The Lagonda LG6 was produced from 1937 to 1940 and announced at the 1937 London Motor Show. Its chassis followed the V12 but was 3.5 inches longer to take the long 4.5-litre Meadows six, and it brought independent front suspension and hydraulic brakes to the 4.5-litre Lagonda.
Lagonda LG6 at a glance
| Maker | Lagonda |
|---|---|
| Production | 1937–1940 |
| Announced | 1937 London Motor Show |
| Engine | 4,453 cc straight-six, pushrod overhead valves |
| Engine supplier | Henry Meadows of Wolverhampton, also used in the M45 and LG45 |
| Gearbox | four-speed manual, single dry plate clutch |
| Front suspension | independent, torsion bars |
| Rear axle | live axle, spiral bevel final drive |
| Brakes | Lockheed hydraulic |
| Coachwork | saloon, tourer, coupé and sedanca |
| Rapide tourer | higher compression ratio; only two sold |
| Chassis built | 67 short and 18 long |
History of the Lagonda LG6
Chassis
The LG6 chassis was very similar to the one used by the V12, but longer by 3.5 inches to make room for the straight-six. The front suspension was independent on torsion bars, unlike the leaf-sprung beam axle of the LG45, and the rear axle was live with a spiral bevel final drive. The brakes were Lockheed hydraulic, a significant upgrade over the mechanical brakes of the LG45. The engine was the 4,453 cc straight-six with pushrod-operated overhead valves that Henry Meadows of Wolverhampton had supplied for the M45 and LG45, driving through a single dry plate clutch and a four-speed gearbox.
Bodies
Standard coachwork included saloon, tourer, coupé and sedanca styles. The tourer was also available in a Rapide version with a higher compression ratio, but only two were sold. The LG6 can be told from the V12 by the twin long trumpet horns on either side of the radiator grille. Production was 67 cars on the short chassis and 18 on the long one, and the model was built until 1940.
The Dutch car
Only one LG6 was sold into the Netherlands: chassis 12341, bought by the architect Jan Frederik van Erven Dorens for 13,200 guilders in 1938. After the liberation of the Netherlands in 1945 the car was confiscated for Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, who used it in victory parades in Amsterdam. It was not returned afterwards and became part of Prince Bernhard’s collection. In 2003 van Erven Dorens’s grandson Robin made a film about the car titled Lagonda.
Design and features
- V12-derived chassis: the LG6 used a lengthened version of the new V12 frame.
- Independent front suspension: torsion bars replaced the LG45’s leaf-sprung beam axle.
- Hydraulic brakes: Lockheed hydraulic braking instead of the LG45’s mechanical system.
- Meadows six: the proven 4,453 cc straight-six already used in the M45 and LG45.
- Twin trumpet horns: the easiest way to tell an LG6 from a V12.
Lagonda LG6 versions
- Saloon: the standard closed body.
- Tourer: open body, also offered in Rapide form.
- Coupé: closed two-door coachwork.
- Sedanca: part-open body with a folding roof section.
- Rapide tourer: higher compression ratio, only two sold.
The LG6 replaced the LG45 and used the chassis developed for the Lagonda V12. More cars are in the Lagonda collection.
Sources
- Lagonda LG6, English Wikipedia: chassis, engine, bodies, production, the Dutch car
