1935 Lagonda M45 Rapide Three Position Drophead Coupe
Coachwork by Freestone & Webb

Registration No: BYU 647
Chassis No: Z11149
MOT: Exempt

• 1 of just 53 M45 Rapide cars built
• Supplied new by Warwick Wright Ltd of New Bond Street to H. Garside Esq of The Waldorf Hotel, London WC2
• Resident in Canada by the mid-1960s and a First Prize Winner at a Classic Car Club of America National Competition two decades later
• Repatriated during 1989 and successfully completed the Lagonda Club's 2,000-mile Alpine Rally in 1999
• Purchased by the vendor's late father from Peter Whenman's Vintage Coachworks during 2001

The 4½-Litre Lagonda was one of the most accomplished sports cars of the 1930s, as a succession of high-profile race wins, culminating in victory at Le Mans in 1935, amply demonstrates. Having established its reputation by winning the Moscow - St Petersburg Reliability Trial of 1910 with a 30hp six, Lagonda had concentrated mainly on the production of light cars before reverting to sporting and luxury models in the mid-1920s with the introduction of the 14/60. This four-cylinder, 2-litre model was joined in 1929 by the first of Lagonda's own sixes - the 3-Litre - but by the mid-1930s the Meadows-engined cars were seen as the way forward. Introduced at the 1933 Olympia Show and based on the preceding ZM 3-Litre model, the M45 deployed Meadows' 4½-litre, twin-plug six to good effect, saloons being capable of reaching 90mph and tourers the 'ton' under favourable conditions.

Shortly after the M45's introduction, The Autocar got its hands on one - "A short run on one of the first of the 4½-Litre Lagonda models, with an open four-seater body, left a vivid impression not only of brilliant acceleration and sheer performance, but of a car delightfully silent and easy running in a way that can be achieved to the fullest extent only by a big-engined machine working well inside its limits".

A team of three specially prepared short-chassis cars (effectively the soon-to-be-announced M45 Rapide) prepared by Lagonda main agents Fox & Nicholls performed creditably at the 1934 RAC Tourist Trophy at Ards, and the following year one of these TT cars driven by John Hindmarsh and Luis Fontes won the Le Mans 24-Hour endurance classic outright.

The Rapide version of the M45 boasted a lighter chassis (10ft 3in wheelbase), uprated engine (RR50 alloy crankcase, Scintilla magneto, stronger connecting rods and larger crankshaft bearings) and more powerful Girling brakes plus a freewheel device for the transmission. Considerably more expensive than its standard sibling at £825, the Rapide accounted for just 53 sales making it particularly sought after today.

This car:

Despatched from Lagonda’s Staines Works to the neighbouring Freestone and Webb coachbuilders of Willesden, chassis Z11149 was sold through Warwick Wright Ltd of Bond Street and first registered to a Mr H. Garside Esq. Documentation within the car's history file suggests that he was a permanent resident of the prestigious Waldorf Hotel in London's West End. Covering some 13,580 miles during its first seventeen months of his ownership, the drophead M45 Rapide was still resident in the United Kingdom for some twenty-six years, later exported to Canada in 1963. Sold to Willian Van Houten of Toronto, the four-seater subsequently belonged to R.P Suckling, also of Toronto, then K.R Morrell of Ontario who appeared to own the car for a lengthy period before advertising it for sale in April 1978. We believe the car's substantial restoration was carried out to a very high standard around this time, with new owner John F. Le Blond of Pennsylvania being awarded first place in the 'Primary Division' at the Classic Car Club of America's prestigious 1987 concours event (held that year in Michigan). Chassis Z11149 returned home to British soil in 1989, passing through the hands of a prominent collector, the late Christopher Bauer of Cheshire to Roger Groves of Kent. After four years of ownership, Groves offered the car to market through Brooks Auctioneers in their December 1998 sale; a bid of £58,150 secured the car for Simon Carrell of Mount Lawley, West Australia. The car was left under the care and jurisdiction of marque specialist Peter Whenman, garaged and maintained at his 'Vintage Coachworks' premises with sparing use from the owner during occasional visits to England and Europe.

The bodywork is finished in silver with a dark blue bonnet, wings and boot. Arnold Davey suggests in a letter on file that photographs show "the car was originally one single dark colour until in Bauer's ownership, when the two-tone finish appears." The interior is trimmed in airforce blue leather with dark blue carpets. The dashboard and surrounding wooden trim are all in very good condition and are complemented by all the correct factory instrumentation. The car has a spacious boot, with concealed factory toolkit beneath a trap door.

In 1999, the car was prepared for the Lagonda Club's Alpine Rally and completed the 2000-mile tour, including many mountain passes without drama. Work carried out at this time included the rebuilding of the gearbox with new gears and bearings, a Borg and Beck clutch conversion and new radiator core. In October 2001, Peter Whenman affectionately described BYU 647 as follows - "Vintage Coachworks regularly uses the car and has found it to be a most reliable car, which motors and handles exceedingly well. This is indeed a very original Lagonda, in excellent condition and makes a fine continental touring car." Purchased by the vendor's late father in October 2001, the car has seen sparing use over the last two decades. Stored within a heated garage facility at his Harrogate home throughout this period, the car is now ready for the next chapter of its life. Equally suited to a relaxing drive in the UK countryside, but light and powerful enough to make it a serious contender for continental and long-distance rallying (in absolute style and comfort, of course!).

Starting readily upon inspection and running well during our recent photography session, the Lagonda remains highly presentable despite eight years of inactivity. There are a few minor imperfections to the paint and upholstery but they do not detract from the car’s overall appearance. Retaining its original stylish and functional open three-position drophead coachwork, this rare and highly desirable M45 Rapide is a true Post Vintage Thoroughbred. Regarded by many to be the ultimate sporting Lagonda, 'BYU 647' is offered for sale with a current UK V5c registration document and history file containing much correspondence with Arnold Davey, Peter Whenman and former custodian Simon Carrell.

Vendor Condition Ratings:

Bodywork: 'Very Good’
Engine: 'Very Good’
Electrical Equipment: 'Very Good'
Paintwork: 'Very Good’
Gearbox: 'Very Good’
Interior Trim: 'Very Good'

For more information, please contact:
Adam Sykes
adam.sykes@handh.co.uk
07429 600332