1936 Lagonda LG45 Tourer

The new LG45 was enthusiastically received amid favorable reviews. "The 4½-Liter has always given a fine performance; in its latest form it provides all the performance that anyone can reasonably require, and at the same time has been silenced, smoothed out and made a much more comfortable car, so that in comparison with the earlier versions it is hardly recognizable on first driving it. It can only be said that the appeal of the car has been considerably widened, for the people who today set great store by noise and a harsh suspension are greatly outnumbered by those to whom refinement in a fast car is far more desirable.

" - The Autocar , 10th April 1936. Introduced at the 1933 Olympia Show and based on the preceding ZM 3-Liter model, the M45 deployed Meadows' 4.5-liter, twin-plug six to good effect, saloons being capable of reaching 90mph and tourers the 'ton' under favorable conditions. 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.

Under W. O. Bentley's technical direction, the big Lagonda became more refined, the M45's successor – the LG45 - gaining synchromesh gears, flexible engine mounts and centralized chassis lubrication among many other improvements.

It was these refinements that encouraged The Autocar to comment so favorably about the new model, and these sentiments were echoed by Motor Sport , who in May 1936, reported that they had recently taken a Sports Tourer identical to the one offered for sale today. Their test involved driving the car from the Works straight to Brooklands and out onto the track, with windshield folded 95mph had been recorded. Their summary being "Anyone who handles and examines the new Lagonda cannot fail to be impressed with the fine workmanship and the many points of practical value which have been embodied in the chassis design and the lay-out of the body.

The car is one of the fastest, safest and most robust on the British market to-day and one which will delight the most inveterate road-burner, and yet contrives to cover the miles with a quietness and smoothness which spell freedom from fatigue at the end of a long journey" The Sports Tourer tested by Motor Sport and as presented here was the latest creation of Lagonda's talented inhouse designer Frank Feeley, who, at the young age of 25, penned remarkably stylish and individual designs which set Lagonda apart from its peers. This design for the tourer is a brilliant combination body which echoes the racy open tourers of the 1920s, with their sporting carefree looks, but incorporates 1930s practicality offered by a convertible sedan. On a summer's day, the windshield could be folded flat, and the wind-wings turned over as 'aero' screens, yet if the weather should turn, a full-length top could be raised and stowed inside the door panels are windows to fully enclose the passenger area from the elements.

Feeley would also create the iconic LG45 Rapide, and after the war is credited with the lines of Aston's DB3S, designs which were rarely bested in their day by even the most celebrated French or Italian carrossiers. Endowed with such an impeccable pedigree, the 4.5-Litre Lagonda quickly established itself as a favorite among the wealthy sporting motorists of its day. A mere 278 LG45s were produced between 1936 and 1937 and the model remains a much sought-after classic.

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED Only 25 LG45 are believed to have been delivered as 'Tourers', these rare derivatives of the highly tractable and usable Lagonda have always been coveted and rarely come to market, making this a wonderful opportunity. LG45 12043 carries with it copies of the original factory records, courtesy of Jon Leo, which denote that it was very carefully tailored for its commissioned first owner. As new, the car was finished in dark grey, from its chassis to its fenders and all bodywork, then upholstered in Mulberry (red) hide and had matt finished walnut wood trim throughout.

Note is made that its steering column should be half an inch shorter than standard and that its windshield should be of the more sporting fold flat variety and a tonneau cover was supplied that would fit over the front seats, suggesting that it would have been driven frequently as a two-seater, or by an unaccompanied driver. That person, certainly in its early days was Donald H. Ogilvy of Scotland, who made his order through Burton and Tweedy of Glasgow and received the car just a month after it was ordered.

Its build sheet confirms that the engine series number of LG45/202/S1 is the same one fitted to the car today. A small annotation to these sheets in pencil, records the car as being 'Now in New York', just beneath Ogilvy's name, suggesting that either the car, or he or both had migrated to America, which seems to be endorsed by the 1940 US census which lists a Donald H. Ogilvy, living in Scarsdale, but of Scottish birth.

As far as we are aware the Lagonda would have arrived here just before the war and has remained in U. S. ownership since.

The current owner is a strong aficionado for the best of British motorcars and has always a particular love for this particular style of Lagonda. Over the course of more than five decades of collecting, he has owned no fewer than three of this type, and this car arrived in his stable roughly 20 years ago, being acquired from William Rudkin of Pepperidge Farm fame. By that time, the car had been re-liveried in the rich red scheme we see today, with matched leather upholstery.

Its restoration shows a little age, but the car remains very presentable and has won prizes at several Concours over the years (those trophies accompany the sale). The car has also recently benefitted from refurbishment of its gearbox. Of interest also is its factory correct onboard jacking system which Lagonda ingeniously stowed in the left-hand side spare wheel cover.

With their Le Mans pedigree, dependable Meadows 4½ liter power unit and smoothly operating transmission, the LG45 offers a great package of heritage and modern convenience and reliability.