1934 Lagonda M45 4½-Litre Pillarless Sports Saloon

• Formerly part of the Herb Schofield Collection
• Known ownership history
• Present ownership since 1992
• Maintained with no expense spared
• Well documented
• Eligible for a wide variety of prestigious motoring events

"Lagonda cars have always upheld a reputation for effortless fast touring and the pride of ownership which fine detail work and distinguished coachbuilding can give. The 4½-Litre model retains these characteristics, but scores considerably over its forebears by its high power-to-weight ratio. The chassis is no bigger than the three litre car, and there is no suggestion of clumsiness, heavy steering or the other drawbacks which often accompany the large engined car." - Motor Sport, January 1934.
The Lagonda car company was founded in 1906 in Staines, Middlesex by the American Wilbur Gunn (1859-1920) who named it after a river near his home town of Springfield, Ohio. Gunn had started out building motorcycles in the garden of his house in Staines with some success, including winning the 1905 London to Edinburgh Trial. In 1907 he launched his first car and in 1910 won the Moscow to St Petersburg Trial driving a 16/18hp model. Having established its reputation, Lagonda concentrated mainly on the production of light cars before reverting to sporting and luxury models in the mid-1920s with the introduction of the 14/60. This four-cylinder, 2.0-litre model was joined in 1929 by the first of Lagonda's own sixes - the 3-Litre - but by the mid-1930s the Meadows-engined cars were seen as the way forward. Introduced at the 1933 Olympia Show and based on the preceding ZM 3-Litre model, the M45 deployed Meadows' 4½-litre, twin-plug six to good effect, saloons being capable of reaching 90mph and tourers 'the ton' under favourable conditions.
"A short run on one of the first of the 4½-Litre Lagonda models, with an open four-seater body, left a vivid impression not only of brilliant acceleration and sheer performance, but of a car delightfully silent and easy running in a way that can be achieved to the fullest extent only by a big-engined machine working well inside its limits," reported The Autocar in 1933.
A team of three specially prepared short-chassis cars (effectively the soon-to-be-announced M45 Rapide) prepared by Lagonda main agents Fox & Nicholls performed creditably at the 1934 RAC Tourist Trophy at Ards, and the following year one of these TT cars driven by John Hindmarsh and Luis Fontes won the Le Mans 24-Hour endurance classic outright. Endowed with such an impeccable pedigree, the Lagonda 4½-Litre quickly established itself as a favourite among the wealthy sporting motorists of its day - World Land Speed Record holder Sir Malcolm Campbell was one many high-profile M45 owners - and 80-plus years on this model remains a much sought after classic.
The M45 offered here carries Lagonda's own pillarless sports saloon coachwork and was delivered new to Westover Garage in Bournemouth, an establishment still in existence. The original colour was black and the first owner one Beechey Newman of Northampton. The second owner is believed to have been a Norman Creyke of Coton Grange near Whitchurch, Shropshire. There is then a 25-year gap in the Lagonda's history, which takes us up to July 1959 when the car belonged to Lagonda Owners' Club member Wing Commander Gilbert Harris of Fitzjohn's Grange, Rugby.
Reputedly, Harris served as a spy during WW2 and in peacetime pioneered the production of yoghurt in the UK. Painted blue at that time, the car passed to Mrs Patricia Harris in January 1964 and then to Mr David Manors of The Manor House, Harborough Magna in December 1969. The next private owners, Mr and Mrs Towers of Barnt Green, Birmingham, acquired 'AEL 30' in November 1976 but never used the car, which in May 1983 passed to well known Lagonda collector, Herb Schofield. While with Herb Schofield the M45 benefited from extensive mechanical works and various repairs to the wood frame (list on file). The current enthusiast vendor acquired 'AEL 30' (via dealer David Royle) in June 1992.
While with its current custodian the Lagonda has been maintained with no expense spared, as evidenced by numerous bills on file for various works including an engine rebuild in 2004 (list on file). Well known in Lagonda circles, 'AEL 30' has been enthusiastically campaigned over the course of the last 30 years, attending countless rallies and receiving numerous concours awards. Events attended include Le Mans for the 60th anniversary of Lagonda's famous 1935 victory, lapping the circuit before the main race, and the Lagonda centenary at Brooklands in 1999.
'AEL 30' comes complete with a tool kit (fitted in the boot lid), jack, fire extinguisher, four handbooks, and a copy of the factory build sheet confirming matching numbers (even the starter motor is original). As one would expect, this well documented car also comes with a massive history file containing rally notes, engine settings, driving hints, holiday records, details of works and costs, a large album of photographs, and notes on every journey undertaken over the last 40 years.