If you haven’t heard of the Aston Martin Lagonda Taraf, you aren’t alone. In 2016, Aston Martin announced that it was going to try and take on its more expensive British rivals, Rolls-Royce and Bentley, by creating a highly exclusive, million-dollar executive sedan—the Aston Martin Lagonda Taraf. However, with only around 120 ever being built, and the vast majority being sold in the Middle East, very few European or North American customers were able to get one. However, now might be the chance for a deep-pocketed U.S. buyer to snag one, as this 2018 Lagonda Taraf is currently for sale in California.
At $800,000, the 2018 Lagonda Taraf is actually being sold at quite the discount, considering its original sticker price was $1,000,000. So you can buy this Taraf and an Aston Martin Vantage and still be under the Taraf’s original price.
With only 178 miles on the odometer, this Lagonda Taraf is naturally in pristine condition. There’s nary a scratch or a scuff on its matte Satin Jet Black paint and its Kestrel Tan interior is perfect. Whoever buys this car is essentially getting a brand new Taraf, just on sale.
On paper, though, it’s hard to justify spending nearly seven figures on a Lagonda Taraf. It was built on a stretched version of Aston Martin’s VH architecture, the same one that underpinned the Aston Martin Rapide. It would be crude to say that the Lagonda Taraf is just a stretched Rapide, considering its carbon fiber body is entirely different from the Rapide’s aluminum one, and its 7.9 inch longer wheelbase drastically changes its proportions. However, it does look like a Rapide from the inside, just with more rear legroom. Its steering wheel, dashboard, door cards, and even rear seat controls look almost identical, save for the Lagonda’s rear seat screens. Considering the fact that the Lagonda Taraf was about four times more expensive than a Rapide, you can see why it wasn’t a huge seller.
It also shares its engine, transmission, and most of its suspension components with the Rapide S. So its 5.9-liter V12 makes 540 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque and is paired to an eight-speed transaxle automatic transmission. And rather than riding on air suspension, like its Rolls-Royce and Bentley rivals, the Lagonda used steel springs. That’s great for retaining Aston’s typical sporty handling but owners who want to chill in the backseat while their driver takes them to their weekly illuminati meetings might not appreciate that.
On the flip side, if you’re a millionaire who wants to be driven around in something that can handle a twisty road like a sports car, this Lagonda Taraf might be a good choice. It’s a great looking luxury sedan with a naturally aspirated V12 and rear-wheel drive, which isn’t a recipe that exists anymore and that could be worth $800,000, right?
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