Lagonda M45R 1935 Le Mans Winner

The British car industry has a rich but also tumultuous history. Over the years there has been a wide variety of brands, which came and went as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

One of these many brands was Lagonda, founded in England in 1906 by an American, Wilbur Gunn. The origin of the name Lagonda is unusual. Founder Gunn got the idea to name his car brand after Lagonda Creek, a small river near his hometown of Springfield in the state of Ohio.

In its early years Lagonda produced reasonably well selling cars that also took part in races. For example, in 1910 they entered the run from Moscow to St. Petersburg, which was won with a car that was quite advanced for its time, featuring a six cylinder engine. As a result, the fine fleur of Russia were happy to travel in the Lagonda brand.

After the First World War, things had to change course. The important Russian market had dried up as a result of the revolution, and in England the market was recovering only slowly after the war effort. Manufacturers often built smaller cars, which also made a name for themselves in competition. In the early 1930s two new models were introduced: the Rapier, equipped with an 1100 cc engine, and the M45, powered by a 4.5 liter six cylinder engine.

When it came to taking part in races, it was not the factory itself but one of the brand's more prominent dealers that took the lead. This was Fox & Nicholl, based in Tolworth, Surrey. In the 1920s they made sure the cars became competitive. However, Fox & Nicholl wanted to win, and it proved difficult to further develop the Lagondas without support from the factory. They switched to Alfa Romeo, which at that time was producing the 8C 2300 model, an ideal car for long-distance races instead of the Lagonda.

One of the most prestigious races on the English calendar, the TT on the Ards circuit in Northern Ireland, banned in August 1934 the participation of cars equipped with a supercharger in the race. So no Alfas at the start. However, Fox & Nicholl still wanted to take part in this race and returned to their old love, Lagonda, and more specifically the then new model, the M45. Three of these were ordered, fitted with specially specified parts that were installed by the factory. After the cars had been delivered, the six cylinder 4.5 liter Meadows engine (without supercharger!) was also reworked. A special crankshaft and matching engine block were intended to give the car impressive performance. As a striking detail, an aerodynamic fin was mounted on the tail. Fox & Nicholl had copied this from the Alfas they preferred to drive at the time. With drivers well known in England such as Lewis, Hindmarsh and Cobb (later known as the holder of the world land speed record), all three Lagondas finished high in the TT standings.

For Lagonda itself, business was not going too well during this period. The small model, the Rapier, sold poorly and unsold cars filled Lagondas factory halls. The companys finances were precarious. Lagonda was standing at the edge of the abyss. Suspension of payments was therefore requested. Amid all this commotion, Fox & Nicholl announced that they would enter a car for the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1935. The 13.5-kilometer Circuit de la Sarthe, where the 24-hour race was held, looked like this at the time

It was one of the three cars that had taken part in the TT (Tourist Trophy). The drivers appointed were Hindmarsh and the newcomer Fontes. The former was known as a solid and reliable driver. His regular job was as a test pilot at the Hawker aircraft factories, where he carried out many test flights with the later famous Hurricane. Fontes, however, was a newcomer. He was the son of a Brazilian diplomat who was stationed in London. His driving style at the time was described as "wild but very fast." In the previous year he had achieved a number of notable results, which brought him to the attention of Lagonda. Later, a second Lagonda was entered as a reserve. If it took part, it would among others be driven by Dr. J. Benjafield, who had become famous as one of the `Bentley Boys`. He had bought the car, again one of the trio from the TT, from Fox & Nichioll. This car would eventually start but finish at the back of the field.

In June 1935, the 24 Hours was set to start under difficult weather conditions.

In advance, the Alfas were overwhelming favorites. They had won the race in each of the previous four years, and the entered 8C 2300 models were very fast and apparently very reliable. In practice they were also the quickest, with the Lagonda in seventh place. Shortly after the start it began to rain, and the predominantly wet weather would leave its mark on the race. The two fastest Alfas soon developed ignition problems, which forced them to retire. BPK 202 (the car of Hindmarsh and Fontes) moved up into second place.

However, as evening fell they collided with an Aston Martin that had spun right in front of them. The front wheel suspension was damaged and was more or less temporarily repaired in the pits. Frederick Gordon Crosby immortalized this collision in the charcoal drawing below.

The leading Alfa, driven by the Frenchman Raymond Sommer, was now two laps ahead. Sommer had to drive alone because his co driver had fallen ill and no replacement could be arranged. A situation that would be unthinkable today. In the middle of the night Sommers Alfa came to a halt, but with great effort he managed to get the car back to the pits. The subsequent repair took so long that the car was effectively out of contention for the overall victory.

The damage to BPK 202, sustained during the earlier collision, seriously hampered the drivers, but despite this the car was running well in the race. The remaining Alfas of Stoffel/Helde and Lewis/Howe were in first and second place. The latter retired with piston trouble, while the other was forced out by a water leak.

The car of Hindmarsh and Fontes ran into even more trouble. Towards the end of the race the oil pressure dropped very low, so they made a pit stop to report it. Fontes, who was allowed to drive the final stint, was advised to take it "easy." He did so, but as a result Stoffel's Alfa Romeo ended up on the same lap as the Lagonda during the last hour. This was mistakenly interpreted by the chauvinistic French race officials as meaning that Stoffel and Helde (both French!) had taken the lead! After a lot of back‑and‑forth discussion, they were finally convinced that this was not the case!

As the checkered flag fell, the Lagonda was just ahead of Stoffels Alfa, both cars at the very end of their strength. It turned out the oil pan of the winning Lagonda contained barely half a liter of oil!

This victory was very important for Lagonda, given the many problems. Partly as a result of this win, a financial backer was found and Lagonda was able to continue to exist.

Both drivers were only able to enjoy their success to a limited extent. Hindmarsh died in 1938, before the start of the Second World War, during one of his many test flights with the Hawker Hurricane. Fontes’s fate was bizarre. Like a comet he shot up in the fairly small English racing scene, and he disappeared again just as quickly. Fontes was involved in a car accident in which he was charged with manslaughter due to "reckless driving." After a questionable conviction he spent some time in prison, which brought his racing career to an end. After his rehabilitation and subsequent release he joined the RAF, where he became a pilot. During the war he was killed in an air crash.

For the observant visitor to the Louwman Museum, one more thing.This caris not only on display in the Museum but is also depicted (with both drivers) in a caricature made by Frederic Gordon Crosby. This can be found among a number of other prints on the right-hand side when entering the art gallery.

Peter Helbach