Worldly glamour. We all have our share of fantasies, dreams & expectations. Here, is what I believe, a material manifestation of glamour, in a near perfectly executed package.

Penned by H.R. Owen of Gurney Nutting & completed by coachbuilder Martin Walter of Folkestone, this bespoke Daimler Double Six 40/50 was commissioned for English film actress, Anna Neagle by her husband, Herbert Wilcox.

The Daimler Company, founded in London with a manufacturing facility at Coventry, in 1896 by H.J. Lawson, was the oldest registered automotive manufacturer in the UK. The right to use the Daimler name was purchased from Gottlieb Daimler from Germany, one of the pioneers of the internal combustion engine as well as one of the founding fathers of the automobile, alongside contemporaries such as Wilhelm Maybach, Rudolf Diesel, & Karl Benz.

In 1902, an official Royal Warrant was awarded to the Daimler Company to build cars for the British Monarch. In the early half of the 20th century, Rolls-Royce, Napier, Bentley, Aston Martin, etc were for the well-to-do & the well established. Daimler was for Royalty. It took Rolls-Royce themselves, nearly half a century to surpass Daimler in this regard. That is the level of prominence the mark has historically carried.

At 13 feet in length, “Imposing” would be quite the understatement as an adjective. The black beauty has prescence, but combined with a rather serene sense of tranquility. The bonnet that stretches forwards everlastingly is complimented by a rather low windshield, that gives her a distinctively classy side profile.

The suicide doors at the rear are another set of valuable assets. Why so? Look at any car that has suicide doors, from the front, when the doors are open. It looks like she’s welcoming you with open arms, wanting to give you a hug. How warm & kind.

But does she really have such a large & warm heart as she portrays? A little over six & a half litres, encompassing 12 cylinders arranged in the form of a ‘v’. No more questions have to be asked henceforth.

But there is another trick up her sleeve. The ticking heart of any automobile calls for the existence & faithful service of a multitude of valves, working constantly to regulate & keep everything in control. We’ve possibly heard of how the valves in an internal combustion engine work. But those are ‘Poppet Valves’. They pop in & out to open and seal the ports to maintain the designated circulation of the fuel+air mixture & the release of the exhaust gases.

Now, when I said, “She has a trick up her ‘Sleeve.’”, I meant it in literal terms. This massive Daimler V12 engine has what is known as a ‘Sleeve Valve’ system, which is completely unlike our aforementioned ‘Poppet Valve’ system. Rather, it is a system where the rhythmic motion of sleeves around the cylinder opens & closes the ports to & from the combustion chamber.

This system provided the Daimler, an ability to offer an extremely quiet ride due to the apparent lack of camshafts or pushrods. The massive V12 engine, barely ticking over, without making so much so as a sigh of complain could chew miles, crossing continents in the pinnacle of comfort & luxury for its time. The oil, called to lubricate the magic sleeves would leave behind, a trail of a wispy dark mist wherever it went, maybe as a signature, for isn’t the Daimler, an epitome of style, fashion, & glamour?

With advancements in terms of poppet valve designs, the sleeve valve setup has been left behind as the extra smoothness and quietness somehow, didn’t weigh better than the disadvantages of the system. Is it unfortunate? Maybe it is, but looking at the bright side, it makes the Daimler Double Six V12 engine, an exclusive treat. This is not just because of the system, as it was in service in other automobiles from that era too. But also because of the fact that this was probably the pinnacle of the technology, in the pinnacle of automotive craftsmanship.

Somehow, the most luxurious and feature laden of modern motor cars can’t match this Daimler from 1931 just in how much presence and soul it has. It’s imposing. It’s heavy. Metaphorically. It leaves our hearts heavy as the massive, shiny black sculpture of human achievement belonging to a bygone era, wafts past us into the sunset of time, probably never to be seen again.