MODEL PROFILE
Daimler was the first British motor manufacturer to reach 100 years of continuous production. We sample the car that marked that anniversary
Founded in 1896, Daimler was the oldest motor manufacturer in British history which, unsurprisingly, made it the first to reach 100 years of continuous car production. And this was a milestone worth observing. So Jaguar took two very different paths to create the best of the best in the X300 world.
The first path was to create a show car par excellence, something that could be demonstrated at motor shows but which had little real chance of reaching production, which emerged as the Daimler Corsica.
Using a SWB X300 as a basis, cutting six inches from the middle and reprofiling the car as an elegant convertible, the Corsica served as an effective halo for a company entering its hundredth year. But while the Corsica has since been made roadworthy by David Marks Garages and is now enjoyed by the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust it was not acar that the typical Daimler buyer would ever get the opportunity to savour.
So Jaguar needed another model, one it could sell to thepublic to mark the occasion. And the car it created was this: the Century.Based on astandard long-wheelbase Daimler,the Century was intended as the absolute pinnacle of X300 development. To that end it would come loaded to the gunwales with optional extras designed to reflect its exclusivity.
Just ten colours would be offered for the Century, and two interior colour schemes – and only if you chose a Black example would you get to choose which interior trim you wanted. Spruce Green, Jade Green and Kingfisher Blue cars all came with Silk White leather, twinned with Sage Green interior plastics. Topaz Gold, Nautilus Blue, Sapphire Blue, Morocco Red, Steel Grey and Carnival Red models would come with Mushroom leather and Coffee panels. While these interiors would look similar to the standard Parchment and Coffee interiors, they were subtly different in hues and unique to Century models.
Not that the colour schemes were the only notable interior changes. Daimler would fit individual vanity mirrorsintothe headlining forrear seat passengers, as well as specifying Autolux leather and the four-seat interior on Century models as standard.
Lambswool rugs would be fittedas per standardDaimlers, but eachwould have aheel pad and all heel pads would be embossed with the unique Century emblem. The treadplates would also bear unique Century markings, and the passenger airbag panel of the dashboard would include a unique Century inlay.
Outside, the easiest way to spot a Century is the chromed version of the standard Daimler turbi
