Would you fancy a Toyota microcar dressed up in James Bond livery? Aston Martin thinks you would. The British carmaker has just confirmed that it will start production of the Cygnet—“a premium, bespoke commuter car,” according to company CEO Ulrich Bez. The Cygnet is based on Toyota’s iQ city car, a three-meter long hatchback that easily slots into parking spaces and through tight city streets.
The cuteness factor is dialed down and the Aston-ness dialed up, by way of a modified grille, badges, and wildly garish interior. The extensive modifications include a gauge that runs counter-clockwise. In the Aston tradition, paint, trim, and accessories can be highly customized. Just imagine Daniel Craig battling SPECTRE in this car!
This may seem like a bizarre business strategy, but it does make sense in the light of European carbon legislation, which mandates carmakers to lower their emissions figures. Having a small car like the Cygnet in its stable will push down its fleet emission figure. This would be akin to Jerry Seinfeld buying a Prius to make his fleet of Porsches seem more environmentally friendly. Even Dr. Bez admits, “The Cygnet needs to satisfy the demands of emissions and space.” To maintain exclusivity, Aston will reportedly make the Cygnet available only to its existing owners.
As for us, we like the iQ just the way it is, thank you very much. Unless Dr. Bez and Co. can squeeze in that V12 from the DBS.
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