Lagonda Taraf

Lagonda Taraf
At the Goodwood Festival of Speed, 2015
Overview
Manufacturer	Aston Martin
Production	2015–2016 200 units
Assembly	United Kingdom: Gaydon, Warwickshire
Designer	Marek Reichman (2014)
Body and chassis
Class	Full-size luxury car
Body style	4-door saloon
Layout	Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive
Platform	vertical–horizontal
Related	Aston Martin DB9 Aston Martin Rapide
Powertrain
Engine	5.9 L Aston Martin V12
Transmission	8-speed ZF 8HP70 (Touchtronic III) automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	3,189 mm (125.6 in)[1]
Length	5,396.5 mm (212.5 in)[1]
Width	1,917.5 mm (75.5 in)[2]
Height	1,389 mm (54.7 in)[2]
Kerb weight	4,398 lb (1,995 kg)[3]

The Aston Martin Lagonda Taraf is a full-size luxury car produced between 2015 and 2016 by the British automaker Aston Martin under its Lagonda marque. Designed by Marek Reichman and considered "the finest of fast cars", the vehicle is based upon the chassis of the DB9 and Rapide, namely the vertical–horizontal platform. The Taraf debuted in Dubai in 2015, with manufacture commencing in the subsequent year at the facility in Gaydon, Warwickshire. Initially intended for sale exclusively in the Middle Eastern market with a limited run of 100 units, Aston Martin later expanded the car's availability to several other countries and ultimately built 200.

The Taraf has a 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) acceleration time of 4.4 seconds and a maximum speed of 314 km/h (195 mph). The car features Aston Martin's 5.9-litre engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission manufactured by the technology company ZF Friedrichshafen. At its launch, the Taraf was the most expensive saloon in the world, priced at over US$1 million. The car received mostly positive reviews for its spacious rear seating and handling ability.

Background and development[edit]

The Lagonda marque was established in 1906 by the businessman Wilbur Gunn.^[4][5][6] The 1935 Le Mans 24 Hour race was won with a Lagonda M45R driven by John Stuart Hindmarsh and Luis Fontés.^[7][8][9] When it was launched in 1939, the Lagonda Rapide V12 was the most expensive car in the United States.^[10] In 1947 the entrepreneur and industrialist David Brown acquired both Lagonda and Aston Martin.^[11][12][13] In 1961 Lagonda introduced the Rapide,^{[note 1]} the company's earliest four-door automobile.^[14][15][16] Its production ended in 1966 after fifty-five units had been manufactured.^[17][18] In 1974, Aston Martin introduced Aston Martin's second four-door model, the Lagonda, which was produced until 1990, when 645 units had been produced.^[19][20][21] The Aston Martin Rapide was revealed in 2009 at the International Motor Show Germany.^[22][23] In the same year, Aston Martin chose to revive the Lagonda brand aiming to explore various market segments and commemorate Lagonda's centenary.^[24][25][26]

The development of the Taraf began in February 2014 at Aston Martin's design studio in Gaydon, Warwickshire, under the codename "Project Comet".^[1] The name "Taraf" means "ultimate luxury" in the Arabic language.^[27] Aston Martin's Q division carried out the project, which specialises in creating bespoke cars and customising existing models to meet customer specifications. The design studio completed the final full-sized model within eight months of the initial studio sketches. Marek Reichman credited the swift execution to the lessons learned from producing the One-77, which took two years to progress from design to completion.^[1]

As part of its comprehensive testing programme, Aston Martin took a nearly production-ready Lagonda model to Oman, where it underwent approximately 14,000 miles (23,000 km) of testing for over four weeks. Most of the test was to assess how the Lagonda's components—primarily the air conditioning system and interior trims—handled the extreme heat, with temperatures ranging from 30 to 50 °C (86 to 122 °F). Aston Martin reported that the car was already performing "beyond expectations".^[1][28][29]

