In my opinion, Aston Martin makes some of the world's sexiest luxury sports cars; The DBS Volante, The DB9, the V12 Vantage and The Rapide. And especially their new Carbon Black special editions. Long, sleek, aerodynamic, elegant cars whose profiles' make one drool with desire. Aesthetically graceful enough for women, strong enough looking for men.
clockwise from upper left: the V12 Vantage, The DBS Volante, The DB9 and the Rapide.
So, when I first caught a glimpse of the Cygnet, I was disappointed. It's built on the Toyota iQ (called the Scion IQ in the US) platform. A little quirky european looking commuter car.
It's true, I have a personal bias against cars that look like the need a wind-up key to run. The Mini, the Smart car, the Toyota iQ and even that old Le Car remind me of Barnum and Bailey clown cars. That said, the reason I'm blogging about the Cygnet is the interesting business strategy behind it.
First off, if you didn't know, to purchase one of the Aston Martin Cygnets, you must already own a full-sized Aston Martin. Since many of their customers (Aston Martin says approximately 30%) already own a mini car like a Toyota iQ, they are serving their client’s needs while lowering the fleet’s CO2 emissions. Thus, without damaging their brand, they've basically designed a $45,000+* accessory for their customers who own $285,000 cars.
*The actual MSRP price has not been released.
“Many of our customers have a need for a small car for urban and city use,” says Aston Martin Chief Executive, Dr Ulrich Bez, “The Cygnet Concept brings intelligence, innovation and artistry to the small car market. The Cygnet Concept represents the natural choice for those customers looking for a premium commuter car.”
“Our past, our future and our backbone will always remain sports cars, but the Cygnet Concept will support this by offering our customers a greater degree of freedom in the urban context.”
The Aston Martin Cygnet Concept is a bold step towards a new form of transportation; the luxury commuter car, a form of personal transportation that sees the company's core values engage with a new environment.
The Aston Martin Cygnet Concept is the result of a unique and intelligent collaboration, the coming together of two companies that are leaders in their respective fields. The project has required a close intellectual and engineering partnership, resulting in an inventive solution that unites volume and niche automotive engineering.
The Aston Martin Cygnet Concept is small. At just under three metres long (that's 9.8 feet), the car is a highly refined piece of packaging, designed to make fast progress within dense European cityscapes. With four seats and a highly intelligent interior, the car can be configured in a number of different ways, allowing for a 2+2 seating system, a 2+1 seating system or a 2-seater with large luggage area.
The Aston Martin Cygnet Concept has a 1.3 litre 4-cylinder engine, offering CO2 emissions of 110g/km and combined fuel economy figures of 58.9 mpg, with a power output of 98bhp. The Aston Martin Cygnet Concept has a six-speed manual gearbox, with the MultidriveTM CVT system available as an option. The Aston Martin Cygnet Concept comes with an acclaimed technology package as standard, including a satellite navigation system, iPod integration and a powerful six-speaker radio/CD player.
The Cygnet Concept enhances the marque, pointing to a future of ongoing innovation, design and technology; allowing Aston Martin customers a greater degree of freedom without compromising the levels of design, quality and innovation that embody the brand.
An Aston Martin delivers the pleasure and exhilaration of driving combined with an appreciation of craftsmanship, design and technology. But Aston Martin is also about innovation, forging new links and associations; and bringing the brand's qualities to new sectors of the market.
The Cygnet Concept is a demonstration of Aston Martin's unrivalled skill at creating hand-crafted interiors. The rich blend of hand-stitched leather, Alcantara and aluminium is shared with Aston Martin's sports cars. The company's extensive experience of traditional processes and richly detailed craftsmanship gives each Aston Martin a unique feel, bringing together detailed design work, high technology and exquisitely tactile materials.
As a luxury commuter car that can slip easily and unobtrusively into the city, the Cygnet Concept is a highly intelligent solution to urban mobility. Using tried and tested technology, together with Aston Martin's acclaimed levels of personalisation and customisation, material quality, craft skill and tactile delight, the Cygnet Concept is innovative and forward-thinking, a genuine solution for future mobility and a natural partner for Aston Martin's line-up of acclaimed luxury sports cars.
You can register your interest in the Cygnet to receive the latest news and info here
official images and information of the Aston Martin Cygnet courtesy of Aston Martin and Top Speed.
I told you I love Aston Martin cars, so be sure to check out the world's most expensive and exclusive Aston Martin One-77 here.