For most of us the biggest alterations we make to our cars are popping on a set of winter tyres for the colder weather. Whilst it’s not clear if the King takes his car to the local garage for the same reason, there are some more maverick modifications he’s made to his motors.

Aston Martin DB6 Volante Series II 

A present from Elizabeth II for his 21^st birthday, this Seychelles blue Aston Martin has had some eco-friendly modifications made to it. Back in 2008, the environment-conscious then-Prince didn’t like how much fuel the vehicle guzzled so had it converted to run on cheese and wine. 

Well, not exactly cheese and wine. Bioethanol is made from surplus wine and whey, a cheese by-product; which the King says, “smells delicious when you’re driving along.” 

Whilst the King made a very serious eco-friendly decision with this Aston Martin, he can never let us forget his sense of humour. That’s why he’s placed a fake ejector seat button on the dashboard to make his passengers feel a little nervous. 

Aston Martin V8 Vantage Volante (1989) 

Another gift, this time from the Emir of Bahrain, the Aston Martin V8 Vantage Volante was modified to make the vehicle appear much sleeker. After complaining the car looked too “beefy” he had Aston Martin remove the boot spoiler and side skirts. Features that marked this car out as a Vantage. 

He also added a manual gearbox and changed the colour to “balmoral green”. We think maybe the Emir should try a voucher next time! 

Aston Martin Virage Volante (1994) 

The King’s preferred transport in the mid-90s was a green Aston Martin Virage Volante. Upgrades the king made to this vehicle included changing the engine from 5.2 to 6.3 litres (allowing it to reach speeds of up to 175mph), an added police radio and a second rear-view mirror so his protection officer could keep an eye on any tailing vehicles. 

But perhaps the most eccentric change was a fitted leather jar, custom-made to store sugar cubes for his ponies.

Image source: Dan Marsh. Image cropped.