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Lagonda Rapide - the classiest of the fast cars

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Created on July 7, 2014

Text:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Bruno von Rotz

44

Bonhams

2

Archiv

15

Bruno von Rotz

44

Bonhams

2

Archiv

15

Lagonda Rapide (1963) - simple design

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - independent sedan with the technology of the DB4

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - Almost five meters long

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - line and design came from Touring Superleggera

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - every Rapide was different

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - the radiator grille is reminiscent of the Lagonda tradition

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - independent look

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - Twin headlights were only available for the Rapide

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - Club atmosphere inside

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - the interior offered quite a bit of luxury

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - complete watch collection

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - elegant horn button

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - electric windows for all doors

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - beautiful Smiths watch

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - Motorola radio from the era

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - the air conditioning system without many intervention options

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - controlling the interior temperature

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - red zone from 5500 rpm

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - not too much space in the rear, but nice little wooden tables

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - limited space in the engine compartment

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - the DB4 engine was bored out to four liters for the Lagonda

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - the longitudinally mounted straight-six - most Rapide models had two carburetors

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - the twelve-cylinder would probably have had no room in the front

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - two overhead camshafts for the in-line six-cylinder engine

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - beautiful engine construction

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - View of the curved nose

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - the bodies were built according to the Touring Superleggera principle

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - the Lagonda trademark on the nose

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - reference to the construction method

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - Rear view mirror

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - twin headlights for better light output

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - Air outlets in the flanks

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - chrome-plated wheel covers

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - the only way to get into the back of an "Aston Martin"

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - classic door handles

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - the door handles are clearly protruding

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - the fuel filler flap - the Lagonda had two fuel tanks

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - the two tanks are connected

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - a light for every function

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - Rear lights and reflections

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - old stickers

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Lagonda 3 Litre (1955) - one-off, built for David Brown, large enough to also accommodate the V12 Le Mans engine

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - face developed by Touring Milan

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - four-door sedan, co-developed by Touring

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Lagonda Rapide (1962) - one of the most expensive cars of the time

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Lagonda Rapide (1962) - Similarities to the DB 4 are immediately apparent

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - based on the DB4, but with a differently shaped front and extended rear end

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Lagonda Rapide (1962) - elegant, but not successful

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Lagonda Rapide (1962) at the Geneva Motor Show - the stylist Ogle reworked the interior

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Lagonda Rapide (1962) - Interior of the test car

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Lagonda Rapide (1962) - a test car stands ready, next to it (left) an Aston Martin DB 4 Vantage

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - View of the interior - Brochure illustration

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - Space for a lot of luggage - brochure illustration

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Aston Martin Lagonda (1975) - Four-door sedan based on the V8, bearing the name 'Lagonda' again after many years

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Aston Martin Lagonda (1985) - a left-hand drive sedan

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Aston Martin Lagonda (1985) - straight surfaces dominate the design

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Aston Martin Lagonda Rapide (1964) - auctioned as lot 205 at the Aston Martin Works sale by Bonhams on May 17, 2014

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Aston Martin Lagonda Rapide Sports Saloon (1962) - auctioned as lot 224 at the Aston Martin Works sale by Bonhams on May 17, 2014

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - at the Ennstal Classic 2011 (EP4 137)

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Lagonda Rapide (1963) - lots of wood in the interior

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Summary

From 1961 to 1965, David Brown built the Lagonda Rapide, a top-of-the-range five-seater saloon designed to combine sportiness and comfort. Only 55 cars were sold, the price was probably too high and the design did not convince all potential buyers. This driving report describes the history of the noble saloon, portrays an example from 1963 and shows it in historical and current pictures, including two original brochures.

This article contains the following chapters

Prelude with DP117
A new attempt based on the DB4
Into the top class
Italian body
Expensive and exclusive
Comfort and sportiness
A real rarity
Without a direct successor
Still big
Sports car feeling in the saloon
Further information

Estimated reading time: 5min

Preview (beginning of the article)

David Brown, owner of the car manufacturer Aston Martin, loved fast four-door cars and was probably tired of taking his children to school in non-brand cars. So he had his engineers build a limousine and he called it the Lagonda Rapide, for good reason. David Brown had a soft spot for the traditional Lagonda brand, which he had taken over in 1947 and integrated into Aston Martin. He decided it was time for a luxury saloon with a sporty character. The 4.5-liter V12 was to serve as the engine, but this proved to be a faulty design. Instead, a 3-liter six-cylinder engine was installed in a chassis designed by Eberan von Eberhost and fitted with a body designed by Frank Freeley. The car featured many innovative approaches, but was too heavy for the three-liter. The so-called "brown bomber", aka DP117, served as a company car for David Brown, but remained a one-off.

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