Late Princess Diana’s red Metro goes on display at city museum
THE VEHICLE WAS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN A GIFT FROM PRINCE CHARLES AFTER HE TEST DROVE ONE
A CAR owned by Diana, Princess of Wales can be seen for the first time in years at Coventry Transport Museum. Thirty vehicles, many made in Coventry, have been brought out of the museum’s storage collection.
They can now be viewed in a space previously reserved for temporary exhibitions and events within the museum. The new gallery - Behind the Scenes: Wheels and Workers - features a Coventrymade Jaguar XJS that became trapped in Bosnia in the 1990s and was later returned to the UK, painted bright pink and used as a prototype by Mattell to create Barbie’s toy vehicle is included in the display.
Other motor vehicles and cycles made by well-loved Coventry manufacturers such as Hillman, Standard, Singer, Alvis, Riley, Triumph, Humber and Daimler will also be on display as part of the expansion of the permanent exhibition. A recently acquired 1949 Lea-francis Estate, with a wooden body constructed by cycle and motor manufacturers APA Motors in Stoke Row, will also be on display. It has been in the same family since 1955.
Visitors can also now also see a 1980 Austin Mini Metro L that was owned by Diana, Princess of Wales when she was still Lady Diana Spencer. It is believed to have been a gift from Prince Charles, now King Charles III, after he test-drove the vehicle at its launch.
The car, which was made in Longbridge, remained in Lady Diana’s possession until 1981, and is now on display in the main museum.
Marguerite Nugent, Director of Culture at CV Life who operate Coventry Transport Museum, said: “This is a really exciting moment for Coventry Transport
Museum and means visitors now have the opportunity to see even more vehicles that are part of the city’s and the wider region’s heritage.
“Museums across the country face the ongoing challenge of trying to show as much of their collection as possible and we are no different, so we are delighted that we are able to bring more vehicles out in this way. This is space within the museum that we have previously utilised for temporary events but we’ve decided to use that area to bring out more of our collection for visitors.
“There are some incredible names that will resonate with the people of Coventry as so many people have historic family links to the factories in the city and we have no doubt that it will attract people from across the region.
“Also, the fact that we have the car previously owned by Princess Diana and the striking pink ‘Barbie’ car will also be a draw especially as the new Barbie film is expected to hit cinemas in 2023.
“It means there are now more than over 300 vehicles, including cars, motorbikes and bicycles, on display in the museum as well as a range of interactive activities for our visitors.”
Coventry Transport Museum is also calling for former workers - and their families - who helped to create the vehicles now on display to tell their stories.