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07/06/09--15:56: Aston Martin Cygnet to offer "no compromises" luxury interior (chan 1839459)

Filed under: Etc., Aston Martin, Toyota




Toyota iQ-based Aston Martin Cygnet concept - Click above to enlarge



We're still not sure what to think about Aston Martin's foray into microcar territory with its Cygnet concept, which is based heavily on the diminutive Toyota iQ. In reality, the supercar-spec front fascia treatment doesn't look all that bad when applied to the Japanese runabout, but there are legitimate concerns that the mere presence of the Cygnet in Aston's lineup will severely damage the brand's good reputation among petrolheads. Perhaps in an effort to appease the critics, Aston Martin chief Dr. Ulrich Bez covered his bases when talking to Auto Express:


Until now, small cars offered a message that people are buying something cheap. The Cygnet will show that small cars can also make a statement. It will be an intelligent purchase for people concerned about the environment, but who also want to enjoy all the luxury associated with a premium brand such as Aston Martin.


Chief among the upgrades Aston Martin plans to make to the basic iQ platform will be an interior swathed in the finest leathers, wood trims and carbon fiber. Sounds nice, but we still question whether the effort will seem disingenuous in light of the Cygnet's plebeian roots.

[Source: Auto Express]

Aston Martin Cygnet to offer "no compromises" luxury interior originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 06 Jul 2009 17:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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08/25/09--05:57: Student designs fuel cell-powered Aston Martin concept (chan 1839459)

Filed under: Hydrogen, Aston Martin



Aston Martin Volare concept - Click above for high-res image gallery


James Trim, a 23-year-old designer at Coventry University in the UK, has come up with a unique idea of what a future eco-friendly Aston Martin may look like. We see elements of Aston Martins past and present, along with at least a whiff of Fisker Karma, especially in the front fascia and front fender peaks.

Powering the conceptual Aston Martin Volare is a centrally-located hydrogen fuel cell that sends its electrons to an electric motor mounted at the front of the car. At the rear sits a battery pack and a pair of hydrogen storage tanks mounted directly behind the two occupants and over the rear axle. Trim believes this arrangement would provide an ideal balance of weight for a performance-minded sportscar. See for yourself in our gallery below.




Gallery: Aston Martin Volare concept




[Source: James Trim via World Car Fans]


Student designs fuel cell-powered Aston Martin concept originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 07:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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09/23/09--17:45: Aston Martin dismisses fully electric cars, calls for fuel cells instead (chan 1839459)

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hydrogen, Aston Martin, Green Daily



With electric cars and concepts from established luxury and performance car makers like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi and Porsche, it's at least a wee bit surprising that we've never heard anything about electric vehicles from Aston Martin. Perhaps we now know why. Speaking at the Frankfurt Motor Show to Auto Express in the U.K., Aston Martin chief Dr. Ulrich Bez said:


The technology for [electric cars] will not become truly usable until at least 2020. Real-world driving will highlight their weaknesses... It is not something Aston Martin is working on, and it will not represent a true alternative to the combustion engine for a long time.

So, if not electric vehicles, where should we look for lowered emissions? Hydrogen, apparently. Dr. Bez reportedly called for the automotive industry to focus its efforts on the fuel cell and suggests that governments should invest resources for their development.

That's certainly not a new sentiment - earlier this month, a consortium or eight automakers came out in support of hydrogen fuel cells - but it's important to remember that fuel cell-powered cars are really electric-powered cars that use hydrogen to store energy in lieu of batteries.

[Source: Auto Express]


Aston Martin dismisses fully electric cars, calls for fuel cells instead originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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10/08/09--06:02: Aston Martin Cygnet (nee Toyota iQ) to hit European city streets next year? (chan 1839459)

Filed under: Aston Martin, Toyota


Aston Martin Cygnet Concept - Click above to enlarge


Most of us would be willing to kill for the opportunity to have an Aston Martin as our daily commuter. (Then again, most of us here at Autoblog are writers and don't commute much of anywhere). But the British purveyor of luxury GTs figures some of its customers - those based in major European metropolitan centers like London and Paris, for example - could use something a little more compact for driving into the city. Hence the Cygnet, which as you may recall is essentially a Toyota iQ with some Aston touches.

News of the car's development broke a few months ago, but the latest reports now indicate that the Aston-badged city car could begin shipping as early as next year. Although no mechanical changes are expected to take place, the pre-assembled units are expected to be shopped to AM's plant in Gaydon, England, where the company will give the citycar its own unique interior, slap on an Aston grille and the requisite badging and raise the price up to $32,000 - about twice the price Toyota fetches for a stock iQ.

Whether Aston's customers bite remains to be seen, but for our part, we still want to see one of these face off against the Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari for the exotic supermini crown.

[Source: Automotive News - subs req'd]

Aston Martin Cygnet (nee Toyota iQ) to hit European city streets next year? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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12/16/09--07:48: Aston Martin shows off completed Cygnet, Euro sales planned for 2010 (chan 1839459)

Filed under: Aston Martin, Toyota



Aston Martin Cygnet - click above for high-res image gallery


Earlier this year, we saw photos of Aston Martin designers working on a clay-covered Toyota iQ in the studio and applying typical Aston styling queues to it. Creating a leather clad urban commuter car seems like a dubious proposition for a brand like Aston Martin. Nonetheless, the Cygnet is now complete and Aston has released a fresh batch of photos of the car.

While the Aston Martin face is well-suited to the extended nose of a DBS or Rapide, it frankly looks a bit overwrought on the front of the tiny Toyota. On the inside, virtually all of the available surfaces have been covered in red and black leather. For the time being, the Cygnet is a concept only, but Aston says it hopes to have it in production in 2010 for European customers.



Gallery: Aston Martin Cygnet




[Source: Aston Martin]

Continue reading Aston Martin shows off completed Cygnet, Euro sales planned for 2010

Aston Martin shows off completed Cygnet, Euro sales planned for 2010 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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12/29/09--14:01: REPORT: Want an Aston Martin Cygnet? You'll need to have a big boy Aston first (chan 1839459)

Filed under: MPG, Aston Martin



Aston Martin Cygnet - Click above for high-res image gallery


There are few automakers on earth as exclusive as Aston Martin, so we were more than a little surprised when the English exoticmaker announced it was going to build the Cygnet, a city car based on the prosaic Toyota iQ. After all, we chastise automakers for rebadging all the time, but Ford, Honda and General Motors products don't have anywhere near the exclusivity of Aston Martin. Then there is the Cygnet's reported $35,000 price tag. Some Aston purists were a little taken back by the "modest" $120,000 price tag of the V8 Vantage, so a $35,000 Toyota with a Rapide grille probably won't go over well with more than a few loyalists.

The New York Times has shed a little light on the subject, reporting that only owners of full-sized Astons will be eligible to purchase the Cygnet. Aston Martin CEO Ulrich Bez said in the winter issue of Aston Martin magazine that "this concept is akin to an exclusive tender for a luxury yacht." If that doesn't make sense to you non-yacht owners, think of it as a 105 mph golf cart for Aston owners.

To further help the Cygnet stay exclusive, Aston only plans to build 2,000 copies of the iQ-based city car and there are no current plans to sell the mini car in the U.S. market, so it might be fair to say this is a bit of a commuter special for Londonites. Even still, while this novel sales plan may help to mitigate potential brand degredation that Cygnet skeptics suggest it may bring about, we can't help but wonder how the thousands of non-Cygnet toting Aston owners will feel about their favored brand dipping a foot into the House of Toyota.




Gallery: Aston Martin Cygnet




[Source: The New York Times]

REPORT: Want an Aston Martin Cygnet? You'll need to have a big boy Aston first originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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01/06/10--13:02: Rumormill: Aston Martin could build hybrid Lagonda, all-electric Cygnet (chan 1839459)

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Aston Martin


Aston Martin Lagonda Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery


Are hybrid drivetrains befitting of a premium luxury and performance brand? Well, that depends on who you ask. According to such diverse automakers as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Rolls-Royce - even Ferrari and Lamborghini - the answer is 'yes.' Aston Martin CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez, though, reportedly believes otherwise. "The current hybrid technologies are not suited to the character of Aston Martin sports cars," explains Bez.

We're not so sure we agree, especially since Aston's long-planned Lagonda revival - which may or may not come wrapped in an ungainly SUV package - is rumored to be equipped with a hybrid powertrain. After all, the torque-rich nature of electric motors certainly wouldn't be a bad thing for a luxury tourer.

