1939 Daimler DB18 Drophead Coupé (by Carlton)
Equipped with a 2,522cc OHV inline six-cylinder engine producing 70 bhp, the 1939 Daimler DB18 Drophead Coupé featured advanced engineering for its time, including a Wilson pre-selector gearbox and independent front suspension. Production commenced in 1939 but quickly halted as war engulfed Europe, resulting in extraordinary rarity (only eight examples were built before the factory suffered destruction during the 1940 Blitz).
The DB18’s dignified appearance came courtesy of the Carlton Carriage Company, whose craftsmen fashioned elegant coachwork characterized by flowing lines and precise proportions. Though production eventually resumed in 1945 and continued until 1953, the pre-war examples remain the most sought-after by collectors and automotive historians alike.
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