James Bond’s Aston Martin city car
June 30, 2009
Following a drop in sales over the last year, Aston Martin may enter what it describes as the ‘luxury commuter’ car market with the launch of the Cygnet, a green runabout built around the Toyota iQ city car.
The existing range sells for upwards of £100,000, but the cygnet would most likely sell for less than £20,000.
The company says the Cygnet would be environmentally friendly, safe to drive and built to a high standard.
Ulrich Bez, Aston Martin’s chief executive, said of the design: “Small is beautiful these days.”
It is estimated that between 4,000-5,000 of the cars would be built each year.
A spokesperson for the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) said: “Even James Bond it seems is looking for a green runabout – this Aston Martin concept car is a sign of the times.”
Who will buy the Aston Martin Cygnet?
If the Cygnet was to go into production it would be a brave move for Aston Martin, a company that is best known for its exclusive sports cars and regularly tops polls of the ‘coolest’ brands.
The small car market appears resilient to the global drop in sales, but may not support a luxury city model. The car upon which the Cygnet would be based, the Toyota iQ (pictured right), is the iPod of the current small car market; a small and beautifully-designed object that sells for less than £10,000.
Greener driving
The ETA provides motorists and cyclists with green breakdown cover and insurance. The ETA exists in order to campaign for sustainable transport
Information correct at time of publication.