A few branches up on the green tree, Aston Martin's tiny Toyota iQ-based Cygnet minicar could quite possibly get a fully electric drivetrain, which would seem to make sense given that car's stated mission as an urban runabout for those times when a V12 Vanquish could be considered overkill. Which, if we're honest, is pretty much all the time, right?



[Source: Autotelegraaf.nl via Motor Authority]

Rumormill: Aston Martin could build hybrid Lagonda, all-electric Cygnet originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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02/19/10--08:40: Spy Shots: Aston Martin Cygnet tours the streets of London (chan 1839459)

Filed under: MPG, Aston Martin, Lightweight, Europe/EU, UK, Spy Shots

Plenty has been written about the Aston Martin Cygnet, and much of it has been less than enthusiastic. After all, how does one connect the dots between a tiny, efficient and low-performance city car and the British sporting brand's super high-performance models? Apparently, that would be with Aston's signature front fascia along with an interior swathed in the requisite leather and unobtanium surfaces. Oh, and a suitably high price tag, no doubt.

Whether or not the Cygnet is a good idea, it certainly seems as if Aston Martin is pushing forward with the launch of the 3+1, which is based on the diminutive Toyota iQ. Proof of such can be seen in this series of spy photos, which show the Cygnet out and about in London's fashion-forward Soho district. The mini-mobile will be offered first to current Aston Martin owners, then it may see a limited release in select European dealerships later this year, assuming sufficient demand is found. Thanks for the tip, Victor!

[Source: Secret New Cars]

Spy Shots: Aston Martin Cygnet tours the streets of London originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 19 Feb 2010 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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03/08/10--13:58: Aston Martin: Cygnet helps us offer a "more sustainable product line-up" (chan 1839459)

Filed under: MPG, Aston Martin, Lightweight



Aston Martin Cygnet - Click above for high-res image gallery


Aston Martin builds some of the fastest, most desirable and undoubtedly most beautiful cars in the world by following a very simple formula. Front engine, rear-drive coupes (and sometimes sedans) powered by the biggest, most powerful engines available. As you would expect, fuel efficiency has historically been of very little concern.

Nowadays, though, that formula for success has a major flaw in that a line-up full of gas-guzzling machines doesn't make the populace (well, at least large portions of it) or the government particularly happy. Hence, Aston Martin has decided to offer another kind of vehicle entirely, one that hopefully will allow it continue merrily selling its favored line of supercars. Explains Aston Martin CEO Ulrich Bez:


First, we need a more sustainable product line-up... Second, we need to satisfy demand where we know it exists... Thirdly, we need to bring the company's fleet carbon emissions down. The Cygnet is perfect for that. This is just a small, stylish and efficient runabout: it doesn't need batteries or flywheels to be that way. So it's not pretending to be something it's not.

Is that a good strategy? Well, the matter certainly up for debate. Feel free to do just that in our comments.




Gallery: Aston Martin Cygnet




[Source: Autocar]

Aston Martin: Cygnet helps us offer a "more sustainable product line-up" originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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03/17/10--06:05: Aston Martin shows off the racier side of the Cygnet (chan 1839459)

Filed under: Etc., Aston Martin, Racing



Aston Martin Cygnet in Gulf Livery - Click above to enlarge


Aston Martin is an automaker with a history that's indelibly linked with racing... not to mention beautiful designs, attractive colors and, um, James Bond. But the British automaker has more recently signaled its intent to be known for offering a lavishly equipped fuel efficient city car that focuses solely on transportation duties and not 0-60 times or top speeds.

Mostly. A quick run through the automaker's website shows that it's not willing to let the Cygnet degrade its performance and racing image entirely. To wit, the little urban commuter is pictured in a number of scenarios that don't exactly scream "efficient transportation." For instance, there's an orange-helmeted Stig lookalike posing with the Aston in one scene.

Note, too, that the Cygnet can be customized with three different racing paint schemes, two of which focus on the classic British Racing Green of Aston Martin's current racers and a third that shows the Cygnet painted up in iconic Gulf livery. Feel free to check it out for yourself at AstonMartin.com.

[Source: Aston Martin]

Aston Martin shows off the racier side of the Cygnet originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 08:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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05/24/10--07:33: Report: Aston Martin won't switch Le Mans Prototype to diesel (chan 1839459)

Filed under: Diesel, Aston Martin, Racing



Aston Martin LMP1 - Click above for high-res image gallery


When it comes to alternative fuel and drive systems in motorsports, Le Mans-style sports car racing has been at the forefront for several years. Peugeot and Audi have led the way with diesels, Dyson Racing in the ALMS is running on biobutanol and Corvettes and Porsches are running on cellulosic E85. One team that won't be going down that path just yet is Aston Martin. AM Racing boss David Richards told Autocar that his team won't follow Audi and Peugeot down the diesel path since updated rules for 2011 are expected to level the playing field for gas, diesel and hybrid power systems.

Instead, Richards would like to see rules that would allow Aston Martin to build a lighter gasoline-powered car with similar performance and better efficiency. In any case, even if Aston chooses to stick with its spark ignition V12 engine, we'd still like to see the team pursue other fuels like butanol or ethanol.



[Source: Autocar]

Report: Aston Martin won't switch Le Mans Prototype to diesel originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 24 May 2010 09:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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06/14/10--07:29: Aston Martin Cygnet city car could hold key to company's future (chan 1839459)

Filed under: MPG, Aston Martin, Green Daily, Lightweight



Aston Martin Cygnet - Click above for high-res image gallery


The funky little Aston Martin Cygnet, a rebadged, fancied-up version of Toyota's iQ city car, could quickly become Aston's most memorable vehicle of all time. Certainly, it won't gain that title for its design, nor will it be remembered for its blazing speed. Nope, the Cygnet will be remembered as the vehicle that allows Aston to continue producing those wonderful V12 cars that are jaw-dropping gorgeous and amazingly executed to near perfection.

Here's why we may never forget the Cygnet: The EU has finalized its guidelines for future CO2 emissions, which come into play beginning in 2012 and get progressively more stringent through 2015. Most automakers will be required to meet an average emissions target of 130 grams per kilometer. Aston Martin, due to its low sales volume, will be able to negotiate its own target with the EU. It's anticipated that the EU may agree to a reduction of 20 percent below Aston's current CO2 numbers. That's where the Cygnet, with its rating of 115 g/km, steps in. With anticipated sales of the Cygnet pegged around 1,500 units per year and the total sales of all other Aston Martin models coming in around the same number, the Cygnet could feasibly cut the company's overall CO2 emissions in half. Of course, this means that Aston would easily reach the new emissions target and could leave its other amazing products like the DB9, Vantage, Rapide and DBS untouched.




Gallery: Aston Martin Cygnet




[Source: Autocar]

Aston Martin Cygnet city car could hold key to company's future originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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09/07/10--07:58: Report: Aston Martin Cygnet coming to America in 2012, electric version in 2013 (chan 1839459)

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, MPG, Aston Martin, Toyota



Aston Martin Cygnet - Click above for high-res image gallery


According to Automotive News, the smallest Aston Martin ever made will be coming to the U.S. market in 2012. Initially, Aston Martin had only planned to offer the Toyota iQ-based Cygnet in Europe as an option for customers that need to drive into city centers with congestion charges. Since Toyota will begin selling the iQ in North America in 2011 (badged as a Scion), it should now be straightforward for Aston Martin to certify the Cygnet as well.

Having the Cygnet in its lineup will also help Aston Martin balance its corporate average fuel economy numbers although, as a low volume manufacturer, it is exempt from meeting the new CO2 limits until 2016. A year after the Cygnet debuts with a 1.3-liter inline-four, a zero-emission, battery-electric version is also expected to arrive. The battery-powered Cygnet should provide Aston with enough ZEV credits to offset a chunk of the emissions from its luxury sports cars and sedans.




Gallery: Aston Martin Cygnet




[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

Report: Aston Martin Cygnet coming to America in 2012, electric version in 2013 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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10/12/10--06:03: Aston Martin Cygnet city car scheduled for production next year (chan 1839459)

Filed under: MPG, Aston Martin, Lightweight



Aston Martin Cygnet - Click above for high-res image gallery


Aston Martin assembles some of the finest automobiles in the land. Svelte rides like the DBS, Rapide and Vantage are classy, powerful and an absolute thrill to drive. While Aston undoubtedly produces some of the world's dreamiest GTs, fuel efficiency is not exactly the company's forte. Tightening emissions regulations are squeezing all automakers, though, and even companies like Aston Martin can't escape the pressure. Luckily for Aston, it already has an answer: the Cygnet city car.

