The LG6 was the last development of the
six cylinder 41/2 litre. It used a similar chassis
to the VI2 but of different wheelbase. 'This chassis has nothing in common
with the earlier LGs, being diagonally cross braced instead of ladder form
and is independently suspended by torsion bars at the front, using unequal
length wishbones. It also featured hydraulic brakes with a tandem master
cylinder so that a failure on one pair of wheels left braking on the
others. The V 12 and the LG6 came out together at the 1937 Motor Show with
production starting at the beginning of 1938. 'The V 12 was also a 41/2
litre, being 4480cc (75 x 84.5mm) and coming in three chassis lengths
according to the sort of body required. All could do about 100 mph, the
lighter ones considerably more. The LG6 came on a 10'71/2"
wheelbase standard chassis and on 11'31/2" long one,
whereas the V 12 had 10'4", 11'0" and 1l'6" wheelbase versions and, in
each case, a taller radiator was fitted to the longer cars to preserve the
balance of their looks. A new design of radiator was employed for both
models with a deeper top tank and a curved top line to be slats, imparting
a rather melancholy expression to the front. The 31/2"
difference in wheelbase between the models is accounted for by the
difference in length between the six and twelve cylinder engines, and
otherwise they were similar. The rear axle was a new one too, being of
hypoid design and American manufacture for the V12 but retaining Lagonda's
tried spiral bevel for the LG6.
Both LG6 and V 12 ranges featured a
Rapide model but, in both cases, it was a much "tamer" car than the LG45R
and the bodywork is normally a close coupled drophead or tourer not very
different from the standard cars and with slight differences in the
engine. The V12 engine has one overhead cam per bank and two SU
carburettors for the standard engine, four for the more advanced ones.
Rather surprisingly, production did not stop at the outbreak of war and
some cars were delivered to (usually American) customers well into 1940.
