RE: Aston Lagonda: Catch It While You Can
Discussion
Lightningman said:
As for "rolling up for a business meeting in an old Bristol", I can't help but wonder if you've driven one?
Yep two in fact, can't remember the numbers but a business colleague of mine had an older one and in later years a friend too - both V8s. They loved them and they were fun to drive on the odd occasion I did. It's easy to take oneself to seriously in life, I never said I'd have one like a shot, but these cars appeal to me more than (yet) another old BMW 7 series as suggested elsewhere. All IMO of course 
p.s. Lagonda isn't out of business.
Fantastic looking cars - was gob smacked as a kid in the 70's when they came out. Looked liked nothing else on earth - has the first digital dashboard of any car IIRC. Even though it didn't work very well. Got me into electonics and then computing - so owe these cars a lot. they were bought by the Arabs - hence the new Lagonda originally being a Middle East only offering. The Arabs would just abandon them in the desert if they broke down. First job in the late 70's and I fly into Dubai. Heard the stories of them being abandoned, but didn't have the time to go look and rescue one.
Fast forward to this century, on holiday in France when I here the rumble of a V8, go out to the balcony to have a look - and its a Lagonda! Turns out it was the Lagonda annual European meeting - see pictures from the local car park. Love the way the sunroof is only for the rear passengers.
haven't got the funds/ space or brave pills to buy one, but would love to own one.
Still all Astons look the same, don't they.
Fast forward to this century, on holiday in France when I here the rumble of a V8, go out to the balcony to have a look - and its a Lagonda! Turns out it was the Lagonda annual European meeting - see pictures from the local car park. Love the way the sunroof is only for the rear passengers.
haven't got the funds/ space or brave pills to buy one, but would love to own one.
Still all Astons look the same, don't they.
daveco said:
Full of character and very interesting design. Aston Martin really had some balls back then.
I don't think balls had anything to do with this one.I think this was designed by someone who only had a pencil and a ruler and was only allowed to draw straight lines.
This car isn't ugly, bold or interesting. It looks like something that a child might draw.
Yes, it's definitely escaped from Gerry Anderson's TV series "UFO", hasn't it! Or else it's the embodiment of the sort of presidential limousine taken over by the Mysterons in a Captain Scarlet episode.
I happen to admire the looks. In some ways, I guess Towns/AM envisaged this as a futuristic replacement for all the tall, haughty aristocratic cars that wealthy, establishment-type people drove throughout the decades prior to this era eg. Bentley Continentals, various Rolls-Royce models such as the Silver Clouds, Silver Shadows and the already-mentioned Camargues.
Compared to such leviathans the AM Lagonda was probably a lithe and nimble handler with seriously superior performance.
I'm assuming the running gear of the car (engine, gearbox, suspension, etc) was all pretty well-tried and established AM mechanicals so surely that only leaves that digital dashboard as the 'fly in the ointment'?
Well, there must be millions of modern-day electronics techno geeks out there for whom it would something they could do in their sleep to fit modern-day circuit board, superchip technology etc behind the existing dashboard to make it function 100% reliably? I mean - what have the world's electronics industries been doing for the last forty years!!
I happen to admire the looks. In some ways, I guess Towns/AM envisaged this as a futuristic replacement for all the tall, haughty aristocratic cars that wealthy, establishment-type people drove throughout the decades prior to this era eg. Bentley Continentals, various Rolls-Royce models such as the Silver Clouds, Silver Shadows and the already-mentioned Camargues.
Compared to such leviathans the AM Lagonda was probably a lithe and nimble handler with seriously superior performance.
I'm assuming the running gear of the car (engine, gearbox, suspension, etc) was all pretty well-tried and established AM mechanicals so surely that only leaves that digital dashboard as the 'fly in the ointment'?
Well, there must be millions of modern-day electronics techno geeks out there for whom it would something they could do in their sleep to fit modern-day circuit board, superchip technology etc behind the existing dashboard to make it function 100% reliably? I mean - what have the world's electronics industries been doing for the last forty years!!
As you are all so keen, there is a good website/resource fir the lagondas. Images, etc
http://www.lagondanet.com/pix.html
And this top gear episode (approx 30 mins in) james may feels the wedge
http://youtu.be/AKMzo5wvJgg
http://www.lagondanet.com/pix.html
And this top gear episode (approx 30 mins in) james may feels the wedge
http://youtu.be/AKMzo5wvJgg
RichB said:
Mark-C said:
... the dashboard was stunning. Sadly the cars had massive issues and there seems to have been no money to fix them...
There's now a reliable replacement available from the specialists. If I could afford to own one I would :-)
Whether you find this car ugly or stunning there is no doubting that it is both striking and iconic. We all know it.
The slightly sad fact is that many had their engines ripped out as during the 90s they were the cheapest way to get a Marek V8 for your race build.
Back then you could buy these at auction for well under £10k ( I watched one go for under £5k) when trying to buy a Marek V8 was starting at over £10k.
The slightly sad fact is that many had their engines ripped out as during the 90s they were the cheapest way to get a Marek V8 for your race build.
Back then you could buy these at auction for well under £10k ( I watched one go for under £5k) when trying to buy a Marek V8 was starting at over £10k.
DonkeyApple said:
...The slightly sad fact is that many had their engines ripped out as during the 90s they were the cheapest way to get a Marek V8 for your race build...
Seems like poor old Lagondas are easy prey. the same thing happened, and probably still does, to old Lagonda 3 litres that get their engines removed as replacements for DB2s and DB2/4s.daytona365 said:
That's exactly right. I remember those times, they couldn't give them away, much like the Ferrari 400 but seems the tide's now turning.
When the infamous G reg collection I Astons was being touted around the general pitch was that the Lagonda would be thrown is for spare parts. RichB said:
DonkeyApple said:
...The slightly sad fact is that many had their engines ripped out as during the 90s they were the cheapest way to get a Marek V8 for your race build...
Seems like poor old Lagondas are easy prey. the same thing happened, and probably still does, to old Lagonda 3 litres that get their engines removed as replacements for DB2s and DB2/4s.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff