Lot 323: 1963 Aston Martin Lagonda Rapide Saloon

Aston Martin revived the Lagonda name in 1961 with the luxurious Rapide four-door saloon. Beneath the Superleggera aluminium coachwork by Touring of Milan was a lengthened DB4 chassis reconfigured to accept De Dion rear suspension, the adoption of which allowed rear compartment space to be maximised. Powered by a 4.0-litre (236bhp) version of the DB4’s twin-cam six that would later power the DB5, the Rapide certainly lived up to its name with brisk acceleration and a 130mph-plus top speed. Dual-circuit servo assisted disc brakes restrained this excellent performance. Interior fittings included electric windows, picnic tables to the rear, remote-opening filler cap and a radio as standard. A mere 55 units, almost all of which were equipped with Borg Warner three-speed automatic transmission, were built before production ceased in 1964.
Chassis number ‘149’ was sold new to one M M Green, of Hampstead Garden Suburb, London N2 on 11th November 1963 finished in Dubonnet with fawn trim. A rare, manual transmission example, the car comes with copy service history from new up to 1969, by which time it had - remarkably - covered almost 100,000 miles. Advertised for sale in the Aston Martin News Sheet in 1988, it was described as ‘a genuine 100,045-mile Rapide, two owners, stored on blocks for 15 years’ and was purchased by the vendor from the seller, one M J Cobb, of East Grinstead. In 1990 the Rapide was sent to Goldsmith & Young where it was fully restored between 1994 and 1996 at a cost approaching £60,000 (bills on file). Work undertaken included an engine rebuild and enlargement to 4.2 litres incorporating Cosworth pistons and an unleaded conversion; full body and chassis renovation; complete interior re-trim and installation of inertia-reel seatbelts; rear axle/differential overhaul; suspension and brake rebuild; and complete rewiring. Post completion, the car achieved 2nd place awards at the AMOC’s Beaulieu (1996) and Cornbury (1997) Concours events.
The Rapide was next serviced by Ian Mason in 1999 and underwent a braking system overhaul at Oselli in 2005 following several years of little use. It was featured in Hot Cars, a loose-leaf encyclopaedia, circa 2000. Finished in blue with matching leather interior, this well restored Rapide is offered with (copy) build sheet, current road fund licence, MoT to September 2008 and Swansea V5 registration document.