Aston Martin Cygnet – brilliant idea or a bad joke?

Aston Martin Cygnet – brilliant idea or a bad joke?

Absolutely no one in Geneva cared about the “real” Aston sports cars at the Palexpo, because all attention was on the “not so real” Aston Martin based on a Toyota. Of course we’re talking about the debuting Cygnet, which is based on Toyota’s diminutive four-seat iQ city car.

To differentiate the Cygnet from its donor car, styling cues typical of Gaydon’s sports machines have been added liberally; examples include Aston’s trademark front grille, air intakes on the bonnet, side “gills” and boomerang shaped taillamps. Inside, the Cygnet is trimmed in a way that Toyota engineers would never have dreamed of when creating the iQ – fine, soft leather covering almost every surface, plush high-backed seats with Aston logos and a trendy bag to go along with it.

Aston’s official images portray the Cygnet as a trendy accessory for its current owners, a small runabout when you don’t feel like taking out that big V12 to the congested city or the nearby shops, or even as a gift for the new girlfriend/mistress, perhaps. So, brilliant idea or a bad joke? For me, the former. I’ll order a few or these (one for keeps, the rest for the ladies) along with a V12 Vantage should the lottery picks me!

Live images from Geneva and official gallery after the jump!

Aston Martin Cygnet live images from Geneva
[zenphotopress number=999 album=921]
Aston Martin Cygnet official images
[zenphotopress number=999 album=922]

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Danny Tan

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

 

Comments

  • dukenborg on Mar 06, 2010 at 1:30 pm

    Brilliant looking little car! Why doesnt Toyota bring in the IQ?

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  • ambush on Mar 06, 2010 at 2:40 pm

    a cute joke lol…instead of just wrapping the dash with leather at least change the dashboard architecture so that it is more believable that you're driving an Aston..the dash components just shouts toyota .

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  • AnakSarawak on Mar 06, 2010 at 2:56 pm

    Hmm….looks like the first to comment….Seems that everybody is on to making "small" wonders these days…

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  • Andrew on Mar 06, 2010 at 2:59 pm

    Neither a brilliant idea nor a bad joke – just plain old stupid.

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  • Cpt Shopalot on Mar 06, 2010 at 3:00 pm

    who else is not joining the cutie/city car bandwagon?

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  • shawal on Mar 06, 2010 at 3:08 pm

    If Daniel craig can drive this around with a straight face….then its not a bad joke…..

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  • luke cage on Mar 06, 2010 at 3:34 pm

    First!!!….aston martin just lost their "machoness" by producing this design concept…hehe

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  • BenX5 on Mar 06, 2010 at 3:39 pm

    wow.. 1st? haha..

    actually not a bad idea.. think it as a MyVi luxury.. hehe.. not everyone loves to drive a big sportscar anyway.. well u can drive this as a stylish city car.. in the city.. easy to park and nice to drive ?

    Not bad idea !!

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  • jaybon on Mar 06, 2010 at 3:47 pm

    the rear view is better than proton EMAS

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  • thebugbud on Mar 06, 2010 at 4:04 pm

    i'm first and for sure if i can get one of this.

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  • DKsuen on Mar 06, 2010 at 4:26 pm

    1st 1st 1st =]

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  • Err…

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  • rugaxp on Mar 06, 2010 at 4:41 pm

    and yes, is good news for Aston's fans. you can be a full fledge owner too now. and when they decided for suv, its even better. you can have full line up in your house saying I'm a all round Aston owner.

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  • proton _noprodua on Mar 06, 2010 at 4:44 pm

    it is a cute car but damn it looks the same as toyota IQ.aston's designers should work harder on their design because aston's car should have their own identity

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  • Jumbsuck on Mar 06, 2010 at 4:53 pm

    Actually Proton EMAss also a bad joke…if not the baddest joke so far.

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  • Jeremy Goh on Mar 06, 2010 at 4:54 pm

    first! Perfect car for the ladies

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  • smile.inc. design wo on Mar 06, 2010 at 4:59 pm

    wow. this is one awful looking car. excluding the interior tho.

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  • The Who.. on Mar 06, 2010 at 5:00 pm

    a joke for normal people.. a brilliant idea for the riches..

