px Queenauto

Queen Elizabeth II of England needs a new chauffeur, are you up for it?

bentley-state-limousine-main_678x352_61424859821

This 2002 Bentley limo is over 6-metres long and is powered by a 6.75-litre twin-turbo V8.

When was the last time you heard that a head of state looking for a chauffeur? Chances are, never. These aren’t jobs that come up on your local daily news, nor do they put up a hoarding for it. And because of the exclusivity of the job, the ‘chosen one’ can expect to earn close to 24,000 pounds (24 lakh INR) per year and of course, meals are on the house (palace, rather). However, your Indian driver’s licence and daily commute to work or, the ownership of a Bentley Continental GT, won’t cut the mustard for your application for this lucrative government job. The head of state in question here, is Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of England.

rolls-royce-phantom-vi-main_678x352_81424859802

One of the cars in the Royal garage, a 1978 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI (6).

One of the many hurdles that you might face, if you wish to apply for this job, is your UK driver’s licence or rather, the lack thereof. However, if you happen to have requisite licence, you could dare to dream about driving some of the rarest and most special cars on the planet. This is because the Royal family car park consists of 8 state limousines. There are 2 Bentleys, one of which was specially designed and built with inputs from none other than Her Majesty and her head chauffeur. Oh, the Duke of Edinburgh was a part of that, too. Finished in 2002 for the Queen’s golden jubilee, the Arnage-based armoured limo is not only bullet-proof, but can also withstand blasts from small explosives and hand-grenades. When all the windows are shut, the cabin of this Bentley is completely air-tight, that’s to protect its important occupants from poisonous gas attacks. Obviously, a royal fart will still ruin the interior ambiance and might even compel you to open a window or two. Due to their kevlar reinforcement, these tyres are supremely tough and can withstand pretty much anything.

Hield_Bentley_Interior

Interior of one of the Bentley State Limousines.

The Queen also has access to 3 Rolls-Royces, but these are not your average Ghosts or standard Phantoms. There’s one 1978 Phantom VI (pictured above), one 1987 Phantom VI and a truly classic 1950 Phantom IV. The rest 3 limos are Daimlers and these round up the vehicles used for official errands. Also, there are some ‘not so rare’ Volkswagen cars. No, not Veyrons, but some drab people-carriers. The selected individual will be expected to work for up to 48 hours every week, which doesn’t sound like much. But, when you are transporting Royals and some other highly placed dignitaries, you are expected to not sweat and fret when one of these classic beauties refuse to start.

3 thoughts on “Queen Elizabeth II of England needs a new chauffeur, are you up for it?”

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top