Footnotes

Aston Martin revived the Lagonda name in 1961 with the luxurious Rapide four-door sports saloon. Powered by a 4.0-litre version of the DB5's twin-cam six, the Rapide certainly lived up to its name with brisk acceleration and a 130mph-plus top speed. Extremely expensive, and therefore exclusive, only 55 were made, almost all of which were equipped with Borg Warner three-speed automatic transmission.

According to the copy guarantee form on file, this Lagonda Rapide was sold new through the Brooklands agency to Babcock & Wilcox Ltd of Euston Road, London. It was registered as '241 EXN' and was finished, then as now, in Midnight Blue with a deep red leather interior. Works records detail the car's factory maintenance through its early years and confirm that it returned to the works in June 1965 to be up-rated with a ZF five-speed manual gearbox. An option on late DB4s and standard on the DB5, the ZF 'box was a significant improvement over the three-speed automatic and even the optional four-speed David Brown manual unit. Eight months later, '121/R' was fitted by the factory with a replacement engine, it is likely that this is the current engine (stamped 400/117).

A car well known to the Bonhams team, the Lagonda first appeared at Bonhams' sale at the Larz Anderson Auto Museum in Brookline, Massachusetts in May 2006 (Lot 315) when it was noted as having had only two owners from new. The current owner purchased the Rapide at the subsequent Bonhams Greenwich Concours d'Elegance sale in June 2011 (Lot 341). At that time the car was described as in generally original and correct order, apparently never having undergone a complete restoration. It was also noted that at some time the paintwork had been refurbished to a high standard and that it still presented well; likewise the interior, which was said to exhibit a good balance of new and original leather sympathetically refurbished, while the boot had been completely re-trimmed. Long overlooked, these elegant Lagondas are now being appreciated for the value they represent when compared to their Aston Martin contemporaries.

The car is offered with the Bonhams sales invoice from 2011 and an old State of New Hampshire Registration Certificate. There is no UK registration document with this Lot and it should be noted that the registration number '241 EXN' is not recorded in the HPI database. Having been stored in recent years, the car may require some re-commissioning prior to road use. The car will attract the low import duty rate of 5% if it is to remain in the UK and require re-registering.