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  • Ashton on Mar 06, 2010 at 5:04 pm

    1st….Re-branding

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  • aston and toyota…interior very nice…

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  • p4k4bu on Mar 06, 2010 at 5:07 pm

    LOL :D :D :D

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  • Georgie on Mar 06, 2010 at 5:13 pm

    I'm sorry but i just believe that this is a poor excuse for a compact car. Nothing screams beautiful about this car, nor the "big face" front bumper or its highly glossy center console. What's the price tag for one of these anyway paul? Or is it still a concept car?

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  • YangYang85 on Mar 06, 2010 at 5:40 pm

    This is SO CUTEEEEE

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  • Peter on Mar 06, 2010 at 6:03 pm

    This is exactly similar as Toyota IQ….Makes not much difference rather than some quality stuff added for cosmetic changes…..Well, not my type…..I rather DIY myself……..(much cheaper too)……

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  • Black Dog on Mar 06, 2010 at 6:07 pm

    Yes, a brilliant idea from the initial Smart to many contenders now for the smartest including our own Proton Emas!

    But I'll still say it's bad business for a premium brand like Aston Martin to source their car from Toyota. Who eventually gets all the credits? Just like Samsung producing LCD panels for other companies, now they are the biggest in the world. And our Lotus have to source engines from Toyota???

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  • Omg… look at those buttons, so fking cheap. Quite niche market for this one, that badge wont be cheap right?

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  • kelah (Member) on Mar 06, 2010 at 6:09 pm

    IQ is cuter…

    is james bond going to drive this???

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  • Crasher on Mar 06, 2010 at 6:11 pm

    That's the worst Aston Martin I've seen

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  • Head Hunter on Mar 06, 2010 at 6:26 pm

    Where's the emotion starter slot? is it made just like the ones in the vantage? out of sapphire or quartz? hehe..

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  • KitKat on Mar 06, 2010 at 6:28 pm

    I'm sure Myvi owners will convert their car into this.

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  • Hmm….

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  • MADBOY on Mar 06, 2010 at 6:38 pm

    Wonder, will this car make it into the next bond movie?

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  • The Reader on Mar 06, 2010 at 6:41 pm

    The badge brings up its value a lot !!!

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  • I wish to see 007 in this car…..when he goes to market

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  • audio on Mar 06, 2010 at 6:50 pm

    Wow.. Aston's small compact car. Nice!

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  • Mazda 3 MPS on Mar 06, 2010 at 7:14 pm

    a really really really bad joke

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  • Tommy on Mar 06, 2010 at 7:14 pm

    Its not a bad joke… in a way, aston martin can widen its market, by introducing this car… they can make more money…

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  • DoubleTap on Mar 06, 2010 at 7:49 pm

    if the price is right ! i gonna get one for my wife !seriously i think its pretty suits for women.just my opinion.

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  • Brera on Mar 06, 2010 at 7:51 pm

    I don't think it's a bad joke if the price is right…. Maybe Aston has to test the water first and if successful, other supercar marques surely will follow

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  • Brera on Mar 06, 2010 at 8:01 pm

    It will successful if the price is right… afterall it is another smart car with a more glamour name and luxury.

    Other supercar marques will follow after Aston tested the water and taste the success

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  • Thomas on Mar 06, 2010 at 8:22 pm

    The air-cond dials looked cheap though….

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  • iskett on Mar 06, 2010 at 8:42 pm

    James Bond sure will use this car one..

    Next stop, the small city streets of europe, ala Italian job.

    But cannot take in supermodel Bond Girl, the car too short to fit them..

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  • Hdriver on Mar 06, 2010 at 8:43 pm

    Times are still bad perhaps..

    What engine is going to be fitted in that tiny car? Probably a "V2" engine?

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  • amouse on Mar 06, 2010 at 8:59 pm

    unique, cute and ugly.. just like a bulldog but somehow is adorable but ugly.

    more towards girly car. purple looks good..

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  • lambov12 on Mar 06, 2010 at 9:17 pm

    whose idiotic idea to design such car ?

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  • Squawk on Mar 06, 2010 at 10:48 pm

    Looks like James Bond's DB got sandwiched between 2 bad-guy trucks. It's beyond fugly.

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  • raybrig on Mar 06, 2010 at 10:52 pm

    mau ke si bond tu nak drive keta ni?

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  • Tezza on Mar 06, 2010 at 11:40 pm

    What if lamborghini produce a car like this?? Hahah…

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  • proton _noprodua on Mar 07, 2010 at 12:27 am

    i think james bond will said "lol,i should drive this car to escape those bloody shooters in the DB9".then he dies for sure.hehehe..

