Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Performance, Government/Legal, Videos, Aston Martin, UK, Celebrities, Luxury
Kings and princes aren’t generally in the business of driving themselves… well, anywhere. More often than not, such dignitaries can be found ensconced in the lap of luxury known to us mere mortals (or at least non Royals) as The Back Seat. Then again, it’s not every day that a prince finds himself a brand new princess to call his very own, as is the case with the newly crowned Duchess of Cambridge.
And so it’s refreshing to see Prince William drive himself and his bride around London following the Royal Wedding in front of a massive swarm of onlookers. The best part, though, is that the Royal Couple chose to drive away in a perfectly appropriate Aston Martin. Not just any Aston Martin – this Seychelles Blue DB6 MKII Volante actually belongs to William’s dad, Prince Charles, and was gifted to him by his mother (that’d be The Queen, naturally) in 1969 on Charles’ 21st birthday.
A few details worthy of note: This droptop DB6 has been converted to run on Royal Grapes. Well, sort of. Aston Martin retrofitted this car’s engine with a kit that allows it to run on alcohol fuel, which is created using grapes grown on a vineyard owned by the Royal Family. So it’s green… -ish: it can only manage about eight miles per gallon. Also, take a gander at the big L on the front of the car. That stands for Learner; apparently even for Royal Learners. Also, the rear plate is a special one: JU5T WED. Clever.
And finally, are you wondering what William and Kate actually choose to drive when nobody else is looking? William reportedly owns an Audi S4, and Kate drives an Audi A3 hatchback.
Check out our high-res image gallery of the Royal Lovebirds in the Aston Martin DB6 Volante below, and feel free to check out video of the event after the break.
Gallery: Royal Wedding’s Vintage Aston Martin
[Images: Getty]
Continue reading Prince William borrows father’s vintage Aston Martin for Royal Wedding cruise [w/video]
Prince William borrows father’s vintage Aston Martin for Royal Wedding cruise [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The dust is beginning to settle around the General Motors IPO, and we’re finally getting a sense of exactly who is holding onto big slices of the company. The New York Times is reporting that Saudi Prince Walid bin Talal has managed to snag a full one percent of the automaker with a massive $500 million investment. The prince has a long history of backing various American companies through Kingdom Holdings, including Citigroup. Talal says that in the case of The General, he has faith that the company’s new management can pull off respectable growth and profits.