Lagonda
Product brand
UnclaimedBritish luxury automobile marque founded in 1906 and owned by Aston Martin since 1947.
Last updated August 26, 2026
Overview
Lagonda is a British luxury automobile marque with roots in Staines, Middlesex, established in 1906 by Wilbur Gunn, an American-born engineer and former opera singer. Gunn had first built motorcycles and became known locally after winning the 1905 London–Edinburgh trial. He named the company after Lagonda, a Shawnee settlement associated with his birthplace, Springfield, Ohio. The marque’s first car, the six-cylinder 20 hp Torpedo, appeared in 1907 and gained international attention when Gunn used one to win the 1910 Moscow–St Petersburg trial. The result helped Lagonda build an export business in Russia before the First World War. Lagonda developed a reputation for technically distinctive cars rather than a single uninterrupted product line. Its early 11.1 and later 11.9 and 12 models incorporated features such as advanced suspension arrangements, a riveted unitary body structure and an unusual fly-off handbrake. During the First World War the company manufactured artillery shells. In the 1920s and 1930s it broadened its range with sports and luxury cars including the 14/60, two-litre Speed, 16/65, Rapier, M45 and M45R Rapide. Financial difficulties led to a receivership in 1935, after which Alan P. Good acquired the business. Good recruited W. O. Bentley and other former Bentley and Rolls-Royce personnel, setting the marque on a more ambitious engineering path. The pre-war period produced some of Lagonda’s best-known engineering achievements. Bentley and his colleagues developed the 4.5-litre V12, introduced in 1937, while the LG45, LG6 and related Rapide models combined substantial performance with increasingly sophisticated chassis engineering. Lagonda cars also competed in endurance racing, although some results and their circumstances were controversial. During the Second World War the company became a major industrial supplier, producing large quantities of artillery shells and developing flame-throwing equipment for armoured vehicles. In 1947 David Brown acquired Lagonda and integrated it with Aston Martin, which he had also purchased. The two marques operated from shared facilities, and the post-war 2.6-Litre Lagonda introduced a new twin-overhead-camshaft straight-six whose architecture influenced Aston Martin engines of the 1950s. The 3-Litre followed in 1953 and remained available until 1958. The Rapide name returned in 1961 on a four-door saloon based on the Aston Martin DB4, but production ended in 1965. The Lagonda name was revived intermittently during the following decades. A 1969 four-door prototype based on the Aston Martin DBS led to a very small run of production saloons between 1974 and 1976. William Towns then created the radically styled wedge-shaped Aston Martin Lagonda, built on Aston Martin V8 components from 1976 to 1990, with 645 cars produced. A further concept, the Lagonda Vignale, was shown at the 1993 Geneva Motor Show. In 1993–94, Aston Martin built a small number of long-wheelbase Lagonda saloons and shooting brakes based on the Virage. Aston Martin announced a proposed Lagonda revival in 2008 and displayed a large four-wheel-drive SUV concept at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show. The marque was formally confirmed for revival in 2011, with high-end utility vehicles initially emphasized. The main production result was the Lagonda Taraf, a limited-production, V12-powered ultra-luxury saloon announced in 2014. Initially intended for the Middle East, the Taraf was subsequently offered in additional markets including the United Kingdom, Europe and South Africa, with production limited to 200 cars. The Lagonda name has subsequently entered another dormant period, and its present commercial status is not clearly established in the supplied reference material.
