Lot 148: 1983 Aston Martin Lagonda

The launch of the Aston Martin Lagonda at the 1974 Earls Court Motor Show marked a return of the Lagonda name which had remained dormant since the Rapide model ceased production in 1964. Its conception, however, dated back to 1969 when Aston Martin Lagonda's then owner, the late Sir David Brown, had a unique example built for his own personal use based on the Aston Martin DBS V8. Like the production model this employed a DBS V8/V8 chassis stretched to accommodate four doors and increased rear legroom, otherwise sharing the same mechanical specification as the DBS V8. Only seven cars were built, but before production ended in June 1976 designer William Towns had already penned a completely new Series 2 version. Launched at Aston Clinton in October 1976, its platform chassis continued to use the V8's suspension - wishbones/coil springs at the front and a de Dion axle with coil springs, Watt linkage and radius arms at the rear, the latter now with self-levelling. Brakes remained ventilated discs all round, mounted in-board at the back, while the 5,340cc, four camshaft alloy V8 engine, mated to a three-speed Chrysler Torqueflite transmission produced 280bhp at 5,000rpm via quadruple Weber carburettors - sufficient for 148mph and 0-60mph in 7.9 seconds, making the Lagonda one of the fastest four door saloons in the world. It was the futuristic, aerodynamic, aluminium coachwork, however, that was a radical departure with its sleek, sharp and straight-edged lines which measured no less than 17' 4" in length to allow for both four seats and a separate boot. Inside, too, the design was radical, with the then very advanced digital, cathode-ray tube instrumentation and electronic push-button switchgear; by October 1984, four years after production had begun, this was supplemented by multi-lingual verbal accompaniment. A year earlier BBS alloy wheels had replaced the steel items, US specification spoilers and bumpers became standard and the Aston Martin prefix was dropped from the badging. Initially exported directly to Abu Dhabi, the current owner acquired the vehicle in December 1983 and had it imported back to the U.K., in January 1985. In March 1985, Custom and Excise valued the car at £25,000 attracting VAT, car tax & Customs duty charges totalling £7,082. Immediately after its return to the U.K., the car was delivered to Aston Martin Lagonda's factory in Newport Pagnell with the speedometer/odometer reading of 12,880 miles, at which time the vehicle benefited from a complete mechanical and body overhaul including a 10,000 mile service costing £11,398.41 excluding VAT. The work was completed in June 1985 included the updating of the dash which necessitated fitting a new odometer (situated under the bonnet) that currently reads 1,615 miles.The car has always been garaged and has been for minor servicing right up to the present day. This extremely good example of Aston's ugly sister still has its attaché case of tools strapped into boot and will continue to turn heads whatever the competition.