RE: Aston Lagonda: Catch It While You Can

[Big Rumbly]

LittleEnus said:

I do love these. Anyone driven one on here? Just the 80's personified in one car (I know it was technically 70's ).

Edited by LittleEnus on Thursday 18th December 11:44

There was a motor programme in the 80'S called the motor show on sunday afternoons. Every week they had a guest driver from Joe Public who didn't know what it was till the last moment when they opened the garage doors. I was a guest driver on one show and I got one of these. I think my jaw dropped slightly when it was revealed, but at least I knew what it was.
Spent a great morning driving it and being interviewed, cameramen and interviewer crammed into car, and being followed and overtaken by a camera car. I went over a hump back bridge and thought I had grounded it, when we stopped at the end of the run, there was water underneath the car, and I was a tad worried, only to be informed by the chap that owned it, that it was the air conditioning draining (what a relief), not many cars in those days had this feature. Nice memories.

[Lightningman]

RichB said:

Lightningman said:

Yes it sold in small number and yes it has an AM badge but that doesn't make it a great car, nor desirable (imho).

You'll find it has Lagonda badges not Aston Martin. But anyway as has been said, they're wonderfully ugly and in a strange way I rather like them. A bit like rolling up for a business meeting in an old Bristol.

In the late 80s early 90s, I had a friend who owned a 914. In a few countries (iirc the UK was one), they were sold under VW and others Porsche. His had Porsche badges and whenever we went to a party, he'd throw his keys noisily down on the table and ensure his Porsche badged keyring was visible. We were late teens and quite a few girls were lured in by his technique; however, even at that age, you could see the disappointment on their face when they asked what it was and he had to explain that it wasn't a 911. In fairness to him, he'd worked hard and saved all the money he made to buy his Porsche. Whilst he'd have loved a 911 or even a 944, they were beyond his grasp... the 15-year old 914 was not.

imho, this car has all the hallmarks of being bought by the same people... someone who wants the badge but can't afford what they'd really want. Yes it has some cheese factor, yes the styling is very kitsch but can anyone honestly say they'd have one over an Aston V8 if they were the same price?

As for "rolling up for a business meeting in an old Bristol", I can't help but wonder if you've driven one? I have and, it pains me to say, the odious Jeremy Clarkson nailed it... another awful car that is out of business for a reason.

[anonymous-user]

I think the 4cyl 914was badged VW and the 6cyl was given the Porsche branding. Happy to be corrected. Even happier to own one, I think they look great.

[Muzzer79]

Lightningman said:

In the late 80s early 90s, I had a friend who owned a 914. In a few countries (iirc the UK was one), they were sold under VW and others Porsche. His had Porsche badges and whenever we went to a party, he'd throw his keys noisily down on the table and ensure his Porsche badged keyring was visible. We were late teens and quite a few girls were lured in by his technique; however, even at that age, you could see the disappointment on their face when they asked what it was and he had to explain that it wasn't a 911. In fairness to him, he'd worked hard and saved all the money he made to buy his Porsche. Whilst he'd have loved a 911 or even a 944, they were beyond his grasp... the 15-year old 914 was not.

imho, this car has all the hallmarks of being bought by the same people... someone who wants the badge but can't afford what they'd really want. Yes it has some cheese factor, yes the styling is very kitsch but can anyone honestly say they'd have one over an Aston V8 if they were the same price?

As for "rolling up for a business meeting in an old Bristol", I can't help but wonder if you've driven one? I have and, it pains me to say, the odious Jeremy Clarkson nailed it... another awful car that is out of business for a reason.

The difference here, IMO, is that the Lagonda is not a poor-man's Aston Martin like perhaps the 914 was a poor-man's Porsche.

Certainly, they weren't priced as a poor-man's Aston when new. It's only ravaging depreciation and a reputation for unreliability that has led them to be cheap.

But they are a bona fide Aston Martin (Lagonda)

Made like an Aston (not sure that was a good thing in the 70s!)
Proper Aston engine
Aston interior (although with the obvious trinkets)

I lived in Newport Pagnell as a child so have seen several around town. I like them, in a way.

