Lagonda 3-Litre

Lagonda 3-Litre
Manufacturer Aston Martin Lagonda
Production 1953–1958
270 produced[1]
Predecessor Lagonda 2.6-Litre
Successor Lagonda Rapide
Class Luxury car
Body style 2-door 4-seat saloon
4-door 4-seat saloon
2-door 4-seat convertible
Engine 2.9 L Lagonda I6
Wheelbase 113.5 in (2,883 mm)[2]
Length 195.5 in (4,966 mm)[2]
Width 70 in (1,778 mm)[2]
Height 62 in (1,575 mm)[2]

The 1953 Lagonda 3-litre was the second Lagonda of the David Brown/Aston Martin era. It used a higher displacement 2.9 L 140 bhp version of the twin overhead camshaft Lagonda Straight-6 engine which was designed by Walter Owen Bentley.

Like its predecessor, the 3-Litre was a 4-seat car, but only a 2-door closed coupé, built by David Brown subsidiary engineering company Tickford[3] or convertible "Drophead Coupé" models built by Swiss coach builders Hermann Graber[3] were offered initially. A 4-door saloon, appeared in 1954 and the 2-door closed car was dropped soon after. That same year, a Mark II version introduced a floor-mounted shift lever.

The car had a separate cruciform braced chassis and the suspension was independent all round, unusual for a car of its time. At the front there were coil springs and at the rear torsion bars and a swing axle. The Lockheed drum brakes, 12 in (305 mm) at the front and 11 in (279 mm) at the rear were servo assisted and steering was by a rack and pinion system with fore and aft adjustment on the steering column.

The interior was luxurious with polished walnut for the dashboard and door trims and leather seats, individual in front and a bench at the rear with fold down arm rest. There were also adjustable arm rests on the front doors. A heater, radio and built in hydraulic jacks were standard equipment[2]. Single or two tome paint schemes were available.

The 3-Litre was more expensive than its competitors and just 270 of both bodystyles were sold. The convertible ended production in 1957, with the saloon following one year later. The Lagonda Rapide of 1961 was a final attempt to revive the Lagonda name as a luxury saloon counterpart to Aston Martin's GT cars.

Performance

A car was tested by the British Motor magazine in 1956 and was found to have a top speed of 104 mph (167 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 12.9 seconds. A fuel consumption of 19.9 miles per imperial gallon (14.2 L/100 km; 16.6 mpg-US) was recorded. The test car cost £2993 including taxes of £998.[2]

References

  1. ^ Sedgwick, Michael; Gillies (1993). A-Z of cars 1945–1970. UK: Bay View Books. ISBN 1-870979-39-7. 
  2. ^ a b c d e f "The Lagonda 3-litre saloon". The Motor. 19 December 1956. 
  3. ^ a b Gloor, Roger (1. Auflage 2007). Alle Autos der 50er Jahre 1945 – 1960. Stuttgart: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 978-3-613-02808-1. 
Type 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s
8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
Owner David Brown Limited William Wilson Sprague & Minden Pace Petroleum & Gauntlett Gauntlett & Livanos Gauntlett, Livanos & Ford Ford Richards, Sinders, Dar, Adeem
City car Cygnet
Zagato /

Limited Run

 DB4 GT Zagato V8 Zagato DB7 Vantage Zagato V12 Zagato
DB AR1 One-77
Super Grand tourer SWB V8 Vantage Virage Vantage V8 Vantage V12 Vanquish DBS V12
Grand tourer V8 Virage V8 Virage
DB4 DB5 DB6 DB7 DB9
DB1 DB2 DB2/4 DB Mk III DBS Vantage V8 Vantage /

V12 Vantage
Luxury saloon 2.6-Litre 3-Litre Rapide Lagonda Rapide