W. O. Bentley was a legendary engineer, yet the company that bore his name fell onto hard times during the Great Depression. Forced to liquidate, Bentley Motors was secretly bought by Rolls-Royce, its biggest competitor. Rolls-Royce isolated Bentley throughout the duration of his court-mandated employment with the company, but everything changed after April 1935.
Free from his contractual obligations, Bentley and his staff from Rolls-Royce were cherry-picked for a new role designing cars for the recently invigorated Lagonda motor company. His pièce de résistance was created only two years later, a stunning 4.5-litre V12 engine with overhand cams, 180 horsepower, and the ability to cruise at triple digit speeds. From 1938 to 1940, it was used in a stately luxury car that bore the name of this engine. While several road-going body styles were available, some of the 189 units produced were purpose-built for high performance.
Although this particular example didn’t participate at Le Mans, this 1940 Lagonda is an exact replica of the two that competed in the famous race. It is owned by comedian car collector Jay Leno and is now profiled on his delightful and insightful YouTube channel.
Jay provides an in-depth tour of the Lagonda, highlighting that glorious V12 engine and wonderful interior details. Once the Lagonda leaves Leno’s garage for a road test, it becomes clear that Jay’s words about this being “an overlooked car” are not hyperbole. This is truly a race car that was ahead of its time, with a engine worthy of extraordinary roads and famous racetracks.
Jay’s insights beg a specific question: What if parent company Aston Martin continued the “race ready road car” tradition into future vehicles bearing the famous Lagonda name? The minimalist Aston Martin Lagonda (sedan) was the starting point for the equally radical Bulldog coupe, but cost concerns in a rapidly changing Malaise Era ensured the performance-oriented, production Lagonda race car never saw the light of day.
Perhaps that’s a tragedy for another day, but it’s likely that W. O. Bentley would disapprove of a Lagonda with the Bulldog’s proposed turbocharged engine. The man with the famous name personified the “no replacement for displacement” mantra that many of us adore, and now we know his V12 masterpiece was at the heart of a vehicle that blurs lines and stands the test of time.
