MODEL HISTORY
Lagonda was founded by Wilbur Gunn and made a name for itself before World War One by winning the 1910 Moscow-St Petersburg Reliability Trial. Based in Staines, just west of London, it also experimented with innovations such as monocoque construction and anti-roll bars.
The marque started to focus its attention on sporting models during the 1920s, and its greatest motor-racing achievement came in 1935, when the M45 Rapide of Johnny Hindmarsh and Luis Fontes won the Le Mans 24 Hours.
It was with one eye on competition use that the Rapier was developed during 1933 and the prototype was first shown at that year's Motor Show. It was based around a twin-overhead-camshaft, 1104cc four-cylinder engine that was designed by Tim Ashcroft, ran on twin SU carburettors and was impressively high-revving for its day. The specification was completed by an ENV pre-selector gearbox and extremely effective 13in Girling brakes.
About 300 Rapiers had been built by the time Lagonda went into receivership at the end of 1935. The company would be rescued by Alan Goode, but the rights to Rapier production and all the remaining components had passed to a new firm called Rapier Cars Ltd, which had been set up by Ashcroft, former Lagonda director Bill Oates and Nevil Brockelbank.
These cars were badged Rapier and were assembled in Lagonda's old service depot in Hammersmith. The engines were slightly smaller at 1087cc and a supercharged version was introduced in 1936, but production of the Rapier-built cars ended in 1938.
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