Lagonda 2.6-Litre

Lagonda 2.6-Litre
Lagonda 2.6-Litre Drophead Coupé
Overview
Manufacturer	Aston Martin Lagonda
Production	1948–1953 510 produced
Body and chassis
Class	Luxury car
Body style	4-door saloon 2-door 4-seat drophead coupé
Powertrain
Engine	2.6 L Lagonda I6
Dimensions
Wheelbase	113.5 in (2,883 mm)
Length	188 in (4,775 mm)
Width	68 in (1,727 mm)
Height	61 in (1,549 mm)
Chronology
Successor	Lagonda 3-Litre

The Lagonda 2.6-Litre is an automobile produced in the United Kingdom by Lagonda from 1948 to 1953. It was the first model from that company following its purchase by David Brown in 1947 and was named for the new straight-6 engine which debuted with the car. The so-called Lagonda Straight-6 engine was designed by Walter Owen Bentley and would propel Lagonda's new parent company, Aston Martin, to fame.

The 2.6-Litre was a larger car than the Aston Martins models which were being produced under David Brown's ownership and was available as a 4-door saloon and, from 1949, as 2-door drophead coupé, both with 4 seats. The drophead was bodied by Tickford, at the time not part of Aston Martin. A Mark II version appeared in 1952, in saloon form only, with engine power increased to 125 bhp.

The car sold reasonably well, in spite of being an expensive car and being launched so soon after the war, with 510 examples made when production ended in 1953.

The car had a separate chassis and all independent suspension using coil springs at the front and torsion bars at the rear. At introduction it was believed to be the only all-independently sprung British car. The Lockheed brakes had 12 in (305 mm) drums at the front and 11 in (279 mm) at the rear with the latter being mounted inboard. Rack and pinion steering was used.

A drophead version tested by The Motor magazine in 1949 had a top speed of 90.2 mph (145.2 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 17.6 seconds. A fuel consumption of 17 miles per imperial gallon (17 L/100 km; 14 mpg_‑US) was recorded. The test car cost £3,420 including taxes.

2.6-litre saloon by Frank Feeley

Drophead coupé by Tickford

Body design by Frank Feeley

Prototype EX1