Lagonda 2-Litre Tourer 1931

Lagonda M45 Saloon

Lagonda 3 ¹⁄₂-Litre Rapide Tourer 1935

Lagonda M45 Sports Tourer

1937 Lagonda LG45R Rapide.

Lagonda LG45 4.4-litre V12 drophead coupé

1989 Aston Martin Lagonda

Lagonda is a British luxury car marque, founded as a company in 1906 in Staines, Middlesex by a former opera singer from Ohio, but of Scottish ancestry,^[1] named Wilbur Gunn (1859–1920).^[2] He named the company after a river near the town of his birth, Springfield, Ohio, USA.^[3][4] The marque has been owned by Aston Martin since 1947.

History[link]

Establishment[link]

Wilbur Gunn had originally built motorcycles on a small scale in the garden of his house in Staines^[2] with reasonable success including a win on the 1905 London—Edinburgh trial. In 1907 he launched his first car, the 20 hp, 6-cylinder Torpedo, which he used to win the [[Moscow]-[St. Petersburg]] trial of 1910.^[2] This success produced a healthy order for exports to Russia which continued until 1914. In the pre-war period Lagonda also made an advanced small car, the 11.1 with a four-cylinder 1000 cc engine, which featured an anti-roll bar and a rivetted monocoque body and the first ever fly-off handbrake.

The ratchet control button on the end of a fly-off handbrake is designed to work in the opposite way to what is normally accepted. If the lever is lifted or pulled back to the "on" position, on letting go it immediately releases unless the end button is pressed and held in place before letting go of the lever. Once set, the brake is released by lifting the handbrake lever (not pushing the button) in the setting direction (up or back). This mechanism was traditionally fitted to sports cars to facilitate a racing get-away, such as at traffic lights. It can also be used to help the back wheels to slide, without the worry of the ratchet leaving the brake on.

During World War I Lagonda made artillery shells.^[2]

Between the wars[link]

After the end of the war the 11.1 continued with a larger 1400-cc engine and standard electric lighting as the 11.9 until 1923 and the updated 12 until 1926. Following Wilbur Gunn's death in 1920, three existing directors headed by Colin Parbury took charge.^[2] The first of the company's sports models was launched in 1925 as the 14/60 with a twin-cam 1954-cc 4-cylinder engine and hemispherical combustion chambers. The car was designed by Arthur Davidson who had come from Lea-Francis. A higher output engine came in 1927 with the 2-litre Speed Model which could be had supercharged in 1930. A lengthened chassis version, the 16/65, with 6-cylinder 2.4-litre engine, was available from 1926 to 1930. The final car of the 1920s was the 3-litre using a 2931-cc 6-cylinder engine. This continued until 1933 when the engine grew to 3181 cc and was also available with a complex 8-speed Maybach transmission as the Selector Special.

A new model for 1933 was the 16-80 using a 2-litre Crossley engine with pre-selector gearbox from 1934. A new small car, the Rapier came along in 1934 with 1104-cc engine and pre-selector gearbox. This lasted until 1935 but more were made until 1938 by a separate company, David Napier and Son of Hammersmith, London. At the other extreme was the near 100 mph, 4.5-litre M45 with Meadows-supplied 6-cylinder 4467-cc engine. An out and out sporting version the M45R Rapide, with tuned M45 engine and a shorter chassis achieved a controversial Le Mans victory in 1935. ^[5] Also in 1935 the 3-litre grew to a 3.5-litre.

All was not well financially and the receiver was called in 1935, ^[6] but the company was bought by Alan P. Good, who just outbid Rolls-Royce.^[2] He also persuaded W. O. Bentley to leave Rolls-Royce and join Lagonda as designer along with many of his racing department staff.^[2] The 4.5-litre range now became the LG45 with lower but heavier bodies and also available in LG45R Rapide form. The LG45 came in 3 versions known as Sanction 1, 2 and 3 each with more Bentley touches to the engine. In 1938 the LG6 with independent front suspension by torsion bar and hydraulic brakes came in.

