Built to a brief of Britain's finest 1100cc engine, it was cast in iron instead of the intended alloy just to save money.
Lead trim: Rapier 1,104 cc DOHC four (50 bhp)
Lagonda RapierRapier · 1934–1938
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Lagonda Rapier yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactBuilt to a brief of Britain's finest 1100cc engine, it was cast in iron instead of the intended alloy just to save money.
The Lagonda Rapier is a small car produced by the British Lagonda company from 1934 to 1935 (a few more built afterward by the independent Rapier Car Company through 1938, 46 cars, only 516 total per the page's arithmetic). At its heart was an all-new 1,104 cc twin-overhead-cam four-cylinder engine designed by consultant Thomas 'Tim' Ashcroft with the brief of 'Britain's finest 1100 cc engine', cast in iron rather than the intended light alloy to save cost (heavier as a result) and subcontracted to Coventry Climax, producing 50 bhp at 5,400 rpm, a very good output for the time; a few cars got a smaller 1,084 cc engine because 1,104 cc was too large for the popular 1100 cc racing class. The chassis, designed by Charles King, was bolted-up steel sections with a four-speed pre-selector gearbox, right-hand change lever, Girling rod-operated 13 in drum brakes and half-elliptic springs with friction dampers; the 1933 show car's 90.75 in wheelbase was extended 8 in to 98.75 in for 1934 production. Most bodies were by E. D. Abbott of Farnham (tourer, coupé), and after Lagonda's 1935 failure and purchase by Alan Good, the Rapier's rights passed to Rapier Cars Ltd of Hammersmith, which sold complete cars with Ranalah-designed bodies until 1938. Wheelbase 98.75 in (2,508 mm), length 138 in (3,505 mm), width 57.5 in (1,460 mm).
Collectors Spotted in the Lagonda Rapier Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Lagonda Rapier yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
One published trim in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rapier 1,104 cc DOHC four (50 bhp) | 1934–1938 | 1.1 L Inline-4 | 50 hp | — | — | — | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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