History
Lagonda was founded in 1906 at Staines, Middlesex, by Wilbur Gunn, who had emigrated from the United States and worked as an engineer after an earlier career as an opera singer. Before producing cars, Gunn built motorcycles on a small scale. His 1905 success in the London–Edinburgh trial helped establish his engineering credibility, and the first Lagonda car, the 20 hp six-cylinder Torpedo, followed in 1907. Gunn drove a Lagonda to victory in the 1910 Moscow–St Petersburg trial, creating valuable export demand in Russia until the outbreak of war. The company’s early reputation rested on practical innovation. The compact 11.1 introduced in 1913 used a 1,099 cc four-cylinder engine and was later associated with a Panhard rod, a riveted unitary body and a fly-off handbrake. Lagonda produced artillery shells during the First World War. After Gunn’s death in 1920, directors including Colin Parbury managed the business. The 1920s range expanded from small cars to sports and touring models, including the 14/60, Speed, 16/65 and three-litre cars. The 1930s brought the Rapier, M45, M45R Rapide, 16–80 and larger three- and four-and-a-half-litre models. Financial pressure resulted in a receivership in 1935. Alan P. Good acquired the company after outbidding Rolls-Royce and recruited W. O. Bentley, together with engineers and racing personnel from Bentley and Rolls-Royce. This changed Lagonda’s technical direction. The LG45 and LG6 incorporated Bentley-influenced development, while Bentley and colleagues produced the 4.5-litre V12 launched in 1937. The pre-war cars combined strong performance with increasingly sophisticated braking and suspension systems. A Lagonda M45R Rapide also achieved a disputed victory at Le Mans in 1935. During the Second World War, Lagonda became a significant manufacturing operation. Under managing director Richard Watney it produced artillery shells on a large scale and developed the Crocodile and Wasp flame-throwing systems for armoured vehicles. After the war, David Brown acquired Lagonda in 1947 and combined its operations with Aston Martin. The post-war 2.6-Litre Lagonda introduced a new independent-suspension chassis and a twin-overhead-camshaft straight-six; a three-litre version followed in 1953. The engine family became important to Aston Martin’s subsequent development. The marque was revived as the Rapide in 1961, using a four-door body on Aston Martin DB4 mechanical foundations. After the Rapide ended in 1965, Lagonda appeared again on a 1969 four-door DBS-based prototype and on a small production run from 1974 to 1976. William Towns’s wedge-shaped Aston Martin Lagonda, launched in 1976, became the best-known modern expression of the name. Built with Aston Martin V8 components and produced through 1990, it combined extreme styling with advanced electronic equipment for its era. Aston Martin later produced the Lagonda Vignale concept and a handful of Virage-based saloons and shooting brakes in the early 1990s. Aston Martin explored a broader revival from 2008 onward. A large SUV concept appeared in 2009, and the company confirmed the revival direction in 2011. The principal production model was the Lagonda Taraf, a highly exclusive V12 saloon announced in 2014. Although originally aimed at Middle Eastern customers, it was later offered in several other markets, with production capped at 200 units. Lagonda has not maintained continuous commercial activity: the marque has experienced multiple dormant periods, including periods after 1995, between 2010 and 2013, and from 2016 onward according to the cited reference. Its current status as an actively marketed standalone marque is therefore uncertain.
- 2014
Taraf announced
[1]Aston Martin announced the limited-production Lagonda Taraf V12 saloon.
- 2009
Lagonda SUV concept displayed
[1]Aston Martin presented a large four-wheel-drive SUV concept during its proposed marque revival.
- 1993
Lagonda Vignale concept presented
[1]Aston Martin showed the Lagonda Vignale concept at the Geneva Motor Show.
- 1976
William Towns Lagonda launched
[1]A radically styled wedge-shaped luxury saloon entered production using Aston Martin V8 components.
- 1961
Rapide name revived
[1]A new four-door Rapide based on the Aston Martin DB4 was introduced.
- 1947
Acquired by David Brown
[1]David Brown acquired Lagonda and integrated it with Aston Martin.
- 1937
Lagonda V12 launched
[1]A new 4.5-litre V12 engine, developed under W. O. Bentley’s influence, entered the range.
- 1935
Alan P. Good acquired Lagonda
[1]Following financial difficulty and a receivership, Alan P. Good bought the company and recruited W. O. Bentley.
- 1913
11.1 introduced
[1]Lagonda launched the compact 11.1, notable for several advanced chassis and body features.
- 1910
Moscow–St Petersburg trial victory
[1]Wilbur Gunn won the Moscow–St Petersburg trial in a Lagonda, helping generate Russian export demand.
Showing the 10 most recent.
Products and positioning
Ultra-luxury British automobile marque emphasizing distinctive design, advanced engineering, exclusivity and high-performance grand touring.
Early luxury automobile · 1907
Lagonda 20 hp Torpedo
Lagonda’s first car, introduced in 1907 with a six-cylinder engine. Its competition success, particularly in the 1910 Moscow–St Petersburg trial, helped establish the young company and supported early export sales.
Compact automobile · 1913
Lagonda 11.1
A small four-cylinder model introduced in 1913. The car is remembered for engineering features including a Panhard rod suspension arrangement, a riveted unitary body and an early fly-off handbrake.
Sports car · 1935
Lagonda M45R Rapide
A shorter-chassis sporting derivative of the M45, using a tuned 4.5-litre six-cylinder engine. The model was associated with Lagonda’s pre-war racing ambitions and its controversial 1935 Le Mans result.
Luxury grand tourer · 1937
Lagonda V12
Introduced in 1937, the V12 was the engineering centerpiece of the pre-war marque. Its 4.5-litre twelve-cylinder engine offered unusually high performance for a luxury touring car and reflected the work of W. O. Bentley and his engineering colleagues.
