The Daimler 2.5 litre V8 and V8 250
Years 1962-67 (2.5 litre V8),  1967-69 (V8-250)
Notes In 1960, Jaguar purchased Daimler from BSA Automotive (who had owned Daimler since 1910). Daimler had not been doing well in the 1950's, but had in 1959 introduced the SP250 sports car, designed to appeal to the US market, and fitted with a lightweight V8, the design of which was credited to Edward Turner, the Managing Director of BSA Automotive, who had been a noted designer of motorbike engines in his early career. Jaguar gained a factory from the purchase, but was also impressed with this 2.5 litre V8 engine, and the decision was made to fit into a slightly altered Jaguar MK II body shell, and produce an upmarket model with Daimler badging aimed at a different segment of the motoring public (Professional people like doctors, lawyers etc, and well off retirees). Jaguar always had a more sporting image. The body shell was altered to incorporate a traditional Daimler grille, and badging, mascots etc were suitably changed.  To match its more sedate target audience it was initially available only as an automatic, although it handily outperformed the Jaguar 2.4. Daimlers were always built with more standard equipment than their Jaguar brethren, and when the Jaguar MK II range was evolved to the 240/340, and lost previously standard equipment such as leather seating and integrated fog/spot lights the same fate did not befall the Daimlers.

The change in designation from 2.5 litre V8 to V8 250 came at the same time as the renaming of the MK II to the 240 and 340, and the cars appearance changed in the same way, as the slimline bumpers from the Jaguar "S" type were fitted. However as noted above the Daimler was not "cheapened" like the Jaguar, and retained all its standard equipment.
Description 4 door sedan (saloon)
Colors See the compact sedan colors page
Engine
Engine Bore/Stroke Power
2548 cc V8 overhead valve 76 x 70 mm 140 bhp @ 5800 rpm
engine is Edward Turner V8 as fitted to Daimler SP250 sports car
Carburetors
All years Twin SU HD6
Brakes 4 wheel discs , vacuum assisted.
Production

(Various sources differ  slightly)
2.5 litre V8, Right hand drive 12376  
2.5 litre V8,Left hand drive 621 2.5 litre V8 Total 12997
V8 250, Right hand drive 4779  
V8 250, Left hand drive 104 V8 250 Total 4883
Both models 17880  
Weight
Both 3000 pounds
Length 15 feet
Height 4 feet 9 1/2 inches 
Width 5 feet 6 1/2 inches 
Top speed 110 mph
Wheelbase 107.375 inches
Transmission 4-speed manual. Overdrive optional. Also available, Borg Warner 3 speed automatic.
Suspension
Front Independent. Coil springs, wishbones and anti-roll bar
Rear Live axle, radius arms, Panhard rod, half elliptic leaf springs.
Chassis Numbers
Additional codes with number
DN suffix means car is fitted with overdrive
BW suffix means car is fitted with automatic gearbox
P prefix  means car is fitted with power steering
2.5 litre V8 1A1001-1A13377 (RHD models)
1A20001-1A20622 (LHD models)
V8 250 1K1001-1K5780 (RHD)
1K30001-1K30105 (LHD)
Engine Numbers See the compact sedans engine number page
Standard Equipment Leather  upholstery, spot and fog lights, heated rear window, automatic transmission, wheel trims (rimbellishers), power steering
Options Manual transmission (from 1967), overdrive, wire wheels (chrome plated), various radios, laminated windshield, seatbelts, sunroof, Special paint colors were available by special order.