Would You?

[jonny_ash 0]

Was just showing my son the Aston Martin Vanquish on their website and noticed a car called a Cygnet. Had a look and it turns out Aston have developed a City Car based on the shell of an Aygo. Best pics and write up I can find is here.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/first-drives/aston-martin-cygnet

What does everyone reckon this does for Astons brand image and would anyone buy one? Like the write up says its aimed at Aston Drivers who need a city car alongside their more expensive main motor and I can see that they will probably sell pretty well.

[g60 jack 10]

This was on top gear a while ago and nope I wouldnt have one

[robrado974 1]

No thanks !

[OllieVR6 0]

We can thank the European union for that atrocity.

 

European legislation means that car manufacturers have to be below a certain emissions regulation for their combined car fleet.

 

This means they either have to make their powerful cars more emissions friendly or they have to do what Aston have done and release a low emission car.

 

Edit - read the bit about niche markets:

 

http://www.acea.be/index.php/news/news_detail/faq_on_co2_legislation

 

Here you go:

 

WHAT ARE THE PROVISIONS FOR NICHE MANUFACTURERS?

 

 

The Directive defines companies producing between 10 000 and 300 000 units per year as niche manufacturers. These companies generally serve only small market segments, producing a smaller range of models. This is why their emission target is calculated in a different manner: Niche manufacturers will need to reduce the average emissions of their fleet by 25% compared to the level of 2007.

 

More edits for accuracy.

Edited January 23, 2013 by OllieVR6

[Jim Bowen 1]

I think it gives a bad image really. The type of person to buy it will have to be a badge snob and a bit ignorant. But mainly quite well off. Plenty of those people about in cities. And I gather you need a car with a fancy overpriced edge to it in order to be a somebody in the city.

 

Its mainly just another fashion accessory for the rich. Its not going to go down in history as a great small iconic aston. Its just a rebranded white goods ****box to me.

[pbradley98 0]

Whilst I agree that if you bought one of these you have far more money than sense, surely we all prefer that Aston has done this rather than ruining their proper range to achieve the burocrats requirements?

[emu 0]

No, I wouldn't buy it

[jonny_ash 0]

I think reading the article on C02 emissions which i hadn't heard about gives both arguements credibility. They obviously had to come up with something to lower emissions and I don't suppose they've ever particularly considered the elecric option so would be well behind in R&D on that front. Because of this they came up with a gimmic to bypass it for now and probably make a fair bit of money doing, as like jim said it is purely a fasion accessory for the rich and will no doubt be pretty popular. I really don't think you could ever like somebody who bought this car though!

[jonny_ash 0]

Seems like they're not the only company going down this route.

Check out the Mclaren city car http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/murray/t25/first-drives/murray-t25

 

Wouldn't be seen dead in that either. Back to the Aston I reckon it will be the preferred car of spoilt daddys girls everywhere soon to be seen on the streets of your local wealthy rural suberbs rather than in the citys. I wonder if they've yet sucumbed to a pink leather interior?

 

I wonder what the true Aston enthusiast thinks about it as surely one of the main reasons you would buy a proper Aston is because of its exclusivity and this addition makes the badge more affordable to the masses. Unlikely that anyone other than the wealthy would splash out on it but you never know!

[timthetinyhorse 0]

not to my taste, in a few of the pics the paint looks shocking also!! orange peel front bumpers!

[seanl82 23]

not to my taste, in a few of the pics the paint looks shocking also!! orange peel front bumpers!

 

You will find that with 99.9% of brand new cars will have orange peel and various other polishing swirls from the factory.

iirc from the Top Gear episode, although it says "hand crafted in England", they are shipped in as a top spec aygo, and Aston then just basically bolts a few things on, and doubles the price!

[bully 10]

poop

[MarkFoster 0]

I don't think Aston care if anyone buys one anyway; they probably only order them from Toyota when/if someone dopey enough to want one places an order. As other's have said, sounds like they're exploiting a loophole to get round the EU bureaucrats....

Edited January 24, 2013 by MarkFoster

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Dear god. Reminds me of rich people using one of these....

 

 

 

.....to ferry themselves over to this.