Aston’s V8 Cygnet
Aston hopes its unique V8 Cygnet will spur owners to commission special one-offs
Q division seeks mad one-offs
Aston Martin’s Q division, creators of the wild V8-powered Cygnet that starred at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, is inviting pitches from clients for further one-off creations to be built.
The V8 Cygnet was commissioned by an Aston collector after he heard the brand had previously toyed with the idea of combining the body of the Toyota iq-based city car with the running gear of the previous-generation Vantage S. Aston has agreed as part of the deal to never make another, ensuring the roadlegal one-off is truly exclusive.
The Gaydon-based car maker has refused to give the exact price of the project but admits the owner has spent more than would be required to buy one of its regular supercars. Q division has said anyone with a similarly ambitious dream for one of the company’s other products is invited to get in touch.
The engineering behind the V8 Cygnet was anything but simple, according to Dan Wood, one of the prototype build technicians who put the car together over a 10-month period. He said: “If we were going to do it, we had to do it properly. We had to create a car worthy of the Aston badge.”
The city car’s compact body has been combined with the front and rear subframes, 4.7-litre V8 and seven-speed automated single-clutch transmission of the Vantage S. Getting the engine to fit was the first challenge, with a new front bulkhead positioned around a foot further back than in a normal Cygnet.
The car had to become a strict two-seater as a result, with an offset driving position and an all-new carbonfibre dashboard. A full roll cage ensures structural integrity and safety. Some of the original Toyota-based switchgear has been ditched to give it a bespoke feel, with Aston’s trademark glass start key and dashboard-mounted gearshift buttons drafted in.
With no shortage of moneyno-object car enthusiasts around the world, there are likely to be more wild and unique creations from Aston’s Q division in the near future. Until then, we’ve had our first go behind the wheel of Aston’s maddest creation yet (right).
Performance feels as solid as the claimed 4.2sec 0 62mph time suggests