| 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 sports cars are regarded as a British cultural icon. Aston Martin has held a Royal Warrant as purveyor of motorcars to Charles III since 1982, and has over 160 car dealerships in 53 countries, making it a global automobile brand. The company is traded on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index. In 2003 it received the Queen's Award for Enterprise for outstanding contribution to international trade. The company has survived seven bankruptcies throughout its history.
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