Lagonda 3-Litre
Encyclopedia
The 1953 Lagonda 3-litre was the second Lagonda
of the David Brown
/Aston Martin
era. It used a higher displacement 2.9 L 140 bhp version of the twin overhead camshaft Lagonda Straight-6 engine
which was designed by Walter Owen Bentley.
Like its predecessor, the 3-Litre was a 4-seat car, but only a 2-door closed coupé, built by David Brown
subsidiary engineering company Tickford
or convertible "Drophead Coupé" models built by Swiss coach builders Hermann Graber were offered initially. A 4-door saloon, appeared in 1954 and the 2-door closed car was dropped soon after. That same year, a Mark II version introduced a floor-mounted shift lever.
The car had a separate cruciform braced chassis and the suspension was independent all round, unusual for a car of its time. At the front there were coil springs and at the rear torsion bars and a swing axle. The Lockheed drum brakes, 12 in (305 mm) at the front and 11 in (279 mm) at the rear were servo assisted and steering was by a rack and pinion system with fore and aft adjustment on the steering column.
The interior was luxurious with polished walnut for the dashboard and door trims and leather seats, individual in front and a bench at the rear with fold down arm rest. There were also adjustable arm rests on the front doors. A heater, radio and built in hydraulic jacks were standard equipment. Single or two tome paint schemes were available.
The 3-Litre was more expensive than its competitors and just 270 of both bodystyles were sold. The convertible ended production in 1957, with the saloon following one year later. The Lagonda Rapide
of 1961 was a final attempt to revive the Lagonda name as a luxury saloon counterpart to Aston Martin's GT cars.
magazine in 1956 and was found to have a top speed of 104 mph (167.4 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 12.9 seconds. A fuel consumption of 19.9 mpgimp was recorded. The test car cost £2993 including taxes of £998.
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, named Wilbur Gunn . He named the company after a river near the town of his birth, Springfield, Ohio, United States...
of the David Brown
David Brown (entrepreneur)
Sir David Brown was an English entrepreneur, managing director of his family firm David Brown Limited and one time owner of shipbuilders Vosper Thornycroft and automobile manufacturer Aston Martin....
/Aston Martin
Aston Martin
Aston Martin Lagonda Limited is a British manufacturer of luxury sports cars, based in Gaydon, Warwickshire. The company name is derived from the name of one of the company's founders, Lionel Martin, and from the Aston Hill speed hillclimb near Aston Clinton in Buckinghamshire...
era. It used a higher displacement 2.9 L 140 bhp version of the twin overhead camshaft Lagonda Straight-6 engine
Lagonda Straight-6 engine
The Lagonda Straight-6 is a famous automobile engine used by Aston Martin and Lagonda marques in the 1950s. Designed by Walter Owen Bentley of Bentley Motors Limited, it vaulted Aston Martin to fame as a maker of desirable sports and racing cars.-History:...
which was designed by Walter Owen Bentley.
Like its predecessor, the 3-Litre was a 4-seat car, but only a 2-door closed coupé, built by David Brown
David Brown (entrepreneur)
Sir David Brown was an English entrepreneur, managing director of his family firm David Brown Limited and one time owner of shipbuilders Vosper Thornycroft and automobile manufacturer Aston Martin....
subsidiary engineering company Tickford
Tickford
Tickford is an automobile engineering and testing company with a history of coachbuilding and tuning and is famous for such products as the 140 mph Tickford Turbo Capri.-Early years:...
or convertible "Drophead Coupé" models built by Swiss coach builders Hermann Graber were offered initially. A 4-door saloon, appeared in 1954 and the 2-door closed car was dropped soon after. That same year, a Mark II version introduced a floor-mounted shift lever.
The car had a separate cruciform braced chassis and the suspension was independent all round, unusual for a car of its time. At the front there were coil springs and at the rear torsion bars and a swing axle. The Lockheed drum brakes, 12 in (305 mm) at the front and 11 in (279 mm) at the rear were servo assisted and steering was by a rack and pinion system with fore and aft adjustment on the steering column.
The interior was luxurious with polished walnut for the dashboard and door trims and leather seats, individual in front and a bench at the rear with fold down arm rest. There were also adjustable arm rests on the front doors. A heater, radio and built in hydraulic jacks were standard equipment. Single or two tome paint schemes were available.
The 3-Litre was more expensive than its competitors and just 270 of both bodystyles were sold. The convertible ended production in 1957, with the saloon following one year later. The Lagonda Rapide
Lagonda Rapide
The Lagonda Rapide was a 4-door GT car produced from 1961 until 1964. Based on the Aston Martin DB4, it was David Brown's attempt to revive the Lagonda marque which he had purchased in 1948. It marked a revival of the Rapide model name which had been used by Lagonda during the 1930s...
of 1961 was a final attempt to revive the Lagonda name as a luxury saloon counterpart to Aston Martin's GT cars.
Performance
A car was tested by the British MotorThe Motor (magazine)
The Motor was a British weekly car magazine founded on 28 January 1903....
magazine in 1956 and was found to have a top speed of 104 mph (167.4 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 12.9 seconds. A fuel consumption of 19.9 mpgimp was recorded. The test car cost £2993 including taxes of £998.