Autoblog

Rumormill: Aston Martin could build hybrid Lagonda, all-electric Cygnet

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 10:31:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Hybrid, Performance, SUV, Aston Martin, Rumormill, Electric, Luxury

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 and 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. Beautiful, sonorous, splendid overkill...

Gallery: Aston Martin Lagonda Concept

[Source: Autotelegraaf.nl via Motor Authority]

Rumormill: Aston Martin could build hybrid Lagonda, all-electric Cygnet originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pics Aplenty: Aston Martin revisits much derided Lagonda Concept

Noah Joseph — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:57:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Geneva Motor Show, Crossover, Aston Martin, Luxury

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

Aston Martin is used to success. Its road cars are some of the most coveted in all of auto-dom, and its race cars have mastered Le Mans like Yo-Yo Ma has the cello. This year's planned rebirth of Lagonda, however, didn't go as well.

The oddball crossover concept that debuted at Geneva earlier this year was received with such ire that the company yanked it after the first day, before the public could ever see it... save through our camera lenses. So you can imagine the surprise when the Lagonda Concept popped up again on the Aston Martin media website, complete with a new batch of photos.

We've placed said photos of the Mercedes GL-based concept in the gallery below - complete with some very strange interior trim - for your browsing "pleasure," if you can call it that. But we can't help but wonder what Gaydon's up to.

Gallery: Aston Martin Lagonda Concept

Gallery: Geneva 2009: Aston Martin Lagonda Concept

[Source: Aston Martin via eGMCarTech]

Pics Aplenty: Aston Martin revisits much derided Lagonda Concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Aston Martin puts the Lagonda on hold

Noah Joseph — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 18:25:00 EST

Filed under: Geneva Motor Show, Aston Martin, Luxury

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

Aston Martin has grown accustomed to success. Since the DB7, its sports cars have only gotten better, while on the track the British automaker continues to rack up trophies. The Lagonda SUV concept which the company unveiled this past March in Geneva, however, was another story. The awkwardly-shaped crossover got a cold reception at its unveiling, and Aston pulled it off the show stand before the public even got there. Now reports indicate that the entire project has been put on hold.

Chief executive Ulrich Bez reportedly proclaims that the decision to axe the Lagonda venture was purely financial. And in this economic climate, that's a reasonable claim. But other sources suggest that the automotive media's reaction to the concept dictated its demise. Will Aston give it another shot? Aston Martin Lagonda chairman David Richards reportedly wants to get a new concept on the stands before the end of the year. We wouldn't be surprised if he gets his way.

Gallery: Geneva 2009: Aston Martin Lagonda Concept

[Source: Inside Line]

REPORT: Aston Martin puts the Lagonda on hold originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 Jul 2009 18:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Production Lagonda may not be a crossover after all?

Noah Joseph — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, Geneva Motor Show, Crossover, Aston Martin, Rumormill

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

When Aston Martin took the veil off its Lagonda concept last month in Geneva, some were surprised to find a crossover-utility vehicle sitting in front of them. So you might be forgiven for assuming that when the reborn Lagonda eventually comes to market, it would take the same form. Especially since reports have already surfaced on the platform it will use. But according to new reports, the serial Lagonda will be anything but.

With the production model not expected to hit the market until 2012, Aston's got enough time on its hands to start over, which may not be such a bad idea considering the decidedly chilly reception the crossover concept was treated to at its Geneva Motor Show debut. A second concept Lagonda is tipped to be in the works, likely in sedan form, so stay tuned.

Gallery: Geneva 2009: Aston Martin Lagonda Concept

[Source: Autotelegraaf via Motor Authority]

Production Lagonda may not be a crossover after all? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Once More, With Feeling: Second Lagonda concept coming in May

Noah Joseph — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 12:32:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Aston Martin

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

If you were looking forward to Aston Martin's revival of the long-dormant Lagonda marque and were disappointed by the controversially-styled crossover concept unveiled earlier this month at the Geneva Motor Show, take heart: a second Lagonda concept is on the way. The news reportedly comes directly from the mouth of David Richards, chairman of Aston Martin-Lagonda's board, who admitted that the crossover concept was just one attempt, but that the company would be coming back with another in May. If you're wondering what major auto show is taking place in May, you can stop scratching your head: New York is in early April with Shanghai and Moscow to follow later the same month. That's it until the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. So unless Richards got his dates mixed up, the second Lagonda concept will be unveiled at its own dedicated event.

