1935 Lagonda M35R

This is one of an estimated 65 3½-litre cars built. 

It was originally bodied as a saloon and expertly fitted with replica T9 Tourer coachwork by Don Hoggard in the early 1980s.

The Lagonda club records indicate that this car, which originally had Silent Travel Pillarless saloon coachwork, was supplied on 12 December 1934 through, it is believed, dealers Burton and Tweedy. 

It was first registered on 14th September 1935. Its original number plate (retained today) was a WS plate, the prefix issued in Edinburgh/Leith. 

The club’s next record of the car is in November 1955 when it was in Musselburgh, 6 miles from Edinburgh. In 1975 it was recorded as being in Beverley Yorkshire, and then in Clitheroe, Lancashire. 

In 1996 it was acquired by a gentlemen in Penzance, Cornwall. After purportedly changing hands, the Lagonda was acquired by an owner in County Wicklow, Republic of Ireland in 2009. 

After that, the car was part of an extensive family-owned collection of, principally, Bentleys, and was in secure storage from 2017 to 2023.

This sumptuous example optimally combines first-class replica T9 four-seat tourer coachwork with an expertly maintained engine, drivetrain and mechanicals, lustrous paintwork and perfectly patinated upholstery. 

We have driven this magnificent car and can attest to its ability to start on the button, pick up pace eagerly, press on with enthusiasm and handle with far more balance, pose and agility than you have any right to expect of a 1935 Lagonda. 

The vendor drove the car frequently in the summer of ’23 and it didn’t once threaten to overheat or otherwise misbehave despite air temperatures in the region of 40°C on more than one occasion. 

More remarkable still for a car of this vintage, it doesn’t leak or burn oil.

The vendor has had the boot expertly retrimmed.

The bodywork is hugely impressive wherever you choose to rest your gaze, being almost free from any dinks, dents, bangs, crumples, creases, ripples or folds of any significance anywhere that we can see.

The panels, panel gaps and shut-lines are entirely consistent with the best tolerances achievable by 1930’s engineers and those who followed them when the car was re-bodied in the 1980s. 

The doors, bonnet and boot all open and close properly, and have a heft and authority to them that speak to the car’s exceptional hand-built quality.

The red paintwork has a depth of lustre and quality of shine that really pop and sing in the sunshine.

The chrome-work is gleaming and untroubled by any foxing, pitting or tarnishing wherever you look.

The running boards are solid and firm.

The wire wheels are beyond reproach, as are the Blockley tyres.

It’s a similar story of excellence and preservation with the black fabric hood and the car’s various tonneau covers.

The lights, lenses, badging and other exterior fixtures and fittings all appear to be in impeccable order.

We spotted a couple of small scuffs and the odd spot of rubbed-away paint here and there on the bodywork around the bonnet closures, and a scuff on the bottom rear of the n/s/r wing.

In short, it really is in first-class condition.

The condition of the interior is really very good indeed and is every bit a match for its exterior counterpart. 

The red leather seats, front and back, are in very fine order.

The only signs of wear are on the outer bolsters of the front seat backs, and there’s slightly more wear on the driver’s side. 

The seats are comfortable, supportive and possessed of a warm, light patina that entirely suits the ambience and personality of this majestic vehicle. 

The carpets and mats are seemingly untroubled either by use or the passage of time.

The roof lining is good, as are the door cards.

The wood on the dashboard is in fine fettle, as are the instruments and dials.

As far as we and the vendor are aware, all knobs, switches, levers and dials do what they’re supposed to do. 

The newly retrimmed boot is as good as you would imagine. 

The engine and engine bay look impressively clean, shiny and dry. 

The undersides look to be possessed of plenty of structural integrity and nothing we’ve seen has prompted us to tut or raise an eyebrow. 

This car comes with plenty of invoices attesting to work carried out on it at the behest of the previous owner. 

He commissioned Bishopgray, the acknowledged doyens of Lagonda whisperers, and the work done in 2018 alone amounts to the best part of £15K.  

The car comes with a V5, a recent and clear HPI report, a car cover and a couple of boxes of spares and other miscellany.

This is an excellent example of both the marque and the model.

It was in outstanding condition, the vendor has done nothing but improve it incrementally since in his ownership. 

We know that there were no more than 65 or so of these ever built.

Of those that remain, we’re in no doubt whatsoever that this must surely be among the very best of them.

We are happy to offer this exquisite vehicle for auction with an estimate in the range of £80,000 - £90,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at the Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are strictly by appointment. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions'.