In the 6th season of The Crown, we get to follow Lady Diana on the last, fateful day that would end in tragedy and sorrow. That the accident happened in a Mercedes-Benz S-Class W140 will follow this model forever.
No ordinary Sunday trip
Hotel Ritz was not prepared for the big visit. The paparazzi got in, so Dodi and Diana decided to spend the night in one of Al Fayed's apartments in Paris - just a few minutes' drive away. To escape the paparazzi, two cars were lined up in front of the main entrance - including a Range Rover with Dodi's permanent driver. The car the couple was going to use was a hired "regular" Mercedes-Benz S-Class 280 S which was parked in a side street to the hotel. The plan was to sneak out of the car unnoticed, but the paparazzi spotted them and followed along Rivoli Street against Concord Square. At the roundabout, the pursuers saw that the Mercedes skidded heavily as the driver gave full throttle to shake them off. Seconds later, the car went down the underpass. Several witnesses could hear the bang and the sound of the horn being on.
How could 3 people die in a modern prestige car?
Well, the driver had a blood alcohol level of 1,5 when the car hit the 13th concrete pillar diagonally towards the driver's side at an assumed speed of 105 km/h. The lifeguard was the only one of the 4 on board who used a seat belt - and who survived. Several British doctors have stated that Lady Diana would have had a better chance of survival if rescuers had taken her to hospital sooner rather than trying to stabilize her condition. The doctor on the scene did not understand that Diana had internal injuries. Therefore, it was decided that they should carry Dodi out before her, despite the fact that he had already been declared dead. Once inside the ambulance, it became unclear which hospital could accept her. It would be two hours before she arrived Hôpital de la Pitié Salpêtrière.
Several decades after the accident, new scapegoats are constantly being pointed out. The conditions mentioned here were not only critical for the outcome, but can also shed light on whether there is reason to criticize the vehicle involved.
Information has subsequently come to light that the car used on the trip had previously been involved in several accidents - the last so serious that experts believe the car should have been condemned. But first let's take a closer look at what kind of model it is.
1994 Armored Mercedes-Benz S280
The car was 3 years old. Judging from the pictures, I think it is a facelifted model produced as model year 1995. The car normally weighs 1850 kg. What the armored version weighs depends on the degree of armor used. By comparing a newer, armored S-Class against a standard car, I have come to a weight increase of 700 kg. An armored W140 can therefore weigh well over 2,5 tonnes without a driver. A standard car can accelerate from 0-100 in 10,8 seconds and reach a top speed of 215 km/h, but an armored car will probably not be as fast and not as manageable. It is also worth mentioning that the Mercedes had ESP and airbags for driver and passenger. The S-Class of the time could also be supplied with side airbags, but I can't see any in the pictures.
Should have been condemned
The car was rented from the limousine company Etoile Limousines, because the hotel's own cars were occupied, among other things lined up to mislead the paparazzi. In 2017 - exactly 20 years after the accident - it became known through a current affairs program on the French TV channel M6 that the car in the fatal accident must have been involved in accidents in the past. In the last accident, it had been stolen and ended up as a wreck after doing several rounds. The car was first condemned, but later repaired by a mechanic who sold it on to Etoile Limousines. At least one of the drivers had complained that the car was not in drivable condition. He believed that it became unstable when accelerating hard at speeds above 60 km/h. The TV program had engaged an expert who, together with a representative of the insurance company, had considered that the repairs should not have been carried out - the car should have been condemned.
The wreck was, of course, thoroughly examined to see if any work had been carried out that could weaken the vehicle. Neither French nor British investigators scrutinized the car's history.
Was it really the driver's fault?
Shouldn't an experienced driver be able to steer a heavy Mercedes through the underpass even at speeds of around 120-130 km/h despite the fact that the speed limit on the spot was 50 km/h? If the previous driver(s) claim were true, the instability could occur inside the underpass, perhaps when the driver eased off the gas. If you have an instability - for example trailer loads with planks - the danger signals will not come on until you have picked up speed. The descent to the underpass combined with high speed may also have destabilized the vehicle after it has "taken the ground" and "bounced" a little up into the turn. Since the driver had a high blood alcohol level, they blamed him instead of trying to find out how an undamaged Mercedes would behave at a similar speed on the spot.
Did the car slam as it should?
The impact was so powerful that the radiator was pushed into the passenger compartment – actually into the driver's body. And why couldn't the rescue team open - or break open the doors? They had to cut the roof and drag the rear seat passengers up into the back. This was one of the reasons why Lady Diana was late on the operating table.
A damaged rennommé?
Daimler AG has never made any statements regarding the accident - nor regarding the claims that appeared in 2017 that the accident car should have been condemned. Shortly after the accident, CNN speculated whether the accident would affect Mercedes-Benz as a car brand. The following year, the W220 – the next S-Class launched – was a favorable ten point for Daimler, while demand for the W140 must have fallen considerably. As a curiosity, it can be mentioned that the most expensive W140 in history would have been the accident car. If it had come up for sale, the estimated price would be £10 million.
It may not be talked about too much, but the W140 lost its star in the tragic accident, because who would ever use it as a wedding car?
See also
Diana limousine crashed and repaired twice before… (Daily Mail)
Was there time to save Diana? (CBS News)
Would the new S-Class have saved Daddy Di? (car sales)
