Lagonda is
one of the big names in the British motorcar industry. In 1906, the
brand made its entree in Staines, England, and was founded by an
American named Wilbur Gunn.
Lagonda initially built engines and motorcycles but started the
manufacturing of small, light-weight cars, and powerful private cars in
the 1930s.
In 1935, a Lagonda won the 24-hour Le Mans race, which made the brand
famous straight away.
In 1939, W.O. Bentley joined Lagonda who developed the finest engines
for the company. In 1947, Lagonda was taken over by David Brown, the
owner of Aston Martin. Hence, the engines developed by W.O. Bentley
found their way to Aston Martin. After Brown’s take-over, a new age
dawned for Lagonda, and, on a modest scale, they started building large
touring cars, saloons and drop-head coupes that had many sports car
characteristics below the surface. Lagonda's were built until 1965,
till, in 1976 the distinguishably designed Aston Lagonda appeared.
The Lagonda is nowadays one of the ‘dormant’ brands. The brand name
is still owned by Aston Martin, which, in its turn, is part of the Ford
Motor Corporation.
Technical
data
Engine:
Meadows 6 cylinder in-line engine with
overhead valves (OHV)
Bore x stroke: 88.5 x 120.6 mm
Cylinder capacity: 4453 cc.
Compression: 1:6
Capacity: 160 bhp. at 5500 rpm.
Gearbox: Alvis 4- speed manual, synchronized
Top-speed: approx. 110 mph.
Weight: approx. 1800 kg.
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