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Prince Philip Used to Own This Lagonda 3-Liter, Now It Can Be Yours

1954 Lagonda 3-Liter first owned by Prince Philip 8 photos
Photo: H&H
1954 Lagonda 3-Litre first owned by Prince Philip1954 Lagonda 3-Litre first owned by Prince Philip1954 Lagonda 3-Litre first owned by Prince Philip1954 Lagonda 3-Litre first owned by Prince Philip1954 Lagonda 3-Litre first owned by Prince Philip1954 Lagonda 3-Litre first owned by Prince Philip1954 Lagonda 3-Litre first owned by Prince Philip
The consort of Queen Elizabeth II isn’t just a badass who enrolled in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. The Duke of Edinburgh is also a blue-blooded petrolhead, with a car history that would make some collectors go weak at the knees.
This original condition 1954 Lagonda 3-Liter Drophead Coupe is one of the many automobiles he used to own during the springtime of his life. Prince Philip replaced the Lagonda with an Alvis TD21 Drophead Coupe in 1961 after seven years of service.

Slated to come at auction in April at an event organized by H&H at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford, specialists estimate this blast from the past will fetch between £350,000 and £450,000. In U.S. dollars, that’ll be $496,845 to $638,545, also known as a lot of money.

The estimate is three to four times the value of a Lagonda 3-Liter DHC in similar condition, but that’s to be expected due to the famous first owner. Now at its third owner, this beautiful automobile is one of twenty Mark 1 examples made out of a production tally of 270 units. In other words, it is rarer than a LaFerrari.

As the second model produced by Lagonda under the ownership of Aston Martin, the 3-Liter is equipped with a 2.9-liter straight-6 powerhouse that can trace its roots back to the late ‘40s. When it was new, the Lagonda 3-Liter could hit 104 mph (167 km/h), which I suppose it’s scary for two reasons. One - rear torsion bars and a swing axle. Two - Lockheed drum brakes all around with servo assistance only at the rear.

Goodies tailored to Prince Philip’s requirements include the floor-mounted gear lever, power hood, a radio telephone with a dedicated radio frequency, and a vanity mirror for Her Majesty The Queen to adjust her hat. How romantic is that? My favorite story about Prince Philip and his Lagonda 3-Liter is the one with the Prince setting the unofficial record for the 98-mile stint between London and Bath.

If I could afford to buy this car from the current owner, I’d affix a “Royal & Furious: Burning Rubber Since 1954” sticker on the rear bumper to commemorate how badass Prince Philip was behind the wheel.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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