The Cygnet has finally been given the official nod from Aston and the vehicle will be hand-assembled at the company's Gaydon factory in England beginning next year. Pricing and specifications will be announced later the year, but some early reports suggest that £30,000 ($47,688 U.S. at the current exchange rate) could be the going rate for Aston's Toyota iQ-based urban machine. Yeah, it's likely to be one of the most expensive city cars ever produced, but did you really think that an Aston would ever come cheap? Hit the jump for the official announcement from Aston Martin.




Gallery: Aston Martin Cygnet




[Source: Aston Martin]

Continue reading Aston Martin Cygnet city car scheduled for production next year

Aston Martin Cygnet city car scheduled for production next year originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 12 Oct 2010 08:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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11/09/10--15:01: Aston Martin CEO: Cygnet city car is "advanced, iconic, iconoclastic" (chan 1839459)

Filed under: MPG, Aston Martin, Lightweight



Aston Martin Cygnet - Click above for high-res image gallery


Aston Martin assembles some drop-dead gorgeous cars, many of which are either already automotive icons or soon will be. Svelte rides like the DBS, Rapide and Vantage are beyond classy and an absolute thrill to drive. Producing dreamy GTs is Aston's forte. Manufacturing advanced city cars that ooze with style? Not so much. Aston's ventures into the market of urban machines will start with the Toyota iQ-based Cygnet, a vehicle slated to enter full-scale production next year.

To be honest, we don't expect buyers to drool over the Cygnet as they often do over other Aston offerings, but the company's chief executive officer, Ulrich Bez, thinks otherwise. Speaking with Automobilwoche, Bez said that the Cygnet has the style and features to make it "advanced, iconic and iconoclastic." Bez talked up the company's first urban runabout, adding:

Aston Martin is honest and we don't make compromises. Whatever we do, we do it right. If we do performance, we do performance; we won't downsize our sports cars. The Cygnet needs to satisfy the demands of emissions and space. It is a car without compromise, just like every other Aston Martin.

In fact, Bez believes that the Cygnet has the potential to reach the iconic level of one of the dreamiest autos of all time: the DB5, a vehicle driven to fame by none other than Mr. "Bond, James Bond."




Gallery: Aston Martin Cygnet




[Source: Autocar]

Aston Martin CEO: Cygnet city car is "advanced, iconic, iconoclastic" originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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11/17/10--15:02: Aston Martin displays production-ready Cygnet at Harrods in London (chan 1839459)

Filed under: MPG, Aston Martin, UK



Aston Martin Cygnet at Harrods - Click above for high-res image gallery


Aston Martin is dead serious about marketing the new Cygnet to luxury buyers in crowded metropoli (yes, we made that up...) like London. And to that end, the upscale British automaker is unveiling its new city car at no less prestigious a location than Harrods.

More than an ordinary department store, Harrods is a veritable London institution, with 360 departments spread out over seven floors of upscale shopping. The Cygnet is being shown in a ground-level window display there until December 11.

This marks the first time the production-ready Cygnet is being seen in public, with production set to begin in the new year. Full details in the press release after the jump, with high-resolution images in the gallery below.



[Source: Aston Martin]

Continue reading Aston Martin displays production-ready Cygnet at Harrods in London

Aston Martin displays production-ready Cygnet at Harrods in London originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 17 Nov 2010 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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01/26/11--11:00: Aston Martin announces Cygnet base price of £30,995 ($49,595 U.S.) (chan 1839459)

Filed under: MPG, Aston Martin, Lightweight




Aston Martin Cygnet Launch Editions - Click above for high-res image gallery


Aston Martin's ventures into the urban machine market will start with the Toyota iQ-based Cygnet, a city car slated to enter full-scale production later this year. While the Toyota iQ starts at a bargain price £9,995 ($15,993 U.S. at the current exchange rate) in the UK, the Cygnet wears an Aston badge and is slapped with an Aston-like price tag of £30,995 ($49,595).

Admittedly, the Aston Martin Cygnet does features upgraded interior touches like leather seating surfaces and exterior brightwork that's not available on the base Toyota iQ, but the upcharge for these add-ons seems rather excessive.

