Lagonda Aston Martin Lagonda History

The Lagonda returned in 1974 as a four-door, long-wheelbase Aston Martin V8 variant — only seven of this Series 1 were built. A radical redesign followed in 1976, with William Towns drawing an extreme wedge-shaped body that gave the car one of the most dramatic silhouettes of the decade. Built on the Aston Martin V8's mechanicals and 5.3-litre engine, the futuristic interior attempted a fully digital touch-button instrument panel — one of the first production cars to do so.

The electronics proved notoriously troublesome and expensive to perfect; Series 2 deliveries did not begin until 1979, two years after announcement. Series 3 (1986–87, approximately 75 built) brought fuel injection and vacuum-fluorescent instruments replacing the earlier CRT displays. Series 4 (1987–90, approximately 105 built) softened the angles and replaced the pop-up headlights with fixed triple units per side.

A total of 645 cars were produced across all series, making the Towns wedge the most prolific Lagonda of the marque's history. Its polarising appearance, technology-first ambition, and perpetual electronic fragility have made it a cult object — frequently cited alongside the Lamborghini Countach and Lotus Esprit as one of the defining shapes of the wedge-design era.