Lagonda LG6 SWB Rapide Tourer

Car producer : 

Lagonda

Model:

LG6 SWB Rapide Tourer

Year:

1937-1940

Type:

Cabriolet



By the mid-1930s, cars using the proprietary Meadows engine were seen as the way forward for Lagonda. The first of these - the M45, introduced in 1934 - deployed Meadows' 4½-litre, twin-plug 'six' to good effect, saloons being capable of reaching 90mph and tourers the 'ton' under favorable conditions. Under the great W O Bentley's technical direction, the big Lagonda became more refined, gaining synchromesh gears, flexible engine mounts and centralized chassis lubrication among many other improvements.

Introduced at the 1937 London Motor show, the LG6 was the brainchild of Lagondas then technical director W.O. Bentley, who had recently joined the firm after being released from a contract with Rolls-Royce stemming from the sale of his own company to them in 1931. The Lagonda LG6 and V12 were to be the result of this union. Though similar to that of the V12, the LG6's chassis had nothing in common with the earlier LG models being of diagonally cross-braced rather than ladder construction and featuring independent front suspension by wishbones and torsion bars. Braking was hydraulic and included a tandem master cylinder for increased safety. It was powered by the final incarnation of the venerable 4.5-litre six-cylinder OHV Meadows engine, now producing 140hp, allied to a four-speed manual transmission with synchromesh on 2nd, 3rd and 4th gears. Decidedly expensive and boasting nigh-on 100mph performance, only 85 LG6 cars were made before the outbreak of World War Two, of which 67 were built on the short (127.5 inch) chassis and 18 on the long (135.5 inch) chassis. Regardless of the style of body fitted, the LG6 was good for around 100mph, with lighter types capable of considerably more. 

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