registration number. Thanks for the photos Keith.
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As a youth in the 1970s, I'd often go crawling around the local British Leyland car dealership, in a bid to acquire as many brochures as possible. Series 2 XJs were a common sight back then, although even in their day, the VDP versions were not all that common, and today are understandably quite scarce.
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