Lagonda Rapide
Encyclopedia
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. The car featured tailfin
s and a horse collar grille like Ford
's failed Edsel
.
The Rapide used a 4.0 L straight-6
engine, which would later be used in the Aston Martin DB5
. Other new features included a de Dion tube
rear suspension which would find its way into the Aston Martin DBS
.
The car had dual circuit, servo assisted disc brakes, and most cars were supplied with a 3-speed automatic gearbox. The exterior body panels were constructed from aluminium alloy over a Superleggera
tubular steel frame. The interior was upholstered in leather and had a burled walnut dashboard.
The car was built to order only and quite costly at £4,950. However, 55 vehicles were produced, of which 48 are known today.
In 2006, Aston Martin PLc announced their intention to revive the Rapide name. They then delivered on this promise by releasing the Rapide in 2010, but badged as an Aston Martin, not a Lagonda.
Aston Martin DB4
The DB4 is a sports car sold by Aston Martin from 1958 until 1963. It was an entirely different car from the DB Mark III it replaced, though the 3.7 L engine was externally visually related to the 2.9 L unit found in that car....
, it was 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....
's attempt to revive the Lagonda
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...
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. The car featured tailfin
Tailfin
The tailfin era of automobile styling encompassed the 1950s and 1960s, peaking between 1957 and 1960. It was a style that spread worldwide, as car designers picked up styling trends from the US automobile industry where it was the golden epoch of American autodesign.General Motors design chief...
s and a horse collar grille like Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
's failed Edsel
Edsel
The Edsel was an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company during the 1958, 1959, and 1960 model years. The Edsel never gained popularity with contemporary American car buyers and sold poorly. Consequently, the Ford Motor Company lost millions of dollars on the Edsel's development,...
.
The Rapide used a 4.0 L straight-6
Straight-6
The straight-six engine or inline-six engine is a six-cylinder internal combustion engine with all six cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankcase...
engine, which would later be used in the Aston Martin DB5
Aston Martin DB5
The Aston Martin DB5 is a luxury grand tourer that was made by Aston Martin. Released in 1963, it was an evolution of the final series of DB4. The DB series was named honouring David Brown ....
. Other new features included a de Dion tube
De Dion tube
A de Dion tube is an automobile suspension technology. It is a sophisticated form of non-independent suspension and is a considerable improvement over the alternative swing axle and Hotchkiss drive types. A de Dion suspension uses universal joints at both the wheel hubs and differential, and uses a...
rear suspension which would find its way into the Aston Martin DBS
Aston Martin DBS
The Aston Martin DBS is a GT car produced by the British manufacturer Aston Martin Lagonda Limited. Originally produced from 1967–72, it featured in the 1969 James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service...
.
The car had dual circuit, servo assisted disc brakes, and most cars were supplied with a 3-speed automatic gearbox. The exterior body panels were constructed from aluminium alloy over a Superleggera
Superleggera
Superleggera is an automobile chassis construction technology developed by Felice Bianchi Anderloni of Italian coachbuilder Carrozzeria Touring. The company was located just north of Milan, near Alfa Romeo, Italian Citroen, and the former Isotta-Fraschini plant...
tubular steel frame. The interior was upholstered in leather and had a burled walnut dashboard.
The car was built to order only and quite costly at £4,950. However, 55 vehicles were produced, of which 48 are known today.
In 2006, Aston Martin PLc announced their intention to revive the Rapide name. They then delivered on this promise by releasing the Rapide in 2010, but badged as an Aston Martin, not a Lagonda.