Few cars say “1970s” quite like the Aston Martin Lagonda. This ruthlessly geometric sedan first appeared in 1976 with surfaces flat enough to snort cocaine off of (or so I hear), and a hideously complicated computerized dashboard.
These and other eccentricities have earned the Lagonda a place on many “Worst Car” lists, but according to CAR magazine, it may be making a comeback.
Aston’s partnership with Daimler has sparked many rumors of a Lagonda SUV inspired by a 2009 concept car and based on the Mercedes-Benz GL-Class, but there has been talk of a revived Lagonda sedan as well.
That sedan will reportedly be built by Aston’s Q personalization division in extremely limited numbers, with a production run totaling just 100 cars. So this four-door could be rarer than a LaFerrari.
It would have to be more than the sum of its parts, then. The Lagonda is expected to use the 5.9-liter V12 used in every other Aston, coupled to an eight-speed automatic transmission. It will likely use a variation of the current VH architecture as well; Aston could be trying to squeeze one more model out of the current platform while it prepares an all-new one for the next DB9.
The new Lagonda, then, would be a stopgap measure, attracting the attention of customers and the press while Aston gets ready to update its attractive but aging lineup. This echoes the circumstances surrounding the launch of the 1976 Lagonda, which was seen as necessary to expand Aston’s volume and bring in revenue.
Hopefully the new Lagonda won’t be a disaster like its predecessor.
