The Royal baby has arrived – in case you hadn’t noticed. Oh, who are we kidding? Every news outlet has been banging on about potential names, whether it’s a boy or girl (its a boy, apparently) and whether the Archbishop should hold aloft the newborn to the masses like that scene in The Lion King. Yes, there was actually a petition for this to happen but the Government rejected it.
Anyways, every future king needs a car (or horse and carriage if he’s feeling especially regal) so we decided to look at the sort of rides new parents Prince William and Kate should consider when tripping about between press conferences, Buckingham Palace and Mothercare. So here are 9 of the best cars for the Royal baby to be driven around in. Sorry.
Bentley Continental Flying Spur
There are few better cars for ferrying royalty than the hand-crafted Bentley Continental Flying Spur. It’s more spacious than the Birmingham NEC, faster than almost every other four-door on the planet and was built by a British workforce in Crewe (we’ll ignore the fact Bentley’s parent company is German). Plus nothing says “my dad’s better than your dad” like pulling up to the school gates in a £133,200 6.0-litre wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Engine: 6.0-litre turbo
Power: 560bhp
Torque: 650Nm
0-60mph: 4.9 seconds
Top speed: 194mph
Price: £133,200
Porsche Panamera
The 5-door Panamera is the only choice for the Porsche enthusiast who has a family (well, aside from the Cayenne – but everyone and their proletariat mum has one of those). There are plenty of engines to choose from and we can see Prince William gravitating towards the epic performance of the 4.8-litre twin-turbo and lying to Kate that its the eco-friendly S E-Hybrid. That hybrid model isn’t so bad though. It manages 91mpg, avoids London’s Congestion Charge with CO2 emissions of 71g/km and can leave most cars for dead.
Engine: S E-Hybrid
Power: 416bhp
Torque: 590Nm
0-60mph: 5.5 seconds
Top speed: 168mph (84mph in all-electric mode)
Price: From £88,967
Maserati Quattroporte
There’s a good chance Prince William and Kate would like to remain inconspicuous when off to buy nappies, but they won’t want to slum it in a Dacia Duster. This makes the Maserati Quattroporte a wise choice. It has plenty of space for baby gear, the interior is as comfortable as Sandringham Palace and it looks stylish in an understated sort of way. Its no pushover though. That Ferrari-built twin-turbo V8 engine sounds like bombs over Iraq and it goes like daddy’s search and rescue chopper.
Engine: 3.8-litre turbo
Power: 530bhp
Torque: 710Nm
0-60mph: 4.7 seconds
Top speed: 191mph
Price: £108,125
Aston Martin Rapide S
The Aston Martin Rapide S four-door saloon is about as financially economical as snorting gold dust through £50 notes. But the royals are rich, so 19mpg isn’t going to cause great grandma to remortgage Buckingham Palace – not just yet. Plus it has screens in the back, which is priceless when making long journeys with young heirs. It can even ship with a matching Aston Martin pram.
Engine: 6.0-litre turbo
Power: 550bhp
Torque: 620Nm
0-60mph: 4.9 seconds
Top speed: 190mph
Price: £150,000 (est)
Audi RS6 Avant
Ignore the hype about 4x4s being the height of practicality — nothing beats an estate. And estates need not be dull, as the insanely rapid Audi RS6 Avant shows. It has enough boot space for Kate’s burgeoning wardrobe and a baby stroller, plus there are plenty of seats for the future King’s birthday party guests to come along for the ride. Oh, and it can out-accelerate nearly every other car on the road. Owning one is truly a case of having your cake and having your manservant feeding it to you.
Engine: 4.0-litre V8
Power: 552bhp
Torque: 700Nm
0-62mph: 3.9 seconds
Top speed: 189mph
Price: £77,000
Range Rover
Most 4x4s are the bane of school runs because they block the road and slowly kill everybody with their ridiculous emissions. But we can forgive the Range Rover because its awesome in every way. Plus it’s perfect for carrying the Royal Corgis to faraway fields for long walks and an can endure poor driving conditions when Prince William and Kate decide to take their baby to the holiday residence of Balmoral Castle in Scotland.
Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 diesel
Power: 254bhp
0-62mph: 7.9 seconds
Top speed: 130mph
Economy: 37.7mpg (claimed)
Emissions: 196g/km CO2
Price: £71,295 (OTR)
Mercedes S Class S500
In long wheelbase form, the Mercedes S Class S500 is essentially a mini limousine. It has heated and cooled cup holders for ensuring the royal baby’s milk is served at just the right temperature, seats that can massage Prince William and Kate after a stressful day waving at commoners and the sound-proofing makes it perfect for ensuring nothing interrupts nap time. A plethora of clever safety features and impressive efficiency given the performance only sweeten the deal.
Engine: 4.7-litre V8
Power: 449bhp
Torque: 700Nm
0-62mph: 4.8 seconds
Top speed: 155mph(electronically limited)
Economy: 32.8mpg
Emissions: 199g/km CO2
Price: £88,130
Ferrari FF
Love it or hate it, the FF this Italian bread van packs just about enough space in the rear cabin for the royal baby and has a generous 450-litre boot for a pushchair and nappies. Thanks to a 6.3-litre V12 capable of 208mph and four-wheel drive, it can easily evade the paparazzi, too.
Engine: 6.3-litre V12
Power: 660bhp
Torque: 683Nm
0-62mph: 3.7 seconds
Top Speed: 208mph
Price: £225,171
Pocket Classics AC Cobra
Last, but certainly not least, is a Pocket Classics AC Cobra. Not only is the AC Cobra a truly iconic car and one designed in the UK, nothing would make for a better image than Prince William and the heir to the throne driving around in a miniature replica. It will also make the future King incredibly happy because nothing says love like a £13,000 toy.
Kid’s face: Flickr
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