The Austin Princess owes its existence to World War II. During the war, Austin’s manager, Leonard Lord, drove a Bentley and was so impressed with the car that he was inspired to create an Austin of similar quality but for a more affordable price. Lord’s vision was first seen in 1947, with the Austin A110 Sheerline and A135 Princess DS1. The Sheerline was bodied at Austin’s Longbridge factory, whilst the Princess had coachwork by Vanden Plas, who had become a subsidiary of Austin Motors in 1946.

When developing the DS7 Princess, Vanden Plas produced a one-off convertible version. This was undertaken as a design study. The styling of the side was the same as a DS7, but the Mark II Princess’s two-piece windscreen and semi-shrouded grille was used.

The car offered here stands out amongst Austin automobiles, and it has a unique place in the manufacturer’s history. It was first registered on 13 February 1948, as an Austin two-axle rigid-body sports, and it is believed to feature one-off two-seater cabriolet bodywork that was based upon the post-war Austin A135 range of the DS Princess; the chassis number, DS7, seems to confirm this.

The registration number is KOV 362, and the odometer reads 00374 miles. The car is finished in red with a red vinyl interior that is broken up by a beautiful wood veneer dashboard. The car presents very well and shows few signs of its age throughout.

It goes without saying that, as a one-off special, this is a unique opportunity to own an extremely desirable Austin unlike any other.