Aston Martin will commemorate the city car's debut by offering two special-edition versions of the Cygnet; the Launch Edition White and the Launch Edition Black. Check out the high-res images to see the Cygnet slathered in Snow White paint and dipped in Magic Black.



[Source: Aston Martin]

Continue reading Aston Martin announces Cygnet base price of £30,995 ($49,595 U.S.)

Aston Martin announces Cygnet base price of £30,995 ($49,595 U.S.) originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 26 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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05/17/11--09:01: Aston Martin working on Cygnet EV (chan 1839459)

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Aston Martin



Here's a bit of news that's sure to acquaint faces with their respective palms all across the motoring world: word on the web is that Aston Martin is planning to produce an all-electric version of the company's new compact, the Cygnet. This, friends, is why people drink in the morning. The vehicle is all but guaranteed to be a reworked version of the Toyota iQ EV, as you probably figured out all on your own.

Why would Aston Martin, a company that's built its legacy on the aching chords sung by mighty V8 and V12 engines, possibly forsake the altar of internal combustion for a battery pack? The same reason every other manufacturer on the planet is dabbling in electrons - to reduce its corporate average fuel economy and slim down emissions at the same time. Does this mean we can expect some other electrified coupes from Aston Martin wearing more appropriately British bodywork? Don't hold your breath.

We can't wait to see what Clarkson has to say about this one.

[Source: Car Magazine]

Aston Martin working on Cygnet EV originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 17 May 2011 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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06/24/11--09:10: Colette edition makes Aston Martin Cygnet even more exclusive (chan 1839459)

Filed under: MPG, Aston Martin, Toyota




Aston Martin Cygnet & Colette - Click above for high-res image gallery


Bringing in fashion designers to outfit premium hatchbacks seems to be all the rage these days, whether it's a one-off like the latest Life Ball Mini, a Fiat 500 decked out by Diesel or any of the dozens of examples in between. Now, we've got one more to throw into the mix.

Teaming up with French fashion house Colette, the Aston Martin Works Tailored department has outfitted a limited run of 14 Cygnets with such special touches as a silver paint job with highlights, hand-crafted stainless steel badges and a chocolate brown interior with blue leather throw pillows (though what we'd need those for in the back of a city car is, of course, beyond us).

Just in case the limited availability weren't enough to keep this special edition exclusive, the €48,995 ($70,000 based on current exchange rates) price tag ought to do the trick. So if the Cygnet itself is already a gussied-up Toyota iQ, does this amount to gilding a lily or slapping lipstick on a pig? We'll let you decide from the full details in the press release after the jump and the images in the high-resolution gallery.



[Source: Aston Martin]

Continue reading Colette edition makes Aston Martin Cygnet even more exclusive

Colette edition makes Aston Martin Cygnet even more exclusive originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 24 Jun 2011 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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08/12/11--05:58: E85 fuels Muscle Milk Aston Martin win at Michelin Green X Challenge (chan 1839459)

Filed under: Ethanol, Aston Martin, Racing



Over the past weekend, the Muscle Milk Aston Martin captured its fourth consecutive victory in the prototype category in Michelin Green's X Challenge at Mid-Ohio, almost guaranteeing the vehicle's entry in the 2012 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Prototypes competing in the Michelin Green X Challenge are awarded points in Clean, Fast and Efficient categories at each American Le Mans Series (ALMS) event. Muscle Milk's key to victory in the two-hour, 45-minute race at Mid-Ohio was its lowest-in-class Clean score, attributable in part to its use of E85.

Finishing second on the initially dry, then extremely wet track, was the number four, GT-class Corvette Racing team. The Vette's lowest-in-the-GT-class Clean score was the result of both its energy efficiency and, again, burning some cellulosic E85.

Manufacturers use the ALMS and the Michelin Green X Challenge to accelerate the development of advanced technologies and to test clean energy sources in competition. Torrential rain, which some attendees described as biblical, played a major role in the Mid-Ohio race, but much like consumer vehicles, ALMS racers must perform in a wide range of conditions.

Continue reading E85 fuels Muscle Milk Aston Martin win at Michelin Green X Challenge

E85 fuels Muscle Milk Aston Martin win at Michelin Green X Challenge originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 12 Aug 2011 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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