So what makes the Cygnet a real Aston?
Well, certainly nothing in the engine bay or the chassis itself. Aston has chosen not to alter the mechanical package at all. The Cygnet gets the larger 1.33-litre VVT engine (there’s no 1.0-litre option) with 97bhp at 6000rpm and 92lb ft at 4400rpm. You can have a six-speed manual at £30,995 or a CVT auto at £32,115. That makes this Aston rather, erm, slow. It tops out at 106mph and covers the 0-62mph dash in a yawning 11.8 seconds. However, zipping through London it feels just about quick enough, although it needs to be revved quite hard to deliver the goods.
The real transformation is the exterior styling and the interior detailing. There’s leather everywhere inside and Aston claim is uses the same number of hides to trim a Cygnet as it does a DB9 or Virage. The result is rather odd. It’s great that some of the iQ’s poor quality trim is covered up, but the way the exquisite Aston materials butt up against cheap plastic is very odd.
It can’t quite mask the humble roots of the Cygnet. The grab handles are a case in point. Simple, cheap plastic items wrapped in hand-stitched leather. What did Obama say about pigs and lipstick again? There are 22 different hides offered and 30 exterior colours. If you want a different colour, it’ll be an extra £5495.
Externally the Cygnet only shares a roof panel with the iQ, everything else is bespoke. So there are new door skins, wings, bonnet, light units… the list goes on. Once all the panels are refitted the surface is flatted and then painted in Aston’s own booth for the full Aston-quality finish. It certainly looks beautifully finished and it’s chunkier and more expensive-looking than the iQ. However, most will find the Aston grille looks a bit incongruous. I know we like to moan that all Astons look the same… but this could be a step too far!
Рыночный прием
Во время запуска модели многие критики предсказывали огромный провал продаж из-за разницы с традиционными продуктами дома. Продажи Cygnet в течение первого года, казалось бы, действительно подтверждают эти пессимистичные прогнозы, но Ульрих Без (генеральный директор Aston Martin и активный промоутер проекта «малолитражки») сказал, что низкий уровень продаж будет вызван нехваткой автопарка. доступность и неповоротливость, с которой заводы выпускают требуемые автомобили.
В сентябре 2013 года, также после смены администрации Андреа Бономи, было объявлено о прекращении производства модели из-за низких продаж. Также Ульрих Без заявил, что снятие с производства модели связано с тем, что в году Toyota iQ будет снято с производства, но также верно и то, что одной из первых целей нового Управление британской марки было направлено именно на то, чтобы убрать с рынка Cygnet, поскольку модель не соответствовала истории Aston Martin и доказала фактами провал продаж и имиджа.
How does it drive?
To give Gaydon its due, it did more than simply slap its famous wings on a Toyota. External updates versus the iQ include the handsome ‘S-Curve’ grille (made from extruded aluminium), DB9-style wing vents and rear lights, and bespoke alloy wheels. Bodywork was painted by Aston Martin, too, resulting in a lustrous, flawless finish.
Inside, the Cygnet feels markedly more luxurious than its Japanese cousin. The dashboard and seats are swathed in soft leather and Alcantara, and there are deep-pile carpets underfoot. Instruments are also unique to Aston, plus owners could specify high-end options such as a tailored luggage set.
Like the aforementioned MR2, though, any illusion of ‘Aston-ness’ is shattered when you start the engine. The Cygnet uses a 98hp 1.3-litre petrol four, unmodified from the iQ and mated to a six-speed manual or CVT auto gearbox. Zero to 62mph takes a pedestrian 11.6 seconds and top speed is 106mph. Interestingly, Aston Martin never offered the iQ’s smaller 1.0-litre engine, thus denying the Cygnet exemption from the London Congestion Charge.
On the road, the Cygnet feels, well… like a Toyota iQ. And, as long as you didn’t expect dazzling dynamics or a vociferous V12, that’s no bad thing. The iQ – sorry, Cygnet – has light controls, an eager engine and a turning circle that would shame a TX4 taxi. In short, it’s well suited to city driving. Just be aware of its 1,680mm width: more akin to larger superminis like the Ford Fiesta.
CVT transmissions – as fitted to David’s car – are ideal for urban runabouts, obviating the need to change gear while holding the engine at optimum revs for improved efficiency. On faster roads you’ll experience the ‘rubber band’ effect as the CVT juggles engine and axle rotations, but the Cygnet remains sure-footed and comfortable at motorway speeds.