Bentley's masterpiece the V12 was launched in 1937. The 4480-cc engine delivered 180 bhp and was said to be capable of going from 7 to 105 mph in top gear and to rev to 5000 rpm. The car was exhibited at the 1939 New York Motor Show: "The highest price car in the show this year is tagged $8,900. It is a Lagonda, known as the "Rapide" model, imported from England. The power plant is a twelve-cylinder V engine developing 200 horsepower." ^[7]

Lagonda at war[link]

Richard Watney was managing director of Lagonda at the start of the Second World War:

"He was Rootes' retail sales manager for the London area until 1935, when he became managing director of Lagonda, Ltd. He is a production expert, who during the war organised and controlled for Lagonda one of the largest British gun production plants, and also plants which produced 50,000 25 lb shells a day. Watney also developed and produced the "Crocodile" and "Wasp" flame-throwing equipment for armoured vehicles." ^[8]

Watney finished second at Le Mans in 1930 driving a Bentley. He returned to Rootes in 1946, and posted to Australia, was killed in a car accident in Melbourne in 1949. ^[9]

Aston Martin ownership[link]

In 1947 the company was taken over by David Brown and moved in with Aston Martin, which he had also bought, in Feltham, Middlesex. The old Staines works passed to Petters Limited, in which A.P. Good had acquired the controlling interest. ^[10] Production restarted with the last model from W. O. Bentley, the 1948 2.6-Litre with new chassis featuring fully independent supension. Its new 2580 cc twin overhead cam straight 6 became the basis for the Aston Martin engines of the 1950s. The engine grew to 3 litres in 1953 and continued to be available until 1958.

Many thought that the marque had disappeared but in 1961 the Rapide name was resurrected with aluminium body by Carrozzeria Touring of Milan and 3995 cc engine capable of taking the car to 125 mph. By this time, Aston Martin-Lagonda as it now was, had moved to Newport Pagnell in Buckinghamshire. The Rapide lasted until 1965.

Between 1974 and 1976, seven Lagonda saloons were produced on the basis of the Aston Martin V8.

One more car was to appear with the large and futuristic Aston Martin Lagonda of 1976 designed by William Towns. This low, rather square, wedge shaped car was built on Aston Martin V8 components and was available, at least in theory, until 1989.

Aston Martin produced a concept car called the Lagonda Vignale at the 1993 Geneva motor show.

In 1998, a handful of Lagonda 4-door saloons and shooting brakes were built on the basis of the Aston Martin Virage. The Rapide name was revived in 2010 as the Aston Martin Rapide saloon.

Revival[link]

Aston Martin said on 1 September 2008, as reported by Automotive News Europe that it will relaunch its Lagonda brand to help it expand into new markets such as luxury sedans and celebrate Lagonda's centennial anniversary in 2009.

"The Lagonda brand would allow us to develop cars which can have a different character than a sports car," said CEO Ulrich Bez in a statement. "Lagonda will have its own niche with luxurious and truly versatile products suitable for both existing and emerging markets".^[11]

"Lagonda models would be vehicles that could be used all year round in markets such as Russia where specialized sports cars such as Aston Martins could only be used for three or four months each year", said Aston Martin spokeswoman Janette Green.^[11]

Aston Martin confirmed the revival of the Lagonda brand on March 9, 2011. The new range will initially consist primarily of high-end SUVs.^[12]

Lagonda concept[link]

At the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, Aston Martin unveiled a 4WD, 4-seat SUV to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first Lagonda car. It includes a V12 engine and 22-inch wheels.^[13]

Models[link]

See also[link]

• David Brown Ltd.
• Egham Hythe - the site, near Staines, of the Lagonda factory.
• Lagonda flamethrower
• Fly-off handbrake

Footnotes[link]

Further reading[link]

• Aston Martin and Lagonda; Frostic, Michael; ISBN 0-901564-24-9
• Images of Motoring Lagonda 1899–1999; Davey, Arnold; ISBN 0-7524-1713-4 : A short history of the company and marque by the UK Lagonda club historian
• Lagonda Gold Portfolio 1919–1964; ISBN 1-85520-155-0 : Collection of reprints of articles from early motoring magazines
• Lagonda Heritage; Bird, Richard; ISBN 1-85532-363-X : Collection of colour photographs
• Lagonda: An Illustrated History 1900–1950; Seaton, Geoffrey; ISBN 1-85223-107-6

External links[link]

