Aston Martin is best known for building high-performance vehicles. Now the sports-car manufacturer is venturing in a new direction. The all-new Aston Martin Cygnet is a compact city car based on the Toyota iQ.
The Cygnet originally debuted as a concept car at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2010. The reveal left bystanders confused, the tiny Aston seems out of place among the high-performance fleet. Last week, Aston Martin confirmed that they will begin production in 2011 at their headquarters in Warwickshire. The press release announcing the Cygnet says the new Aston Martin "expresses a simple but fundamental idea: in the modern city, scale equates to speed and freedom."
Measuring 3 meters (just under 10 feet) in length, the Cygnet is designed to take on the overcrowded cityscape. The Cygnet will be easier to maneuver in traffic, be capable of exploiting smaller parking spaces and consume less fuel than its larger siblings. But does anyone really want an Aston Martin capable of this?
One thing is for sure, the Cygnet will lower the overall emissions of the Aston Martin fleet. With V-8 and V-12 engines running rampant through Aston Martin and CO2 output being put under the microscope, this may be the only reason the Cygnet exists.
Marek Reichman, Aston Martin's Director of Design, said, "Cygnet is small but luxurious, an Aston Martin tailor fit for the city." Luxury is a term that Aston Martin stresses throughout the press release announcing the Cygnet. The focus on luxury may be an effort to justify a price tag higher than the average city car and further differentiate it from the Toyota iQ.
Dr. Ulrich Bez, CEO of Aston Martin, provides some additional insight into their newest model, "Whatever we do, we do right. If we do performance, we do performance; we don't downsize or compromise our sports cars. The Cygnet needs to satisfy the demands of emissions and space. It is a car without compromise, just like every other Aston Martin." Dr. Bez also said, "Our customers need a small car for urban and city use, and they want the right tools for the right job, to downsize creatively without compromising intelligence, artistry and personality."
Initial photos of the Cygnet reveal an interior that appears to be as luxurious as Aston Martin is promising. The exterior attempts to embrace the current styling of Aston Martin, but the compact size results in a side profile resembling every other city car.
At this time very few details have been released on the Cygnet. Aston Martin says pricing and specifications are scheduled to be announced later this year.
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