1962 Daimler SP250 (aka: Dart)
When Daimler unveiled its new sports car at the 1959 New York Motor Show, the company hoped to break into the lucrative American market. Originally called the “Dart,” the name was quickly dropped after Chrysler objected, and the car became officially known as the SP250. Despite the change, many enthusiasts still refer to it by its original name.
The SP250 stood out immediately thanks to its fiberglass bodywork and striking front-end design, which drew both admiration and criticism. Its styling was unconventional, but under the skin Daimler delivered something truly special: a 2.5-liter V8 designed by Edward Turner.
Compact, lightweight, and featuring hemispherical combustion chambers, the engine produced 140 horsepower and gave the SP250 a top speed of around 120 mph (performance on par with established rivals like the Jaguar XK150).
Early cars suffered from chassis flex, earning the model a reputation for being less than confidence-inspiring at speed. Daimler responded with the B-specification, introduced in 1961, which added substantial bracing and a strengthened A-pillar hoop.
By 1962, nearly all cars leaving the factory benefited from these improvements. Four-wheel Girling disc brakes were standard, giving the SP250 stopping power that few contemporaries could match.
Although only 2,645 examples were built before production ended in 1964, the SP250 has since earned a devoted following. Its combination of quirky looks, advanced engineering, and Turner’s jewel-like V8 make it one of the most distinctive British sports cars of the 1960s.
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