Does it feel like an Aston or an iQ going to a bondage club?
Not like any Aston I’ve ever driven. The interior is leagues ahead of the iQ in terms of materials and finish but I’m not sure it actually feels special. Just a bit curious. Dynamically it’s not exactly bubbling with Aston DNA either. The manual ‘box is pretty awful, the ride is unsettled due to that short wheelbase and the throttle response is very soft and lazy. This is, of course, all down to the iQ donor vehicle, but the price and the badge say Aston, so it’s right to expect a higher quality driving experience.
However, this is a car aimed at those with an addiction to luxury brands and deep enough pockets not to worry about the odd zero here and there. The sort of person who might spend £3000 on a made-to-measure suit or £5000 on a handbag. Judging by the reaction around London to the Cygnet, it certainly doesn’t go unnoticed. And plenty of people much cooler than I seemed to think it was ‘beautiful’.
Verdict
This is a good car. It’s just not a very good Aston Martin. Shortcomings that can be forgiven in a Toyota iQ are harder to overlook in a mechanically-identical machine that costs several times as much. Particularly when you factor in the weight of expectation engendered by those famous wings.
The Cygnet failed because it stretched badge engineering beyond credibility – and all but Aston’s most ardent fans saw through the facade. Today, the company seems reluctant to talk about it, refusing to divulge total sales figures.
That said, we Brits love an underdog, and David’s Cygnet draws as much attention from curious onlookers as any more illustrious and expensive Aston Martin. Nothing else offers such huge brand kudos in such a small package.
Aston Martin’s ‘ugly duckling’ isn’t for me. I’d rather have a Ferrari-fied MR2. Yet for those who decide to take the plunge, I can at least grasp the appeal.
Tell me about buying one
The Cygnet cost around £30,000 when new, nigh-on three times the price of the equivalent Toyota. Today, high-mileage iQs can be yours from around £3,000, while the cheapest Cygnet on Auto Trader is £27,825. The best examples simply haven’t depreciated.
Aside from that Aston badge, rarity is what keeps Cygnet prices buoyant – thus your biggest challenge may be finding one. Just five are listed for sale at the time of writing: three manuals and two CVTs, and all but one located in the south-east of England.
Mileages tend to be low, reflecting the Cygnet’s city-car status, but look out for parking scuffs and dents to Aston-specific bodywork – they won’t be cheap to repair. Remember, originality is key if you have an eye on investment.
Will Cygnets go up in value? Don’t expect huge gains, but it seems likely in the longer term. And while you need a second mortgage to run most Aston Martins, this one boasts 54.3mpg economy and clockwork Toyota reliability.
Lastly, don’t be under any illusions about the Cygnet being a four-seater. At best, it accommodates three, with the front passenger chair slid forward towards the ingeniously scooped-out dashboard. And you’ll find vastly more luggage space in a DB9…
Модель
Cygnet делит пол, кузов, трансмиссию и часть интерьера с Toyota iQ . Общим мы можем видеть, например, центральную консоль и рулевое колесо.
Стартовая цена в Италии составляла 39 150 евро (но в некоторых версиях, за исключением опций, она могла превышать 50 000 евро), по сравнению с примерно 12 000 евро у японского оригинала, что соответствует цене автомобилей более высокой категории; увеличение более чем в три, даже в четыре раза от первоначальной цены было бы оправдано, по мнению дома, большей заботой и качеством интерьеров и материалов; это несмотря на то, что в салоне до сих пор видны некоторые детали Toyota и пластик.
В отличие от других автомобилей марки, Cygnet оснащен 1,3-литровым рядным 4-цилиндровым двигателем Toyota, способным развивать мощность 99 л. Выпуск на рынок этой модели, по сути, позволяет дому снизить средние выбросы, исходящие от парка автомобилей, произведенных Aston Martin, чтобы соответствовать новым параметрам защиты от загрязнения Европейского Союза
На 2013 год была запланирована электрическая версия, которая так и не была запущена в производство [ 3 , и любопытный прототип, оснащенный двигателем 6.0 V12 от других Aston Martin, также так и не был произведен. Однако в 2018 году Aston Martin по запросу клиента выпустила единственный экземпляр, оснащенный 4,7-литровым двигателем V8 мощностью 470 лошадиных сил, который был представлен на Фестивале скорости в Гудвуде в том же году. В отличие от серийной модели, эта модель оснащена задним приводом и может развивать максимальную скорость 274 километра в час. Цена публично не объявлена.