The bigger question is what form the next Lagonda concept will take. Reception towards the sport-ute concept at the Geneva show was rather puzzled, so our money is on some sort of sedan or wagon. AML won't want it to encroach on the upcoming Rapide, so don't expect some sort of four-door coupe, but with segments being busted all across the industry, anything is possible. We'll just have to wait a couple of months to find out.

Gallery: Geneva 2009: Aston Martin Lagonda Concept

[Source: Le Blog Auto]

Once More, With Feeling: Second Lagonda concept coming in May originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Mar 2009 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva 2009: Aston Martin revives Lagonda to questionable effect

Damon Lavrinc — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 04:49:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Geneva Motor Show, Crossover, Aston Martin

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Lagonda Concept

Comebacks are a tough racket, so when Aston Martin announced plans to revive the Lagonda nameplate, we tempered our high hopes with a fair amount of skepticism. Perhaps that's a good thing. These first images of the Lagonda caused a collective sigh from the Autoblog crew here in Geneva, perhaps largely because it takes the form of a crossover - something we weren't really expecting (and something we don't typically associate with either Lagonda or Aston).

The Lagonda's return marks the 100th anniversary of the brand, best known for stately sedans and luxurious grand-tourers. Aston wanted an outlet to expand beyond sports cars and GTs (pay no attention to the Rapide in the corner), and the Lagonda's designers took that mandate and ran with it - some might say into a bluff-faced wall.

At its core, the Lagonda Concept is an avant-garde approach to the crossover we've come to know in seemingly thousands of variations. The front grille and swage lines are an obvious nod to modern Astons, but its near vertical nose, stretched headlamps and bulbous backside attempts to convey a mix of luxury and masculinity. The rear end strikes us as very Bentley, but considering the Lagonda's intended audience, that might not be a bad thing. All four 22-inch wheels are powered by a V12 powerplant of undisclosed displacement and output, and Aston envisions the Lagonda as a long-distance cruiser that offers its occupants a lavish, functional and tech-rich environment.

Aston Martin CEO Dr. Ulirch Bez wants to see the Lagona sold in more than 100 countries (versus the 32 A-M is currently offered in), with a focus on emerging markets in the Middle East, South America, China, India and Russia. While we have no problem envisioning the Lagonda rolling down the streets of Moscow, we're not sure that its reception will be as warm in Europe and North America. But then again, there's not much playing in this space, and that's the nature of comebacks.

UPDATE: We've just come back from Aston's show stand, and in person, the Lagonda Concept actually has a number of things going for it. There's no denying it is a massive, jarring vehicle - particularly in the context of the achingly beautiful Aston Martins that surround it, and it wasn't helpful that the tight display space served to over-emphasize its size, but the concept still has merit and looks decidedly production-friendly.

The commanding front end with its gaping grille isn't a thing of beauty, but it has presence and some nice detailing around the light fixtures, and it helps send an appropriate "Move Left, Captain of Industry Coming Through" message as seen through British rearview mirrors. The rear end is more interesting, with a formal roofline and mailslot rear window which the company asserts maintains a stylistic link to past Lagondas. In that spirit, the bustle-back rump looks like it could almost sprout a dickey seat or house a steamer trunk.

The interior is the most impressive thing about this vehicle, with luxurious perches for two occupants in the rear done up in white leather - a contrasting color to the driver's quarters, which is done in dark brown leather, a move to visually reinforce the separation of master from servant, as it were. The door panels are also particularly nice, with simple, robust lines and fixtures.

On the whole, the Lagonda would be hard to call "artful," and as a whole, the exterior looks faintly derivative. However, given the emerging markets that the company is pursuing with this concept - as well as the vacuum in this space for an ultra-premium vehicle of this bodystyle and rough-rough capability - we can see this working out... if global markets recover. -- Chris Paukert

Gallery: Geneva 2009: Aston Martin Lagonda Concept

Gallery: Aston Martin Lagonda Concept

Continue reading Geneva 2009: Aston Martin revives Lagonda to questionable effect

Geneva 2009: Aston Martin revives Lagonda to questionable effect originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Mar 2009 04:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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