Ford built Princess Diana a secret Escort RS Turbo and it’s unlike any royal car ever made
Published on Jul 17, 2025 at 4:01 AM (UTC+4)
by Keelin McNamara
Last updated on Jul 16, 2025 at 2:02 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
Ford once famously built Princess Diana a secret Escort RS Turbo.
Aside from a safety radio, a couple of other things made this Escort RS Turbo special.
Of the other 8,600 Series 1 RS Turbo, this is the only one painted in all black.
It is considered by many to be the ‘People’s Sports Car’ for the ‘People’s Princess’.
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Princess Diana orders a Ford Escort RS Turbo
This secret Ford Escort RS Turbo is one of the most famous cars Ford has ever built.
And that is because it was custom-built for Princess Diana.
The Princess of Wales reportedly ordered this one-off sports car in the Summer of 1985.
What makes this Escort RS Turbo so amazing is how much it reflects the personality of its owner.
Princess Diana was famed for driving herself around London – as opposed to being driven.
The Princess of Wales was frequently spotted driving around Kensington in her cars of choice.
Diana was famed for her love of the Ford Escort range of sports cars.
After driving an Escort Cabriolet for a while, her security detail requested she drive a stealthier vehicle.
Of course, the petrol-head Princess requested Ford’s flagship Escort RS Turbo.
It turns out that the PR Department at Ford suggested painting the Escort RS Turbo black.
Under the hood, this custom Escort RS Turbo certainly wasn’t found lacking.
It packed Ford’s famous 1.6-liter CVH engine, complete with a Garrett T3 turbocharger and intercooler.
‘The People’s Car’ blows away all expectations at auction
The Ford Escort range was universally beloved and appreciated even before this car.
Diana’s ownership, however, skyrocketed the Ford Escort RS Turbo in terms of exposure.
It has long been considered to be ‘the People’s Sports Car’ due to its performance and accessibility.
This particular Ford Escort was the last one owned by Princess Diana herself.
It was sold in the Summer of 2022 by Silverstone Auctions – and it smashed a record.
The most optimistic forecasts had the car selling for anywhere between £100-120,000.
It ended up selling for £724,500 – over six times its expected price.
Of course, being associated with the most famous royal in history helps with that.
But it feels appropriate that Princess Diana’s car should set that sort of record.
Keelin McNamara is a content writer at Supercar Blondie from Ireland, covering cars, technology, and lifestyle. Despite being a Law graduate, he discovered his passion for journalism during the COVID-19 pandemic, and has worked in the industry ever since. Outside of work, he is an avid MotoGP fan, and is a self-confessed addict of the sport.
