Daimler SP250 (Dart) Price Guide

The Daimler SP250 was marketed in the US as the Dart until Dodge objected. It was the most unlikely car Daimler ever produced: a fibreglass-bodied open sports car using Edward Turner’s 2.5-litre V8 engine that offered performance matching, or exceeding in some cases, the Jaguar E-type at a lower price. It was also visually controversial, mechanically impressive, and commercially short-lived.

The Car

Produced from 1959 to 1964, the SP250 used a 2,548cc version of Turner’s aluminium V8 producing 140bhp in a fibreglass body. It was an unusual prospect for a British sports car of the era. The four-speed manual gearbox was the standard choice; automatic was optional. The chassis flex was a known issue on early cars but the ‘Specification B’ from 1961 added structural stiffening. The SP250 was ordered by a number of British police forces as a pursuit vehicle, giving it an unusual operational history. Around 2,650 were built.

What Goes Wrong

Early Specification A cars suffers chassis flex serious enough to cause body cracks and doors to misalign. The Specification B stiffening kit is retrofittable, however. The fibreglass body can delaminate with age. Turner V8 cooling and lubrication maintenance as per the Majestic Major applies. The gearbox can develop synchromesh wear on high-mileage cars.

Buying

Specification B cars are the preferred purchase. Any SP250 with documented service history and the Specification B chassis is a significant sports car. Values have risen substantially as the car’s performance credentials and rarity are better appreciated. The Jaguar takeover in 1960 meant the SP250 was discontinued in favour of the E-Type.