• Lagonda Owners Club

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Lagonda vehicles

v t e Automotive industry in the United Kingdom Manufacturing in the United Kingdom Economy of the United Kingdom Companies and marques Commercial vehicle producers Alexander Dennis Plaxton Dennis Eagle Ford of Britain Southampton Body & Assembly GM Manufacturing Luton JCB Leyland Trucks London Taxis International Optare Smith Electric Vehicles Stevens Vehicles Wrightbus Motorsport Arena Motorsport Carlin Caterham F1 Chevron Cars Cosworth Engine Developments Ltd. Force India Ford World Rally Team Fortec Hewland Ilmor Engineering Lister Cars Lola Cars Lotus F1 Marussia F1 McLaren Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains Mercedes GP M-Sport Munchi's Ford World Rally Team Prodrive Red Bull Racing Ricardo RML Group Team Dynamics Triple Eight Race Engineering Van Diemen Williams F1 Wirth Research Xtrac Zytek Motorsport Passenger car producers Ariel Ascari Aston Martin Bentley Crewe plant Briggs Bristol Caparo Caterham Defunct producers Electric Car Corporation Fenix Ford of Britain Bridgend Engine Dagenham plant Dunton Technical Centre Ginetta Honda UK Jaguar Land Rover Jaguar Land Rover Daimler Castle Bromwich plant Gaydon Centre Halewood plant Solihull plant Whitley Engineering Centre Lagonda Lightning Lotus McLaren MG Longbridge plant Mini Plant Oxford Morgan Nissan UK Noble Rolls-Royce Goodwood plant Spyker Toyota UK TVR Vauxhall Ellesmere Port Westfield Kit cars Caterham GKD GTM JBA Motors Marc Nordon Racing Onyx Quantum Sylva Ultima Sports Westfield Retail and services The AA Autoglass Auto Windscreens Halfords Inchcape Kwik-Fit Lex Vehicle Leasing Lookers Pendragon RAC Suppliers and consultancies Caparo Vehicle Technologies Cosworth Cummins UK GKN Johnson Matthey Lotus Engineering MIRA Perkins Engines Pilkington Quaife Ricardo Tata Steel Europe Tomkins Transport Research Laboratory Unipart WMG Zytek Government and regulatory bodies Department for Transport Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency Driving Standards Agency Vehicle Certification Agency Vehicle and Operator Services Agency Other Automobile designers Automobile magazines Autocar Auto Express Car Magazine Evo Top Gear What Car? IAM Motorcycle manufacturers Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Top Gear Category

v t e Ford Motor Company Marques Current Ford Lincoln Discontinued Continental Edsel Mercury Merkur Meteor Monarch Former Aston Martin Daimler Jaguar Lagonda Land Rover Th!nk Volvo Divisions and subsidiaries Current Automotive Components Holdings Ford of Argentina Ford of Australia Ford of Brazil Ford of Canada Ford of Europe (Ford of Britain, Ford Germany) Ford India Ford Motor Company of New Zealand Ford Motor Company Philippines Ford Motor Credit Company Ford Racing (Ford Team RS) Motorcraft Special Vehicle Team Troller Discontinued Ford of Russia Ford SAF Mercury Premier Automotive Group Special Vehicle Operations Former Aston Martin Lagonda Cosworth Ford Aerospace Hertz Corporation Jaguar Cars Kwik-Fit Land Rover New Holland Agriculture Visteon Volvo Car Corporation Joint ventures and shareholdings Current Aston Martin Lagonda AutoAlliance International (50%) AutoAlliance Thailand Changan Ford Mazda (35%) Ford Lio Ho Ford Performance Vehicles (49%) Ford Sollers (50%) Getrag Ford Transmissions (50%) Jiangling Motors Mazda Otosan (41%) Defunct Autolatina Matford Samcor Facilities and products Engines Factories Platforms Proving grounds Transmissions Vehicles Bestselling models People Designers Ford Family Henry Ford (Founder) William Clay Ford, Jr. (Executive Chairman) Alan R. Mulally (President and CEO) List of CEOs Other Big Three Dodge v. Ford Motor Company Fordlândia History Kinetic Design New Edge Pay on production United States Council for Automotive Research Website: Ford.com Ticker: NYSE: F Founded: June 16, 1903 Headquarters: Dearborn, Michigan Category Commons