To lower its CO2 emissions across its entire range, Aston-Martin has two solutions. Joining forces with another manufacturer, which would certainly involve a large financial contribution, or releasing “more nature-friendly” models.
It is this second solution that will be adopted by Aston-Martin in the early 2010s.
A luxury Toyota
The Aston Martin Cygnet is in fact a Toyota IQ redesigned according to the canons of the winged brand. Take a little IQ, change the grille, change the headlights, replace the LED taillights, and you have an Aston-Martin. In any case, this is what the marketers of the English brand said to themselves.
Inside, the brand is still making some effort, with full standard equipment including Garmin GPS, 6 HP MP3 CD radio, automatic air conditioning, leather seats and steering wheel, Alcantara roof and glove box in the shape of a leather bag. .
The customer can also choose the colors and materials according to his tastes.
Shockingly expensive
Under the hood, we keep the original Toyota engine, a small 97 hp 1.3l 4-cylinder. Small detail, the car is offered to the customer against a check for €37,900 excluding options. At the same time, the Toyota IQ, the same car without the luxury, was selling from €11,000. But at Aston-Martin everyone is very confident. We even allow ourselves to announce the objective of 4,000 units.
The owners of the English brand are so convinced of the success of their nugget that they intend to reserve the sale of this city car to their customers. To have the immense honor of buying a Cygnet, you will first have to buy a “real” Aston-Martin.
The miracle will not happen
Faced with the few interested customers in the first months of marketing, Aston-Martin quickly reviewed its sales method. From now on, anyone can buy this Cygnet, provided of course they want it. But that does not change the problem: candidates wishing to pay a Toyota four times its price do not jostle at the gate.
After just under two years on the market, Aston-Martin suddenly realizes that the career of its city car will be complicated. After announcing catastrophic financial results, and a declining turnover, the manufacturer put an end to the carnage. By the manufacturer’s own admission, production did not reach 150 sales.