South American museum buys Diana's car for $73,000
A handout picture released by Reeman Dansie auctions shows a silver Ford Escort.
Gulf Today Report
A Ford Escort car belonging to Princess Diana was sold at a British auction for a South American museum for $73,000.
The car was given to Lady Diana by Prince Charles, as an engagement present two months before their marriage in July 1981.
Lewis Rabett, of Reeman Dansie Auctions in Colchester, southeast England, said the successful bidder was a museum in South America, where the car will now be shipped.
The car features a silver frog mascot motif mounted on the bonnet, in a copy of the emblem given to the princess by her sister Sarah, and Diana kept it when she sold the car.
Diana had stopped using this car shortly after she gave birth to Prince William.
The vehicle, which was bought at auction for £6,000 by an antiques dealer in 1982, was sold to a telephone bidder for £52,640, including sales tax and buyer's premium.
Since the beginning of this century, the car has been owned by a fan of the royal family, who has rarely driven it, and has never revealed its story to his friends.
The car still has its original British registration plate WEV 297W, paint and upholstery and has 83,000 miles (133,575 kilometres) on the clock was sold during an auction by Ryman Dancy in Colchester, eastern England.
It had been expected to sell for between £30,000 and £40,000.