Post-war luxury saloon · 1948
Lagonda 2.6-Litre
The first major post-war Lagonda under David Brown ownership. It used a new chassis with fully independent suspension and a twin-overhead-camshaft straight-six that later influenced Aston Martin powertrains.
Luxury saloon · 1961
Lagonda Rapide
A four-door saloon introduced in 1961 and based on the contemporary Aston Martin DB4. It combined a Touring-designed aluminium body with a 3,995 cc engine and demonstrated the marque’s close technical relationship with Aston Martin.
Ultra-luxury saloon · 1976
Aston Martin Lagonda
William Towns’s highly distinctive wedge-shaped saloon was built from 1976 to 1990 on Aston Martin V8 components. Its angular form and advanced electronic instrumentation made it one of the most recognizable luxury cars of its period; 645 were produced.
Concept car · 1993
Lagonda Vignale
A concept unveiled at the 1993 Geneva Motor Show as an exploration of a modern Lagonda design direction. It did not become a regular production model.
Limited-production ultra-luxury saloon · 2014
Lagonda Taraf
A V12-powered flagship saloon announced in 2014 as part of Aston Martin’s attempt to revive Lagonda. It was initially targeted at the Middle East and later offered in the United Kingdom, Europe and South Africa. Production was limited to 200 examples.
Controversies
Marketing campaigns
- 2014Taraf ultra-luxury launch
Middle East · United Kingdom · Europe · South Africa
The Taraf launch positioned Lagonda as an invitation-level, limited-volume luxury marque rather than a high-volume Aston Martin alternative. Its initial Middle Eastern focus was later broadened to selected international markets.
Outcome. Production was capped at 200 cars, reinforcing exclusivity and making the Taraf the principal modern production expression of the Lagonda name.
- 2009Lagonda centenary revival presentation
International automotive media · Europe
Aston Martin used the 2009 Geneva Motor Show to present a large SUV concept intended to demonstrate how the Lagonda name could move beyond traditional sports cars into luxury utility vehicles.
Outcome. The concept did not directly lead to a series-produced SUV in the supplied reference material, but it formed part of the broader revival effort.
Brand decisions
2014
Launch decision for the Lagonda TarafProduct launchBackground
After earlier plans focused on a broader SUV-led range, Aston Martin selected a large, low-bodied saloon as the principal modern production Lagonda.
Action taken
Aston Martin announced the V12-powered Taraf as a limited-production ultra-luxury model, initially for the Middle East and later for selected additional markets.
Aftermath
The model became the main contemporary production bearer of the Lagonda name, with production limited to 200 units.
2008
Proposed relaunch for new luxury marketsStrategyBackground
Aston Martin sought ways to expand beyond specialized sports cars and address markets where year-round luxury vehicles were more practical.
Action taken
The company announced plans to relaunch Lagonda with products such as luxury saloons and vehicles suited to emerging markets.
Aftermath
A SUV concept appeared in 2009, and the revival direction was formally confirmed in 2011.
1947
Acquisition by David Brown and integration with Aston MartinM&ABackground
David Brown had acquired Aston Martin and expanded his British luxury-car interests.
Action taken
Brown acquired Lagonda and moved its operations into the Aston Martin organization.
Aftermath
The brands shared facilities and engineering resources, while the post-war Lagonda straight-six influenced Aston Martin engines.
1935
Reorganization under Alan P. GoodStrategyBackground
Lagonda encountered financial difficulties and entered receivership during the mid-1930s.
Action taken
Alan P. Good acquired the company and recruited W. O. Bentley and former Bentley and Rolls-Royce personnel to strengthen engineering and product development.
Aftermath
The change led to the Bentley-influenced LG models and the development of the Lagonda V12.
Recent events
- 2014
Lagonda Taraf announced as a limited-production luxury saloon[1]
Product launch · Product generation
Aston Martin announced the Taraf, a V12-powered, very limited-production saloon positioned at the top end of the luxury market.
- 2011
Aston Martin confirmed the Lagonda revival[1]
Product launch
Aston Martin confirmed that a new Lagonda range was being considered, with high-end SUVs identified as a principal direction.
- 2009
Lagonda SUV concept shown at Geneva Motor Show[1]
Product launch
Aston Martin displayed a large four-wheel-drive, four-seat SUV concept as part of the centenary-related revival effort.
- 2008
Aston Martin announced plans to relaunch Lagonda[1]
Product launch
Aston Martin said the marque could support expansion into luxury saloons and other markets with products distinct from its sports-car range.
Sources1 sources
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