A 1934 Lagonda owned by Bernie Ecclestone, the man credited with building Formula 1 racing into a multi-billion-dollar motorsports communications powerhouse, is available on Catawiki in an auction that closes on August 10. Ecclestone purchased the Lagonda in 1996 and kept it for 12 years. The car is offered for auction by its current owner in the Netherlands.
This is not the only time cars associated with Bernie Ecclestone have been available. In late 2024, 69 of Ecclestone’s F1 Grand Prix race cars were offered for sale.
Why Ecclestone’s 1934 Lagonda is significant
Formally organized in 1950, Formula 1 racing was fraught with dissent among team owners and complex contract negotiations with race tracks around the world. Ecclestone, whose original calling was as a used car dealer, bought the Brabham F1 team in 1972.
Ecclestone used his negotiating abilities and his understanding of the potential value of broadcast rights to eventually own Formula 1 for many years until its sale to Liberty Media in 2017.
While he collected valuable Grand Prix race cars, Ecclestone bought the 1934 Lagonda as a personal car. Commenting on Ecclestone’s role in F1, Catawiki car expert Franco Vigorito said, “Bernie didn’t choose cars casually. He chose symbols. This Lagonda is poised, powerful, and unmistakably British — just like him.”
The 1934 Lagonda’s history
Estimated to sell between $185,000 and $220,000, Ecclestone’s former vehicle is a 1934 Lagonda 16/80 Type 2 Axle R Tourer. The Catawiki listing states it is in excellent mechanical and cosmetic condition.
The Lagonda is one of 281 chassis constructed from 1932 to 1934. Originally a four-door sedan, in 1991, coachbuilder Kevin Roskruge refitted the chassis with a convertible T2 Tourer with three doors and a folding roof.
The Lagonda is powered by a 6-cylinder inline engine and a pre-select gearbox, which is a shifting mechanism that delivers smoother acceleration than conventional manual transmissions.
The Catawiki auction of the 1934 Lagonda began July 25 and ends on August 10.
