Yours for £45,000, the car that drove Margaret Thatcher into history

‘A new girl drops in at the palace,’ announced the London Evening News on the front page of its ‘election special’ of 4 May 1979. The accompanying image showed a beaming Margaret Thatcher (pre-implant teeth in evidence) waving from the rear seat of a ministerial car, on her way to meet the Queen and receive her official invitation to form a new administration.

Another ‘new girl’ (or boy?) might be dropping in at the palace soon – but if he or she wants to do it in the same car, it will cost them. The P5B Rover saloon that drove the Iron Lady into the history books as the first female prime minister is about go under the hammer at Silverstone Auctions, where it is expected to fetch as much as £45,000 – twice the value of a regular model without such political pedigree.

Potential buyers shouldn’t expect too many mod cons for their money.