1963 Aston Martin Lagonda Rapide

Aston Martin revived the dormant Lagonda name in 1961 with the luxurious Rapide four-door saloon - a car that was very much David Brown's personal project. The Rapide's sale brochure, which unusually was signed by him personally, stated "It has long been my ambition to build a car which would equally be suitable to drive or be driven in..."Beneath the Superleggera aluminium coachwork by Touring of Milan was a lengthened DB4 chassis reconfigured to accept De Dion rear suspension, the adoption of which allowed rear compartment space to be maximised.

Powered by a 4.0 litre 236bhp version of the DB4's twin-cam six that would later power the DB5, the Rapide certainly lived up to its name with brisk acceleration and a 130+mph top speed. Dual circuit, servo assisted disc brakes restrained the performance, while interior fittings included electric windows, picnic tables to the rear, filler cap remote opening a radio as standard and an electric aerial.Just 55 units were produced almost all of which were equipped with Borg Warner three speed automatic transmission. Production ceased in 1964.

A copy of the build sheet for LR/125/R shows that it was supplied through Francis Motors to the first owner, Doctor Hugh Davies of London WC2. The only mediation from standard by the factory was the deletion of picnic tables for the back of the front seats, presumably to increase leg room in the rear.

The car then changed owners becoming the property of Dalton Peanuts in London before moving to Scotland under the ownership of the Reid family where it was passed from Arthur Reid to Alan Reid. From Scotland it moved to Wales and its new owner was a Creighton Griffiths in Cardiff in 1968 who owned the car until 1974 when it passed to Mr Harry Brook in Hertfordshire.The Lagonda Rapide remained within the Brook family from 1974 to 2011 passing from Harry to his son Peter. The car was taken off the road in 1986 and was barn stored until 2011, when it was sold to our vendor.

Since acquiring the car many hours and considerable monies have been spent with marque specialist, Chicane Classics, to ensure the smooth and reliable running of the engine and mechanicals. This included the fitment of twin SU carburettors in place of the less efficient and unreliable Solex carburettors, the result as you might expect from the 4 litre twin cam 6-cylinder engine is a purposeful power delivery propelling the car to speed and shifting accurately through the gears. Much to this cataloguers delight, it also stops as readily too!

To the interior you will find professionally retrimmed seats front and rear which have been completed tastefully and to a high standard in Black leather befitting the car. The wood is in good order, but in our opinion, the carpets should be replaced and the modern stereo unit exchanged for something more of the period. The front electric windows work perfectly, but the rear windows do not.

To the exterior the Superleggera body shows a handsome patina of age but is in all-round good order. The "patina' on the paint however would need rectification if it was a show winner you sought. As it is, we would be proud to own and use this car without attending to the Caribbean Blue Pearl paintwork despite some flat spots and light bubbling.

Supplied with original buff log book, a copy of factory build sheet, previous history and recommissioning invoices from Chicane Classics, this handsome Gentleman's Express - essentially a long wheelbase DB4 - can be enjoyed as is or improved as you own. Either way, a must-have collector car admired for its bravery in period, but rewarded for its rarity today.