William Gunn left Springfield Ohio to set up a machinery business in Staines, naming it 'Lagonda' after a river in Ohio. Gunn built a few motorcycles and successfully trialed these. Then in 1907 Gunn built his 20hp Torpedo and won the 1910 Moscow-St Petersburg Trial and came back with many orders for the Torpedo. Gunn died in 1920, and the company continued with existing directors, producing the sporting twin cam 1954cc Lagonda 14/60 in 1925. The 6-cylinder 3litre model was launched in 1928, but Lagonda also bought engines from Crossley and from Meadows. By 1933 Lagonda was selling the 4½litre M45 and won Le Mans in 1935. However, the receivers were called in and Alan Good purchased Lagonda in 1935, and then prised the disenchanted WO Bentley and 2 other employees away from Rolls-Royce. The result was the LG6 and V12 cars of 1938 and 3rd and 4th place at Le Mans in 1939. In 1947 David Brown bought Lagonda (and Aston Martin), acquiring a new 6-cylinder dohc 2.6litre engine designed by WO Bentley, and body designer Frank Feeley . Both these were used in Aston Martin badged products throughout the 1950s. By the 1960s Lagonda had become a premium brand of Aston Martin only occassionally produced.