2014 Aston Martin Cygnet – Today’s Quirky Tempter

By: James Robinson, Unique Cars magazine

Date: 28.01.2018

How on earth does this car exist?

Based on the Toyota IQ, the Aston Martin Cygnet is a small-sized city car that was produced by the Gaydon firm between January 2011 and September 2013.

Aston Martin decided to make the Cygnet in order to comply with European Union legislation regarding car manufacturers fleet average emissions – essentially, Aston’s petrol-powered V8s and V12s weren’t the most environmentally friendly of engines.

So, the net result is the Cygnet, a Japanese micro car sporting a tailor-made, houndstooth-chequered, three-piece suit.

Underneath the cars quirkily styled skin, the powertrain, a 1.3lt inline four-cylinder, is the exact same as the one found in the IQ.

Mated to a six-speed CVT gearbox, performance figures weren’t exactly in keeping with Aston’s traditional stable of sports and supercars, with the little four-pot producing a lacklustre 72kW (97hp).

Conversely, this discernible lack of power meant that the little Cygnet did have cracking good fuel economy, achieving a very impressive 3.99 L/100km on the combined cycle.

Rather hilariously, Aston’s then-boss, Ulrich Bez, was under the impression that the Cygnet would be a sales dynamo for the British manufacturer, stating that he thought it was possible to sell about 4000 units a year.

Perhaps rather unsurprisingly, however, the Cygnet was an utter flop, and all told only 300 of the bedazzled Toyotas were sold, before Aston canned production after just two years.

This particular Cygnet is for sale currently in the United Kingdom, and carries a price tag of £39,950 (roughly $70,559 AUD).

Anyone interested in the not-very-Aston Martin Aston Martin can view the full listing here. 

Unique Cars magazine Value Guides

Sell your car for free right here