Highlights

One of 278 M45 examples produced, with as few as 12 saloons believed to survive
Single family ownership for over 50 years
Extensive touring history across the UK, driven regularly until 2000
Shares its model lineage with the 1935 Le Mans-winning M45R Rapide
Compelling restoration with stunning patina

The Appeal

Let us briefly ponder what this car represented in its heyday. The Lagonda M45 was a high-performance, near-100mph grand tourer powered by the robust 115 bhp Meadows engine. It offered speed and touring ability that rivalled, and in many ways surpassed, its contemporaries, including the 3½-litre Bentley, at a fraction of the cost.

As Motor noted at the time, it would be "difficult to select a more appropriate vehicle for fast and lengthy journeys." The model's competition credentials were cemented when an M45R Rapide won the 1935 Le Mans 24 Hours outright, driven by Johnny Hindmarsh and Luis Fontes.

Our pillar-less saloon, chassis Z10659, has been in the same family for over half a century. Acquired by the vendor's father while studying engineering at Cambridge, along with a second Lagonda kept for spares, it became the family's regular transport, carrying the next generation on holidays from the Isle of Skye to Devon, to annual outings at Henley Royal Regatta, and to Lagonda club gatherings the length and breadth of the country. It was driven regularly until around 2000 and last used on the road in approximately 2005/2006.

With the sad passing of the vendor's father in late 2023, the family has taken the difficult decision to find a new custodian for this rare machine. A restoration had been planned but was never completed, and the car now awaits an enthusiastic new owner with the skills and passion to bring it back to full road-going life. It would make a fine candidate for spirited rallies and all-weather touring, or indeed, as the vendor's supporting documentation suggests, the gruelling Peking to Paris.

History and Paperwork

First registered in 1934
Acquired by the vendor's father while a student at Cambridge University, along with a second Lagonda for spares
Driven regularly until approximately 2000, including family holidays and Lagonda club events
Last driven around 2005/2006
Currently held in storage in the UK
V5C document present
Exempt from road tax and MOT

The Condition

Pillar-less saloon coachwork by Lagonda (Silent Travel body)
Not driven for approximately 20 years; prospective buyers should set expectations accordingly
A planned restoration was not completed prior to the owner's passing in late 2023
Stunning patina which the new owner may wish to retain

The Mechanics

4.5-litre (4,453cc) six-cylinder Meadows engine producing approximately 115 bhp
Four-speed Meadows gearbox
Dual ignition system: coil on one side and horizontal magneto on the other
Servo brakes
Not running at present; will require recommissioning before returning to the road

BEFORE YOU BUY

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