Aston Martin Lagonda (Series 2) (1976 - 1985)

On the 12th October 1976, Aston Martin shocked the world by unveiling the fabulous and futuristic, Williams Town's designed, Lagonda. This was the ultimate car of the future from a company which appeared to have no future just two years previously. The car was crammed full of new and relatively untried technology which included LED  digital instruments, touch sensitive switches and electronic memory seats all within a sleek and sharply styled body. Production didn't really begin until 1978 as it took an enormous amount of work to get the sophisticated electronics to function correctly. Indeed during the first two years of production, only 16 cars were completed.

The AMOC has a way of categorising the products of AML to prevent confusion between models. The earlier V8 Lagonda is known as the series 1 - the wedge shaped Lagondas are known as the series 2, 3 and 4. There is also documentary evidence that the series numbering of the V8 Lagonda was also used by AML themselves. The series 2 to 4 cars are also erroneously referred to as the 'Towns' Lagonda - which is true, but the series 1 car was also the work of William Towns. When Towns designed the 4 door car, he also worked on a series of two door versions which never saw the light of day - I've been fortunate enough to see the original drawings which are terribly interesting. Interestingly that 10 years later, AML did build a 2 door Lagonda which was in fact a prototype for the Virage. Sadly I have never seen the car.

And in I must admit that my love of Aston Martins started then - my very first car crush. Although I don't own a Lagonda, it's a car that I'll always have a huge soft spot for and that's why I have so many pictures.

This is probably the oldest surviving Aston Martin Lagonda (it was at this time classed as an Aston Martin, although later the name was shortened to Lagonda). This is DP1040, chassis number 13007, a pre-production car, which started life as a styling studio model and subsequently used by the factory for a variety of test purposes culminating in testing the fuel injection engine in 1985. The car was sold during the 2000 AML/Brooks auction for a mere £7475 including commission, a very small sum indeed for a genuine AML Development Project car. 

 am lagonda © Tim Cottingham 2001

am lagonda © Tim Cottingham 2001

The wedge shaped design and pop-up headlights was pure 70's. The Lagonda was from a time of cars like the Ferrari 308GT4 and Lotus Esprit, but more than any other car defined 'edge' design as these shots show. The design of the rear lights was carried through to the Bulldog, also the work of William Towns. Unusually they were also seen on the V8 Zagato. This early gold car features the disc wheels which most closely corresponds to those designed by William Towns. am lagonda © Tim Cottingham 2001
am lagonda © Tim Cottingham 2001 At launch in 1978, the car cost £33,000, but by 1980, when production reached the promised one car per week, the price had grown to £50,000; a very expensive car indeed. Needless to say, they were well out of the reach of the man in the street but were popular with wealthy from the Middle East. The car on the left was purchased by a Saudi Prince and the  one on the right was the property of a Saudi Princess. Strangely, as soon as taking delivery, the car was returned to the factory to be re-trimmed in green leather with matching blinds and curtains.  am lagonda © Tim Cottingham 2001
am lagonda © Tim Cottingham 2001 This jaw dropping machine is probably the fastest Lagonda ever built. The factory uprated engine provides a potential top speed of 160mph. It's squat stance is accentuated by the fitting of 19 inch BBS wheels shod with Pirelli P Zero tyres. This was the third to last series 2 built before the adoption of fuel injection and the series 3. During a production run of seven years, 462 Series 2 cars were built. am lagonda © Tim Cottingham 2001
  am lagonda © Tim Cottingham 2001 am lagonda © Tim Cottingham 2001 An interesting colour scheme with unusual body coloured bumpers. Generally speaking, production cars had matt black bumpers.  
am lagonda interior © Tim Cottingham 2001 The original dashboard of the Lagonda featured digital LED's, these were replaced by stylish Cathode Ray Tube instruments as in this late series 2 example. The later cars also feature more substantial 'federal' bumpers, a small front air dam and the third style of wheel seen on the series 2 by BBS.  am lagonda © Tim Cottingham 2001

am lagondas and a rapide © Tim Cottingham 2001
The Lagonda was the saviour of AML during the first few years of the 1980's. Strong demand, especially from the oil rich Middle East meant that AML even had to produce a brochure in Arabic which also starts at the back so to speak. At a board meeting shortly after Victor Gauntlett joined the company, some directors considered ditching the V8 altogether and concentrate on the Lagonda alone. Gauntlett was successful in securing the future of the AMV8; a decision which, as time would tell, also saved AML.

So, is the Lagonda an Aston Martin? Certainly when first shown in 1976, it was described as the Aston Martin Lagonda in press releases and brochures. Indeed, many series 2 cars have a Lagonda bonnet badge with the names 'Aston' and 'Martin' featured also. But sometime during the 1980's the 'Aston Martin' description was quietly dropped.

This car with the second wheel style (pepper-pot) is obviously both an Aston Martin and a Lagonda as it features the classic wing vent of the AMV8

For more Lagonda's - please visit www.astonmartinlagonda.net

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