| 1984 Aston Martin Lagonda |
| Specifications: |
| Engine: | 325.9 cu in/5341cc DOHC V-8, 4x2-bbl Weber 42DCNF carburetors |
| Power and torque: | (SAE net) 280 hp @ 5000 rpm, 360 lb-ft @ 3500 rpm (est) |
| Drivetrain: | 3-speed automatic, RWD |
| Brakes: | front: vented disc; rear: vented disc |
| Suspension: | front: control arms, coil springs; rear: solid axle, coil springs, self-leveling shocks, anti-roll bar |
| Dimensions: | L: 208.0 in, W: 71.5 in, H: 51.3 in |
| Weight: | 4630 lb |
| Performance: | 0-60 mph: 8.9 sec, quarter mile: 16.9 sec @ 85.5 mph, 60-0 mph: 179 ft (Road & Track, August 1982) |
| Price when new: | $150,000 |
Ask the man who owns one
Dr. Norman Pollack is a retired philosophy professor who doesn't collect cars or anything else in particular. He and wife Nancy live in an Alden Dow-designed home and felt the angular Lagonda fit the style perfectly.
Why I like it: I saw a Lagonda once, for 10 seconds, 15 years ago. It made quite an impression. I just knew it was the perfect piece of automotive art.
Why it's collectible: Its startling design and breathtakingly complex electronics captured the world's collective imagination and signaled the rebirth of Aston Martin--its development nearly bankrupted the company again.
Restoring/maintaining: Low-volume handmade cars require patience and ingenuity. Because no two cars are identical, service manuals aren't always useful and scarce replacement parts don't always fit. Beware of the dashboard display and switchgear electronics. A new printed circuit board costs $10,000! Crash damage to the aluminum body panels is difficult to repair, and the steel chassis is rust-prone.
Expect to pay: Concours ready: $35,475; solid driver: $23,500; tired runner: $16,000
Join the club: Aston Martin Owners Club North America (amoc-na.org)
Our Take
Then: "While [it] is one of the world's finest handcrafted motorcars, the new Mulsanne fails to live up to the reputation established by the original item as a truly great driver's car."--Paul Lienert, AutoWeek, November 16, 1981. (No U.S. monthlies reviewed a Mulsanne.)
Now: It's clearly not the road-burner the Turbo R would turn out to be, but the suspension modifications to the Spirit/Spur/Mulsanne made these cars far easier to drive hard and fast while still affording magic-carpet ride quality.
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