1937 Lagonda LG 45 Rapide Boattail Convertible Coupe

Having left his name behind, but not his talent, W.O. Bentley would apply all his skills into making Lagonda into the automotive company it could be. Lagonda was already proving itself on the track and on the road, but Bentley's final touches would help to create a masterpiece.

Drawing the name from a Shawnee settlement located near Springfield, Ohio, Lagonda would be the brain-child of former opera singer and Scottish-American Wilbur Gunn. Becoming a British national just before the beginning of the 20th century, Gunn would start out building motorcycles but would soon turn his efforts to automobiles.

By the 1920s, Lagonda was becoming a more viable competitor to the Bentley and Rolls Royce automobiles that populated Britain at the time. However, the company still lacked that certain something, or someone.

Financial troubles would see the company purchased by Alan Good and he would persuade W.O. Bentley to leave Rolls Royce to come and help make Lagonda into the success it could always be.

It wouldn't take long before Bentley began tweaking and building what was to become its best engine yet—the V-12. The 4.5-liter engine would produce some 180bhp and could rev to an impressive 5,000rpm.

The more powerful engines would be mated to heavier bodies that were also positioned closer to the ground. This would actually increase the car's handling characteristics, though it did hinder performance a bit. Nonetheless, the combination would come together to help the company achieve victory at Le Mans with a shortened M45R chassis.

Perhaps the grandest of Lagonda's pre-World War II vehicles would have to be the pricey Rapide. Combined with Bentley's tweaked V-12 engine and the low-slung body, the car had aggressive looks, but also looked very elegant at the same time.

This particular example, chassis 12245/G10S, would be among those LG45 Rapide's greatly desired among the sporting elite of the day The fact that only 25 examples would ever be produced would make them greatly desired even today.

Descriptions & pictures by conceptcarz & girardo & Other links