Aston Martin Lagonda Series 2

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The Aston Martin Lagonda was a luxury four-door saloon built by Aston Martin in their Newport Pagnell factory between 1976 and 1990 and was aimed mainly at the oil-rich Middle-East market.

The striking ‘flying wedge’ styling by William Towns (complete with the pop-up headlights that were so fashionable in the mid-1970s) was dramatic to say the least and car enthusiasts were fiercely divided on the vehicle’s aesthetic value. Nevertheless, as soon as it was announced it drew in hundreds of deposits from potential customers, helping Aston Martin's cash reserves which were running low at that time. To identify this distinctly different car, Aston Martin resurrected the Lagonda name, having purchased the famous marque in 1947.

The first car in the Lagonda series was a relatively conventional 4-door version of the Aston Martin V8 and only seven were built in 1974/75. However, the Series 2 was a spectacular and total contrast, sharing little but the engine. Although it was first shown at the 1976 London Motor Show, it was nearly three years later before deliveries of the Series 2 Aston Martin Lagonda commenced in 1979.

The opulent leather interior of this exotic machine was as different as the exterior, with ultra-modern styling and then-state-of-the-art instrumentation. It was the first production car in the world to use computer management and a digital instrument panel, although the computers in many of the early cars soon gained a reputation for unreliability. The car also featured LED touch pad controls, but other innovations soon proved troublesome and the fancy steering wheel controls and gas plasma display were abandoned in 1980.

Mechanically the car shared the same 5.3 litre DOHC V8 engine and Chrysler Torqueflite 3-speed automatic transmission as the regular Aston Martin V8. With 280bhp on tap it could sprint to 60mph in 8.8 seconds with a 143mph top speed. These hand-built Lagondas were amongst the most expensive saloons in the world at the time and a mere 645 were produced in total, making survivors increasingly sought after today.

Originally registered in October 1980 and with just four former keepers, this Lagonda S2 appears to have entered the Stondon Museum Collection in 1993, shortly after moving from a prestigious address in London’s King’s Road. Accompanied by two old MOT’s from 1991 and 1992 (stating the mileage as 6,532 and 20,243 respectively), it will doubtless require a fair degree of recommissioning following 22 years as a display item. It was driven on and off the transporter to Brightwells but is only firing on about half its cylinders, by the sound of it, and the petrol is clearly very stale.

Given that a similar (albeit very low mileage) Lagonda made over £98,000 at the Bonhams Aston Martin sale in May this year, the further investment now required could yet prove to be money well spent…