| Lagonda Rapide | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Aston Martin |
| Production | 1961–1964 55 produced |
| Designer | Carrozzeria Touring |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Full-size luxury car (F) |
| Body style | 4-door saloon |
| Layout | FR layout |
| Related | Aston Martin DB4 |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 4.0 L DOHC I6 |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 196 in (4,978 mm) |
| Chronology | |
| Successor | Aston Martin Lagonda |
The Lagonda Rapide is a hand built full-sized luxury four-door grand tourer which was produced by Aston Martin 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 and not used since the 3.0 litre cars of the 1950s stopped production in 1958. It marked a revival of the Rapide model name which had been used by Lagonda during the 1930s. The car was styled by Carrozzeria Touring [1] and featured rear-end styling similar to the DB4 convertible, and an adapted Lagonda grille a little similar to Ford's Edsel.
The Rapide uses a 4.0 L straight-6 six cylinder double overhead camshaft 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 has dual-circuit, servo-assisted, four-wheel disc brakes, and most cars were supplied with a 3-speed automatic BorgWarner gearbox. The exterior body panels were constructed from aluminium alloy over a Superleggera tubular steel frame. [2] All cars except for the prototype had their bodies constructed by Lagonda. The interior was upholstered in leather and had a burled walnut dashboard.
The car was hand-built to order only, with a base price of £4,950. 55 were produced, of which 48 survive. [1]
One Rapide was converted into a shooting brake in 2005–2006 by the Carrosserie Company Ltd. of Barnard Castle, England.
Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings PLC is a British manufacturer of luxury sports cars and grand tourers. Its predecessor was founded in 1913 by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford. Steered from 1947 by David Brown, it became associated with expensive grand touring cars in the 1950s and 1960s, and with the fictional character James Bond following his use of a DB5 model in the 1964 film Goldfinger. Their grand tourers and sports cars are regarded as a British cultural icon.
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The Aston Martin DB5 is a British grand tourer (GT) produced by Aston Martin and designed by Italian coachbuilder Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera. Originally produced from 1963 to 1965, the DB5 was an evolution of the final series of DB4. The "DB" designation is from the initials of David Brown who built up the company from 1947 onwards.
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The Lagonda 3-Litre is an automobile which was produced by Aston Martin Lagonda from 1953 until 1958. It was the second Lagonda model of the David Brown/Aston Martin era. The 3-Litre was fitted with a higher displacement 2.9 L 140 bhp version of the twin overhead camshaft Lagonda Straight-6 engine designed by Walter Owen Bentley.
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The Lagonda Taraf is a full-size luxury car that was produced in 2015 and 2016 by the British carmaker Aston Martin under its Lagonda marque. Designed by Marek Reichman and considered "the finest of fast cars" by Aston Martin, the vehicle is based upon the vertical–horizontal platform, which it shares with the DB9 and Rapide. The Taraf debuted in Dubai in 2014, with manufacture commencing in the subsequent year at the facility in Gaydon, Warwickshire. Initially intended for sale exclusively in the Middle Eastern market with a limited run of 100 units, Aston Martin later expanded the car's availability to several other countries and ultimately built 120.