1952 Lagonda 2.6 L Drop Head Coupe

Lagonda is a very British make, founded in Staines, Middlesex, England, in 1899 by an expatriate American opera singer, Wilbur Gunn. Mr. Gunn had previously built motorcycles for a living. The car is named for a creek in his hometown of Springfield, Ohio.

Lagonda had been a part of Aston Martin since 1948, when Lagonda was purchased by David Brown, the manufacturing conglomerate that had purchased Aston Martin in 1947. David Brown needed a new motor for Aston Martin. The new 2.6-liter twin overhead cam six-cylinder engine was the last design of W.O. Bentley. It became the basis of the Aston Martin engines of the 1950s and eventually grew to 3.0 liters.

Other engineering features include hemispherical combustion chambers, a fully synchronized three-speed gearbox, four-wheel independent suspension, and inboard brakes. The top speed was 75 MPH. The entire production of this 2.6-liter DHC from 1948 through 1952 was 118 units. This car was restored by RTM Restorations in 2013.