For the longest time, the era of “folded-paper” design was considered kind of an embarrassment. After the sensual lines of the 1950s, the opulence of the 1960s, and the powerfully muscular cues of the early 1970s, the late ’70s and early ’80s brought Bauhaus-inspired automotive themes. The ultra-angular trend faded away with the advent of more organic treatments in the 1990s, as automakers became eager to once again create cars with more sensual and voluptuous lines.
The most extreme exponent of late-1970s/early-1980s design was the Aston Martin Lagonda, designed by William Towns. It was described by Car and Driver as “part spaceship and part Rolls-Royce, with a strong dose of autobahn express thrown in for good measure.” In the early 1980s, it was as expensive as a Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit and a Ferrari 308 Quattrovalvole. “Got to keep the riffraff out,” we explained back then.
Now the Lagonda is back: It will be offered from early 2015 onward, based on Aston Martin’s seasoned VH platform and fitted with carbon-fiber body panels (the Towns Lagonda was dressed in aluminum). No word on the powertrain, but we suppose it will include the brand’s Cologne-built 6.0-liter V-12.
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Hand-built “by the fine craftsmen and women” at Aston’s Gaydon, England, headquarters, the car will be sold in the Middle East only—”by invitation.” Pricing hasn’t been disclosed, but Aston Martin boastfully claims “the asking price will be commensurate with the car’s exclusivity, quality, and luxurious nature.”
In its description of the new sedan, Aston Martin alludes to the Towns Lagonda repeatedly, and in fact, the ultralow, long, and clean design is very clearly inspired by the 1970s masterpiece. Has the era of angular, aggressive design returned? Perhaps so, at least for the glimmering esplanades of Dubai and other petrodollar-infused Middle East locales.
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