Lagonda was set up in Britain by the American Wilbur Gunn, who originally built motorbikes in his garden in Staines, Surrey.

He built his first car in 1907 - the 20bhp Torpedo - that featured the first ever fly-off handbrake (which you'll now find on many an Aston Martin, for reasons that will become clear).

The first sports model was launched in 1925, and then came the 4.5-litre M45, which did nearly 100mph. Gulp. This then became the M45R Rapide that won Le Mans in 1935.

Yet despite this, the receivers were called in due to financial troubles, and the company was bought by a fellow called Alan Good, who persuaded W. O. Bentley to leave Rolls Royce and start at Lagonda as designer.

Bentley launched his V12 engine in 1937, a 4480cc that delivered 180bhp and was apparently able to do anything from 7mph to 105mph in top gear.

Lagonda moved in with Aston Martin in 1947. They continued building from the last model designed by Bentley, which was a 2.6-litre, with new chassis and independent suspension. The 2580cc engine of that car became the basis for Aston's engines of the 1950s.

Seven Lagonda saloons were built between 1974 and 1976, based on the Aston V8, and then a bunch of horrific Aston produced Lagondas appeared in 1994.

The Rapide name will continue on Aston's 4-door saloon in 2009.

Read about the future of Lagonda there.