Jaws plummeted to the ground earlier this year when Britain’s Aston Martin released photos of its spectacular Lagonda super-sedan.
This sensational $600,000 mega-luxury limo, that makes a Bentley Mulsanne, by comparison, look like some bargain-basement special, would mark the return of the famous Lagonda nameplate that was last seen back in 1990.
But then we found out that the car was only destined for those super-rich sheikers and movers in Middle Eastern markets, for which a mere 100 would be built.
Well it seems the high-ups at Aston Martin HQ heard the global whining and are now hinting that this rolling piece of magnificence will now likely be sold in other key markets, including here in the US.
Makes sense. For as much as wealthy car enthusiasts love the hard-driving two-door Vantages, Vanquishes and DB9s, they’re pretty useless when it comes to transporting more than two.
And as much as the company labels the gorgeous Rapide four-door a ‘four-seater’, it’s little more than a 2+2 with those rear seats best suited to the vertically-challenged.
What the Lagonda would do is to create a genuine rival to stretch-out-in-the-back luxo machines, like the Rolls-Royce Ghost, Bentley’s Mulsanne and Bugatti’s will-they-build-it, won’t-they-build-it Galibier 16C super-sedan.
This new new Lagonda is huge – a foot and a half longer than Aston’s Rapide and only a tad shorter than the Rolls Ghost. All the better for offering plenty of stretch-out legroom in the back.
Just gazing at the photos, the car looks sensational. It’s the work of Aston’s design chief, Marek Reichman who has taken inspiration from the last Lagonda, the iconic wedge-shaped dream machine that was launched back in 1976 and continued till 1990.
The new car is based on a stretched version of Aston’s proven VH aluminum platform, but in place of the usual lightweight alloy body panels, the Lagonda’s body will be made from molded carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP).
There’s no final word on what will power the super-sedan, but we’re pretty sure it will be a 600-plus-horsepower version of Aston’s mighty 5.9-liter V12 nuclear reactor.
But it’s going to be inside where this new Lagonda will justify its hefty pricetag. Pretty much every surface of the cabin is covered in gorgeous hand-stitched quilted leather. The quality and attention to detail is just exquisite.
The plan is to build the car at Aston’s Gaydon factory in England at the same facilities where the limited-run $1.5m One-77 hypercar was constructed. Production is scheduled to kick-off next year.
If ever a car was created to cruise Third Street South, this new Lagonda is it.
The Icon – the 1976-1990 Lagonda
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