Shropshire businessman returns rare car to its home after 80 years and 9,250 mile journey
A Shropshire businessman has returned a rare car to its ancestral home after an 80-year absence.
A 1939 Lagonda V12 Rapide Drophead has been shipped 9,250 miles back to its home from California by Shropshire businessman Adrian Burr.
The classic car connoisseur and chairman of property developers Springbourne Homes, shipped the car to Southampton and then promptly drove it to Cornwell Manor in The Cotswolds.
The glamorous vehicle, perhaps one of only two cars from the 1930s that could exceed 100mph, was first owned by Major Godfrey Anthony Gillson, who Mr Burr described as a "real-life James Bond type".
New owner, Mr Burr, from Grinshill, said: “The story of this amazing car and its first owner is truly remarkable.
“The Major was a flamboyant figure who lived at Cornwell Manor, near Chipping Norton.
"He was married to American heiress Priscilla Dickerson and was a real-life James Bond type character and, like Bond, had a penchant for fast, classic cars.
“The car, which he had ordered direct from the Lagonda factory, is extraordinary too. It is one of only 17 designed by the legendary W.O.Bentley, of Bentley car fame, and one of just two sporting James Young coachwork.
“It was fitted with an upgraded, 4.5 litre ‘Sanction IV’ engine, making it one of Britain’s fastest, most sought after, pre-war cars with a top speed of 108mph
“The whole story fascinated me and that’s why I decided to bring the Lagonda ‘home’ to Cornwell Manor to pay homage to where it all began.
“I’m so glad I did. It was a real pleasure to see this stunning car set proudly outside of the Major’s magnificent, former home.”
The Lagonda’s next port of call will be the majestic Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire for the UK's most exclusive motor show, the Salon Privé Concours d’Elégance.
