Marque: Aston Martin - Company History & Models - Cars By Brand
Aston Martin
Nine decades ago Lionel Martin produced a car which he campaigned in the famous Aston Clinton hill climb. The names Aston and Martin were combined to provide a name for the marque which ever since has been associated with automotive excellence. And James Bond. Martin was a keen participant in motorsport, and started with a 10hp Singer as the basis for his tuning experiments. At that time, Martin…
Aston Martin Lagonda
PRICE: Difficult To Predict
Fast Facts
- Produced:
1974-76 - Bodywork:
Four-door saloon - Engine:
Quad overhead camshaft V8 5340cc output not quoted (later examples approx 305bhp Vantage approx 375bhp) - 0-60 mph:
7 sec (Vantage 5.5 sec) - Top Speed:
140+ mph - MPG:
12-18 mpg
Past: Another – unsuccessful – stab at making an Aston saloon, the Lagonda first surfaced as a four-door DBS V8 in 1969, sitting on a stretched (115in wheelbase) platform. Continued strife at the factory mothballed the concept until 1974 when it was officially announced. Only seven were made before the angular, uglier Lagonda replacement took over.
Present: On the face of it, an excellent idea and the car drove like the DBS saloon it actually was. Most examples were aptly automatics to emphasise the car’s touring nature and reports at the time spoke highly of the concept. Most panels are specialist and so restorations (never cheap on an Aston anyway!) will prove even more expensive.
Future: With only a handful made, values are difficult to predict and dependent upon how much you want one! If new DB9- derived Rapide is successful then perhaps interest on such past Aston saloons may gain a deserved boost.
Aston Martin Lagonda
PRICE: £8000-£40,000
Fast Facts
- Produced:
1975-89 - Engine:
5.3 - 0-60 mph:
8.8sec - Top Speed:
148mph - Power:
280/300 bhp
Despite bearing edges so sharp you could lacerate your palms, the Lagonda appealed to buyers who were a long way from being straight down the line. That holds true today, despite values dropping to tempt the unwary at below £10,000. The Aston Martin badge, when spotted, will seal your wealth status in the eyes of the unknowing, but there’s also plenty to rob you in this most complex of luxury limos. Launched in 1975, the V8- powered Lagonda stripped away Aston’s reputation for not scaring the horses. And if the styling was radical, the dashboard was looking past Dan Dare into the future. Three different dashes were tried before the car was axed in 1989, boasting technology such as solid-state digital, cathode-ray tubes and finally vacuum fluorescent instrumentation. The second incarnation would speak to you in Arabic, if you so desired, giving a clue to the destination of many of these five-metre long behemoths. The 5.3-litre V8 stayed pretty much the same throughout its life, but the shovel nosed design was re-dressed in 1987 for the last, Series Four car. Today, owners aren’t all sticking their heads in a bucket of sump oil in despair. Regular servicing is the key, according to those who’ve successfully run one. Although it’s probably best to have a trust fund too.