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  • noname on Mar 07, 2010 at 3:40 am

    Seems similar to Proton eMAS. But eMAS butt look better. This rear light not suit to its design….although they wanna it look like macho with big rear lamp…but it became weird and spoilt. Front like hyundai i10….only interior rebranding….ASTON…sighhh….

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  • bmpower on Mar 07, 2010 at 4:11 am

    Good luck buyers.. hope they not bring the same accelerator paddle. :D

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  • think on Mar 07, 2010 at 4:54 am

    for me,,personally i feel that the ori toyota iq should be considered..the reason..even, the aston martin is impressed on toyota iQ,untill they adobt the car for their own model..even though as you said above that the interior is trimmed in a way that Toyota engineers would never have dreamed of when creating the iQ..at another side we should remember that, aston martin will never imagined that,toyota could had came out with this type of cute,smart and little car ,where they themself had taken up the model…anyway its just my opinion..

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  • Mazda 3 MPS on Mar 07, 2010 at 6:00 am

    30k…….i can get a 2nd hand Jaguar XKr in london for that.

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  • Gajen on Mar 07, 2010 at 6:18 am

    ridiculous

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  • MoFaz on Mar 07, 2010 at 6:34 am

    Mazda 3 MPS said,

    March 6, 2010 @ 10:00 pm

    30k…….i can get a 2nd hand Jaguar XKr in london for that.

    ————————

    quit comparing with outside market already, will you? there's too many factors to consider, and it's not always brighter on the other side. But, if you want to, nobody stopping you migrating there.

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  • perkasa on Mar 07, 2010 at 8:21 am

    waaaahhhh…so nice..cantik menarik tertarik..

    booking the purple and celoreng one…:)

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  • bryan.jones on Mar 07, 2010 at 9:59 am

    this car could be nice for lady bond…

    built a mini compact is okay.. but on toyota?? that's the biggest joke!

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  • vbkcheng on Mar 07, 2010 at 10:21 am

    RM30K can go mar, Jaguar drink more petrol, this one good for Children and Maid to bawa ke School and Pasar..

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  • Elvis on Mar 07, 2010 at 6:19 pm

    With only 2 seats, the perfect car for those ahkung guys. No more, girlfriend friends or familiy members riding along. And no more stops at supermarket or shopping centres with super small luggage space. Only stop over at her place, hotel and 7/11…

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  • khali-FaH !! on Mar 07, 2010 at 6:38 pm

    Brilliant Design

    Very well…

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  • Crazy Critters on Mar 07, 2010 at 9:37 pm

    It would be interesting to see other super car manufacturers make little wonders like these….BUT….you must make it perform like a dog in heat.

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  • peYno F**K on Mar 07, 2010 at 9:47 pm

    if im not mistaken, this car will be produce exclusively to the aston martin owners of db9,v8 vantage and any other aston series…

    imo, this car is not my cup of tea..when i look at this car, it reminds me of smart ….only laugh is the best i can do for this car…

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  • Why japs…why not european

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  • NiceCar (Member) on Mar 08, 2010 at 4:29 pm

    this car for the james bond'd lady..

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  • gellardo on Mar 08, 2010 at 4:51 pm

    aston martin?

    what a shame if i dont buy this if available, i'm a die hard fan of 007

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  • It really bad joke for Aston Martin. But if i will afford, but still not enough to buy a VantageV12 or DB9. I will still go to buy this expensive badge, instead of owning Toyota IQ, Merch Smart or Produa Myvi… :)

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  • Darius on Mar 08, 2010 at 7:28 pm

    Some brands should just keep doing what they are famous for. Stick some Aston bits on some Toyota and then perasan? LOL

    Even if such a trend picks up with Ferrari and othes, its a joke. They should just stick to making high end cars. Toyota and Smart can make shopping trolly and refridgerator shite like this.

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  • Marcio on Mar 09, 2010 at 2:08 am

    Nice looks but could be even more beautiful. Just diminish the size of the A.M.'s front grille a bit and it'll be on it's way to success…

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  • yewyan on Apr 14, 2010 at 10:39 pm

    so cute car…..but what about the engine and performance?? and can it make it convertible?? hahaz

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  • let’s don’t bother about what engine did Aston Martin Cygnet had…let’s don’t take about the Top speed & pick up, but it’s a nice car to look at & I’m sure it is a good city car to drive when u need to park this car… and yet u get a name of Aston Martin…

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