[flat6buster]

IIRC the early ones had touch sensitive buttons on the dash for the gear selection - only they were not back lit....

[simonrockman]

ISTR a white RHD one went at auction a couple of years ago for £17k and the person who bought it was on PH.

I've always liked wedges:

[LittleEnus]

Big Rumbly said:

There was a motor programme in the 80'S called the motor show on sunday afternoons. Every week they had a guest driver from Joe Public who didn't know what it was till the last moment when they opened the garage doors. I was a guest driver on one show and I got one of these. I think my jaw dropped slightly when it was revealed, but at least I knew what it was.
Spent a great morning driving it and being interviewed, cameramen and interviewer crammed into car, and being followed and overtaken by a camera car. I went over a hump back bridge and thought I had grounded it, when we stopped at the end of the run, there was water underneath the car, and I was a tad worried, only to be informed by the chap that owned it, that it was the air conditioning draining (what a relief), not many cars in those days had this feature. Nice memories.

Lucky you, thanks for the story. Was it wallowy? fast? Did it sound good?

[vixen1700]

Love the later face-lifted cars.

[cookie1600]

Yep, got one of these on my bucket list along with an already mentioned Rolls Royce Camargue. They are certainly not everyone's cup of tea, but you're unlikely to draw up beside one at the traffic lights or see another one in the next lane to you on the motorway (probably because the Lagonda would be in for repair). Not sure how they are body wise, usual rusty areas I guess but where the hell do you get new panels?

Quirky describes it to a tee, somewhere between a ZX Spectrum, a Parker Knoll recliner and a space ship. Prices are bound to head North now and if you have the space and a big wallet why wouldn't you? Perhaps you could replace/augment the dash instrumentation with an IPad, using some sort of OBD app like Torque Lite, but I don't suppose it has that level of sophistication at that age?

[LittleEnus]

Found this vid that shows the dash in action. Reminds me of those old word perfect game type consoles from the 80s.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxXx8FdcPak

Smokin'!

[Martin 480 Turbo]

Nice SHED this week.

[DiscoColin]

I don't hate it as such, but the boxy interior looks like Bernie and Leepu knocked it up with sheets and MDF covered with vinyl...

[daytona365]

Who on earth would take this, over a similar vintage BMW ?

[Budweiser]

My GP had one also the chap from Woburn Abbey...

[Budweiser]

My GP had one also the chap from Woburn Abbey...

[williamp]

Dont forget the tickford lagonda

[Schtum]

daytona365 said:

I'd imagine it looks like this because they didn't have the facilities to, not design, but to fabricate anything better, for anything like an acceptable price. Hence straight lines and slightly cartoon like from some, (all?) angles.

Edited by daytona365 on Thursday 18th December 11:17

No, it looks as it does because that was William Towns' design language. Here's his design for the Hustler kit car...



I don't know why your imagination tells you they didn't have the facilties to fabricate anything "better". Go and look at contemporary Aston Martins, as an example. However, the Lagonda was considered a ground-breaking design for its time.

[darrenw]

Absolutely fascinating cars, I'd never seen one in real life until last year. The grin on my face when I found myself stood in front of not just one but a whole line up of them was huge


Aston Martin Lagonda at the Silverstone Classic 2013 - photo by Retro-Motoring


Aston Martin Lagonda at the Silverstone Classic 2013 - photo by Retro-Motoring


Aston Martin Lagonda at the Silverstone Classic 2013 - photo by Retro-Motoring


Aston Martin Lagonda dashboard instrument panel at the Silversto - photo by Retro-Motoring

[Europa1]

simonrockman said:

ISTR a white RHD one went at auction a couple of years ago for £17k and the person who bought it was on PH.

I've always liked wedges:

In that case, might I suggest sir would be rather taken with the Aston Martin Bulldog - makes the Lagonda look voluptuously curvy [apologies stupid computer won't let me upload a picture].

[0llie]

There have been a couple of examples similar to the below, but I love the old rear seat entertainment option