The Taraf debuted in Dubai in November 2014.^[30] The official manufacture began in the subsequent year at the facility in Gaydon, Warwickshire,^[3][31][32] with Aston Martin stating that only 100 cars would be built exclusively for the Middle Eastern market.^[33][34] However, the chief executive officer of Aston Martin Andy Palmer expanded the potential markets for the car to include Europe, the United States, Singapore and South Africa.^[35][36][37] He also had the total production goal increased to 200 units.^[38][39][40] In April 2016, the car was called the most expensive four-door saloon in the world, priced at over US$1 million.^{[41][note 2]} The manufacture of the Taraf ceased at the end of 2016.^[43]

Design and technology[edit]

Considered "the finest of fast cars",^[44][45] the Taraf's "vertical/horizontal" (VH) platform—which it shares with the DB9^[46] and Rapide^[47]—extensively incorporates aluminium.^[48][32] In lieu of the Rapide's pressed aluminium body, the Taraf features a lightweight carbon fibre exterior; consequently, despite the latter's larger size, both cars possess similar weight.^[48][49] The Taraf incorporates anti-roll bars, adaptive dampers, and a double wishbone suspension system supported by coil springs.^[34] The interior of the vehicle incorporated elements from other Aston Martin models, including a console-mounted push-button transmission controls, an advanced infotainment system, a 1,000-watt Bang & Olufsen BeoSound audio system, and leather upholstery. Buyers could choose from a range of trims, including wood and carbon fibre. The car's extended wheelbase provided enhanced legroom for the rear-seat passengers.^[50]

The Taraf features Aston Martin's 5.9-litre V12 engine, which generates a power output of 547 PS (402 kW; 540 hp) at 6,650 revolutions per minute (rpm) and a torque output of 630 N⋅m (465 lb⋅ft) at 5,500 rpm.^[51][2] The Taraf has a 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) acceleration time of 4.4 seconds and a maximum speed of 314 km/h (195 mph).^[52][53] The engine was assembled at Ford's bespoke engine facility in Niehl, Cologne, Germany.^[2] The Taraf is a four-door luxury saloon car^[54][2] with a rear-wheel drive layout and front engine placement.^[51][48] The vehicle features a six-speed Touchtronic III automatic transmission developed by ZF Friedrichshafen, a technology company.^[55]

Reception[edit]

The Taraf received predominantly positive reviews, with most critics noting the steep price as its primary drawback. Jason Barlow of the magazine Top Gear noted that "it [does not] ride as well as its rivals, but despite its size and physical presence, it handles better than [you would] expect".^[55] Mike Duff of Car and Driver emphasised the light yet responsive hydraulic steering and the chassis's impressive lateral grip, even in wet conditions. He also noted that "the brakes lack much initial bite but have plenty of stopping power when worked more forcefully," adding that it is "downright hard not to drive at the sort of speeds that would produce complaints from any rear-seat occupants—or possibly a sharp tap from a gold-tipped cane".^[51]

Angus MacKenzie, reviewing for Motor Trend, wrote that "this $1 million saloon, hand-built by Aston Martin, costs more than five times as much as a Mercedes-Maybach S600. Yet it matters little to the people who will buy the Taraf that the Maybach is technically the more accomplished ultra-luxury saloon".^[1] The Autocar magazine also criticised its price, noting that for the same amount, one could buy a Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé, a Bentley Mulsanne and a Range Rover SV Autobiography, but acknowledged the "unmatched exclusivity" of the car.^[3]

References[edit]

Notes[edit]

Citations[edit]

Books[edit]

• Noakes, Andrew (2019) [2017]. Aston Martin DB: 70 years. Quarto Publishing Group. ISBN 978-1-7813-1928-4.
• Taylor, James (2016). British luxury cars of the 1950s and '60s. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-7844-2187-8.
• Smale, Glen (2023). Le Mans 100: a century at the world's greatest endurance race. Motorbooks. ISBN 978-0-7603-7617-1.
• Vale, Matthew (2022). Aston Martin: the complete story. Crowood Press. ISBN 978-0-7198-4119-4.

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Aston Martin Lagonda Taraf.

• Official website, archived 2 July 2016