Aston Martin Cygnet - why?

Saw this on the streets of South Kensington, London earlier this week. Why would you need a Smart wearing an Aston costume?

Oh, I've also seen plenty of other interesting cars here - a new Ferrari parked on the street between a Range Rover and an Audi S5, and several other new Ferraris tooling around. Speaking of tools, I almost got run over by one in a new Lambo proving the stereotype of "HEY LOOK AT ME I'M DRIVING A LAMBO" last night when he banged a u-turn and floored it through the first two gears right in front of Harrods. Then again the Lambo dealer is only a 5 minute walk away. The street where I'm staying has parked on it a Fiat 500 Abarth, numerous new BMWs of various models from 3 series through a new 7 series diesel, more Range Rovers than you can shake a stick at, a new Bentley, an Aston Martin Vantage, a couple new 911s, and a 1st generation Miata . The highlight was walking by the McLaren showroom in Knightsbridge and seeing one of Ayrton Senna's McLaren Honda F1 cars sitting there, along with a chassis of their new model stripped of the bodywork to show the huge aluminum extrusions that give the car it's strength.

I believe the answer is average fuel economy requirements. Also I believe it is a Toyota, not a smart car.

bgkast wrote: I believe the answer is average fuel economy requirements. Also I believe it is a Toyota, not a smart car.

This, its based on the IQ and if you have the cash for a Vantage or DB9 chances are you need a city car and would not be caught dead in a smart or stock IQ>

wearymicrobe wrote:

bgkast wrote: I believe the answer is average fuel economy requirements. Also I believe it is a Toyota, not a smart car.

This, its based on the IQ and if you have the cash for a Vantage or DB9 chances are you need a city car and would not be caught dead in a smart or stock IQ>

Yeah in Europe it kinda makes sense for this reason. I think it is horrible and all but it may be a smart move by Aston.

Although how awesome would it be if all the supercar makers started making microcars like that and then began tuning them. You know they are going to be worth next to nothing in a few years...

93EXCivic wrote:

wearymicrobe wrote:

bgkast wrote: I believe the answer is average fuel economy requirements. Also I believe it is a Toyota, not a smart car.

This, its based on the IQ and if you have the cash for a Vantage or DB9 chances are you need a city car and would not be caught dead in a smart or stock IQ>

Yeah in Europe it kinda makes sense for this reason. I think it is horrible and all but it may be a smart move by Aston. Although how awesome would it be if all the supercar makers started making microcars like that and then began tuning them. You know they are going to be worth next to nothing in a few years...

Ferrari did just that with the Fiat 500.

Besides--you're driving an IQ, but the interior is that of an Aston Martin. That's pretty baller in itself. Cool car for a wealthy city dweller/commuter.

I think Aston Martin is awesome for doing that. Their thinking: "We have to make something that gets good gas mileage to satisfy the fuel economy average laws, but we're only good at making ridiculous supercars and GT cars, so let's buy a tiny ass car from Toyota, make it look hideous and like a joke, and then no one will buy it, but we'll still be square with the feds."

Brilliant. You can tell by the way they executed the whole thing that they didn't care a wink, and just did it to get by with the fuzz. Better than them using resources that could've been used on a new awesome engine or the next Vanquish.

I don't think they expected to sell any of them. They just 'make' them to say they're making them. That said, it's a perfect, contrarian 'up yours' to ill-conceived regulations that don't work. I want one.

I'm pretty sure they don't even sell them, you just get one free with your suitably expensive normal Aston. You literally cannot buy just the Cygnet, you have to own another Aston as well.

The idea behind it was like a yacht's motor tender. Your giant mega yacht won't fit in the marina, so it has a smaller boat on it. Your new Aston won't fit in London but you can take the Cygnet into the shops.

I see the IQ is advertised as having 11 airbags, including 'the world's first rear widow airbag'. I submit the Cygnet has 11 airbags and 1 (possibly 2) pompous windbags.

I actually test drove the IQ version, and can say that while it is nothing special it was also pretty harmless.

What is fun is doing u-turns with this car; you can pretty much spin around the inside rear tire. Picture doing a u-turn in a double wide driveway.

I like the quirky style (I own a Bugeye sprite, so I guess I would) of the IQ and had expectations of go-cart handling. Not so much.

No feeling of this being a small car while driving. With the CVT transmission it feels a lot like the wife's Nissan Versa. Until you reach over your shoulder and touch the rear window.

Ended up leaving the dealer after plunking down a deposit for an FRS.

As to why is Aston doing this? Corporate fuel economy is my guess.

Not that it matters, but technically, it's a CO2 rule for the EU...

Yea, same thing, for the most part....

because its so damn cute!

Tarted up SmartCar.

Implies, "My other car is a Vanquish", without the tacky bumper sticker.

I like it.. just imagine the market for people wanting to turn their iQ and Smarts into something else.

We could turn smart cars into BMWs, MB, RRs, and the whole caddy thing on 20inch rims

I've heard that smart cars are good for picking up girls...they like the cuteness. I expect this would work for picking up cute gold diggers.

bgkast wrote: I believe the answer is average fuel economy requirements. Also I believe it is a Toyota, not a smart car.

Yep, it's based on a Toyota iQ, and when buyers have more money than sense all kinds of weird E36 M3 can happen.

Damn I'm on a roll with old obscure British E36 M3 recently!

There's nothing new in the automotive world.

Aston Martin own Tickford body panels and created a subsidiary in the late 70's early 80's called Aston Martin Tickford. This company produced various versions of tuned and luxuriated more basic cars. One of them was the BL/Austin/MG Metro. They were kind of cool in the early 80's and you used to see them from time to time. Here's a few pics.

Tickford also made the Tickford turbo Capri with a turbo engine making over 200bhp.

Back to the Cygnet. I can defend the idea behind it, what I can't defend is the lack of added power. They should have at least given it some 'Nad's to defend it's looks.

Adrian_Thompson wrote: Back to the Cygnet. I can defend the idea behind it, what I can't defend is the lack of added power. They should have at least given it some 'Nad's to defend it's looks.

Bottom dollar says that Aston did not have the cash to re-certify another motor, or even the inclination. You don't need more power to sit in London traffic. Plus the IQ avoids the congestion charges in its current guise.

wearymicrobe wrote:

Adrian_Thompson wrote: Back to the Cygnet. I can defend the idea behind it, what I can't defend is the lack of added power. They should have at least given it some 'Nad's to defend it's looks.

Bottom dollar says that Aston did not have the cash to re-certify another motor, or even the inclination. You don't need more power to sit in London traffic. Plus the IQ avoids the congestion charges in its current guise.

Agreed, but they could have gone to Prodrive or one of the other established tuners. There are dozen's of cars out there with aftermarket tuning sold new through dealers in Europe.

Good point on the congestion charge though, tha's probably the real reason for it. Keep you Aston at home for weekend and evening use when th econgestion charge doesn't apply and pimp around in your Cygnet with a brown paper bag over your head to hide you identiy during business hours.