A government car should look like it belongs to the government, and the Daimler DS420 limousine does. In Tomorrow Never Dies it carries Bond through London with M, Moneypenny and Charles Robinson, a short scene in which the car does the work of telling you where power sits. The Daimler DS420 is a working limousine from a different era of British motoring, and it is still found in classic car listings today.
In the film
Pierce Brosnan’s Bond is driven through London in the government Daimler DS420 in Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), with M, Moneypenny and Deputy Chief of Staff Charles Robinson on board. Our records rate it as the screen-used model. There is no chase and no gadget; the car is simply the right vehicle for the people in it.
The details
A Daimler in name. The DS420 came out of the 1966 merger that created British Motor Holdings. Both Daimler and BMC had eight-seater limousines in their plans, and the Daimler design was chosen. The car is Jaguar underneath: it took the engine, automatic transmission and independent suspension from the Jaguar 420G.
Styled at Browns Lane. The shape was drawn at Jaguar’s Browns Lane works and signed off by Sir William Lyons. The interior was largely the work of Vanden Plas.
Priced against the best. At launch, one history notes, it cost less than half as much as a Rolls-Royce Phantom V or a Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman.
A long career. It stayed in production for about 25 years, and was favoured by royalty, hire firms and local government. Classic market data gives its run as 1969 to 1992.
Owning it now
A DS420 is a car for people who want a long, formal saloon and have somewhere to keep it. Because it is out of production, the buy button here is an eBay search; eBay is a place to start looking, and specialist classic car dealers and auction sites also list examples.
What to look for. Rust, which affects most cars of the period, and the condition of the interior, since many were hire cars. Ask for the service history and, if you can, an independent inspection before you commit.
How to use one. It suits weddings, funerals and long lunches, and it is happiest at a steady pace. As a daily car it is hard work in modern traffic, but as a second car for occasions it has real presence.
Budget. We found no fixed price for these; market listings vary widely with condition. Set aside money for the mechanical work that any car of this age needs.
In the same spirit
For a Jaguar saloon you can buy new, the Jaguar XF is in our catalogue as an alternative. It is a different car, and it was not in this film.
Specifications
| Maker | Daimler (Jaguar underpinnings) |
|---|---|
| Model | DS420 limousine |
| Production | About 25 years; 1969 to 1992 per market data |
| Mechanicals | Engine, automatic transmission and independent suspension from the Jaguar 420G |
| Coachwork | Interior by Vanden Plas; styling at Browns Lane |
| Status | Out of production; found second-hand |
Questions
What car does Bond ride in through London in Tomorrow Never Dies?
A government Daimler DS420 limousine, with M, Moneypenny and Charles Robinson. Bond is a passenger rather than the driver.
Is the Daimler DS420 a Jaguar?
Mechanically, largely yes. It used the Jaguar 420G’s engine, automatic gearbox and independent suspension, though it carried the Daimler name and a Vanden Plas interior.
How long was the DS420 made?
For about 25 years. A market data source gives 1969 to 1992.
More cars are in the vehicles collection, and the films are listed on the films page.
