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The British firm of Lagonda, founded in 1899 by an American, Wilbur Gunn, became famous in the 1920s and 1930s for its range of exceptionally handsome and effective sporting cars. The 2 Litre model, first shown in 1925, founded this reputation, using an innovative hemi-head engine with twin high camshafts, and was produced until 1933 in various versions including low-chassis and supercharged types. It was finally replaced in 1932 by the 16/80, a 2-litre model with a Crossley six-cylinder engine in place of Lagonda's own unit. In 1928 a 3 Litre six-cylinder car arrived, and there was also, in 1934/5 only, a 3½ Litre. All these Lagondas were beautifully made and, though a little heavy, offered spirited performance combined with stamina at high speed.

Today they are highly prized for these qualities and for the elegance of their bodies. This is the first ever book devoted exclusively to these Lagondas. In it the author opens with an exposition of the background to the announcement of the first 2 Litre, the 14/60, in 1925. He goes on to give highly detailed descriptions of all models and variants, covering every aspect of the chassis, running gear, engines and transmissions, and discusses the changes made to specifications and equipment during production. The history of the cars in competition, at Brooklands, Le Mans and elsewhere, is studied, as well as the ups and downs of the company's fortunes during the period. The author also advises on the practicalities of owning any of these models today, including common problems, parts availability, maintenance and preservation.

Six outstanding cars have been photographed specially for this book and are featured in some 100 colour shots. There are also more than 140 black-and-white photographs from archive sources. With its in-depth examination of these splendid Lagondas this book provides an unrivalled store of knowledge for the many owners and enthusiasts who care passionately about them, and serves as a tribute to the men who made them.

The British high-performance cars - we could even call them the supercars - of the 1930s included the Derby Bentley, the Alvis Speed models, the SS100, the Talbot 105, the Invicta and the Lagonda. Of these, the Lagonda 4½ Litre, with its magnificent presence and its sheer size, was perhaps the most visually impressive. It was also a considerably rarer beast than the Bentley, the Alvis or the Talbot, partly because of its price. This rarity endowed it then, and today, with a very exclusive cachet. It was also fast. Even the first model, the M45 of 1934, could be relied on to reach more than 90mph, propelled by a robust Meadows engine with a crash gearbox to match. The specification in some respects was already outdated, but there was no denying the Lagonda's abilities or its appeal, which was much boosted by the car's 1935 Le Mans win. In the same year W O Bentley joined the firm from Rolls-Royce, and proceeded to refine and revise the 4½ Litre, resulting in the LG45 model and later the superb V12. Throughout, from M45 to V12, a Rapide version was available, with tuned engine and glorious two-seater or tourer body.

This book opens with an exposition of the earlier history of Lagonda and the background to its introduction of the 4½ -litre M45 in 1933. Then comes a highly detailed description of the car, covering every aspect of the chassis, running gear, engine and transmission, followed by a chapter on its competition career, including the Le Mans win and TT entries, and a section on the M45 Rapide.

The author also takes a look at published road tests of all the cars and offers advice on the practicalities of owning any of these models today, including common problems, parts availability, maintenance and preservation.

Seven outstanding cars have been photographed specially for this book and are featured in some 80 colour shots. There are also more than 140 black-and-white photographs drawn from archive sources.

This is the first ever book devoted exclusively to the 4½ Litre Lagondas. Its in-depth examination of these splendid, charismatic cars provides an unrivalled store of knowledge for the many owners and enthusiasts who care passionately about them, and serves as a tribute to the men who made them.