Aston Martin Unveils New Luxury Minicar

[rickaren]

Aston Martin Unveils New Luxury Minicar

Dec. 16, 2009

How can James Bond recover the control disk for the dual GoldenEye satellite weapons driving something like this?

Brace yourself. Aston Martin just released more detailed photos of its Cygnet luxury minicar, and it isn’t pretty. In fact, it looks a lot like Toyota’s Euro-based iQ on which it’s based.

Jalopnik, which published official photos this morning, writes: “[T]he looks are...umm...well...as these first official images show, the Cygnet is still closely based on the Toyota iQ city car, retaining the same basic body shape and even the same front lights. The front has been given a heavy Aston-style rework, however, complete with trademark grille and even miniature bonnet vents.”

Inside, the Cygnet will feature new colors and higher-quality materials, but retain the iQ’s “instrument pack and architecture,” adds Autocar. And though it has yet to be confirmed, industry analysts believe that it’s also likely to feature the iQ’s 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine.

So what’s the general consensus? Most critics would agree with USA Today’s assessment: “[I]t could be the perfect car for a paunchy, middle-aged Bond, who long ago lost his license to kill and now works as a British bureaucrat.”

Nevertheless, Aston Martin is touting the new Cygnet as a big win for the environment. “Aston says the Cygnet concept ‘represents a creative, environmentally conscious solution, being small, yet with presence – and highly fuel efficient, now combined with the prestige of Aston Martin's luxury brand ownership,’” write USA Today.

However, Motor Authority asserts that Aston is just trying to nab itself a piece of the mini-car pie: “The luxury automaker has identified that around 30% of existing customers have small cars such as a Mini or Smart ForTwo in their garages for city traffic.”

Regardless, the Cygnet is expected to hit the European auto market in 2010 before making its way further west. Initially it will only be offered to current Aston Martin owners, but will eventually be made available to the general public. Expect a sticker price of $32,000.

LINK:Aston Martin Unveils New Luxury Minicar - U.S. News Rankings and Reviews