Beschreibung:

The Earls Court Motor Show 1975 Aston Martin Lagonda Series 1 7.0-Litre Saloon Registration no. LJF 502P (not registered with DVLA) Chassis no. L/12006/RCAC Engine no. V/540/2006• Offered without reserve • One of only eight made • Matching engine and chassis numbers • Extensively restored by R S Williams in 2006 • Only some 3,200 miles since restoration • Titled ownership 2006-2012 FootnotesThe Lagonda brand had been moribund for a decade when Aston Martin revived it in 1974 as the model name for a new four-door saloon based on the existing two-door V8. It is said that the project was born out of Aston Martin owner David Brown's desire to be chauffeur driven in a car of his own manufacture. A prototype ('MP/230/1') was used by David Brown in 1969 but the project would not come to fruition until after his departure and Aston Martin's acquisition by Company Developments. Launched at the London Motor Show in October 1974, the new Lagonda was 305mm (12") longer in the wheelbase than the two-door V8 whose engine and running gear it shared and to which it bore an understandably strong resemblance. Priced at £14,040, including Purchase Tax, at the time of its launch, the Lagonda cost 24% more than the contemporary V8 and thus was a very expensive motor car. The first example completed was for Aston Martin's then chairman, William Wilson Unfortunately, the ongoing Middle East 'oil crisis' and other economic woes meant that the market for a 160-mph luxury saloon had declined sharply. An exclusive model even by Aston Martin standards, the Lagonda was catalogued until June 1976, by which time only seven had been made. Chassis numbers ranged from '12001' to '12007', while a further example - chassis '12008' - was sanctioned at a later date. Of the seven cars built in period, five were completed with automatic transmission (like this example) and only two with the ZF five-speed manual gearbox. Displayed at the 1975 Earls Court Motor Show, '12006' is the sixth of the seven Series 1 cars built in period and originally was finished in Cosmic Fire Royal Claret metallic with black interior. The car was retailed via Lazenby Garages. Renowned Aston Martin specialist, the late Richard Williams was already the owner of a concours-winning Series 1 when he acquired this car in December 2005. '12006' was rather tired, but parking it next to his own car enabled Mr Williams to convince one of his clients - a titled gentleman and prominent Aston Martin/Lagonda collector - of its potential. The Lagonda was registered to the aforementioned titled owner in January 2006, and RSW immediately commenced the rebuild of '12006' to the same internal and mechanical specification and colour scheme as Richard Williams' own example, the car to be ready by Christmas 2006. It was agreed that the restoration would include many detail enhancements of specification to meet the owner's personal requirements while remaining faithful to the spirit of the original, the intention being to upgrade the Lagonda to make it more practical for modern everyday motoring. It is understood that the chassis was stripped, checked, crack tested and rebuilt with new bushes and suspension components including up-rated steering, special springs, dampers and brakes. Already a powerful car, the Lagonda was endowed with even greater urge courtesy of R S Williams' famous 7.0-litre conversion, which enables it to more than hold its own when pitted against modern rivals. The Williams conversion places particular emphasis on torque, producing a substantial 550lb/ft and useful 480bhp against the estimated 350lb/ft and 320bhp of the 5.3-litre original. Testing an RSW-converted 7.0-litre Lagonda for Octane magazine, motoring writer Paul Chudecki found that its turbine-like torque was immediately apparent, the car feeling effortless and capable. "The 7-litre V8 pulls strongly from around 1,500-1,800rpm and from then on it is relentless. Acceleration is not electrifying given the Lagonda's weight - a gue