Share
For most of us, owning a super car is a fantasy that will never become reality. But, for those driving enthusiasts willing to embrace a technicality, the convenience of urban motoring might soon be available alongside upper-tier luxury and an extremely desirable association with Aston Martin.
Luxury? City car? Aston Martin? Really? Image: Aston Martin.
A far cry from anything a certain James Bond would be willing to slip into, and more closely resembling Daimler AG’s iconic Smart or the new Fiat 500, elite British carmaker Aston Martin has teamed up with Japanese automotive heavyweight Toyota to put a more refined spin on the city car market.
Presently only in limited production as a concept vehicle, the new version of Toyota’s iQ will, according to an Aston Martin spokesperson, be called the Aston Martin Cygnet and is likely to carry a somewhat pocket-testing price of $32,000 USD – twice the cost of a regular iQ.
Although the sexy new iQs will be constructed by Toyota, the almost complete vehicles will pass through Aston Martin’s renowned production line in Gaydon, England, before rolling into showrooms and onto forecourts.
While at the facility, the iQ models will be finished using exclusive Aston Martin trimmings – although it’s worth noting that those additions will be strictly aesthetic as opposed to mechanical or technical.
According to Toyota, it plans to sell the Cygnet in Europe in 2010 to “people who value premium quality and individuality,” but only if consumer demand is sufficient to push the little Aston Martin city car from concept to full production.
The bog-standard iQ is a rival for the Smart car and comes equipped with a city-friendly 1.0 litre engine capable of generating a modest 68 horsepower.
The Tech Herald: Crash tests reveal safety trade-off in superminis
Want regular updates from The Tech Herald? Follow us on Twitter.
Interested in a more interactive TTH? Join our Facebook Group.
Interested in a more interactive TTH? Join our Facebook Group Want regular updates from The Tech Herald? Follow us on Twitter
Advertising
Comment on this Story