Garden Office Blog

‘Green’ Aston Martin set for 2011

By Steven Willis on 11th October, 2010

Luxury sports car marque Aston Martin’s much talked-about eco-citycar concept – the Cygnet – has been approved for full production this week according to reports, ending months of speculation over its potential as a retail model. The fact that the tiny two-seater is to enter production next year is an interesting turn of events that could cause significant ripples in the environmental stewardship of high-end luxury brands.

Based largely on Toyota’s IQ platform – itself reminiscent of a Smart ForTwo – the Cygnet is an unashamed green car, with a modest 1.3 litre engine that kicks out carbon emissions of just 99g/km. The Cygnet will initially only be made available to existing Aston Martin owners, firmly putting it in the ‘run-around’ category and somewhat undermining its capabilities as a ‘main’ car. The novel sales approach also, by definition, suggests that the eco-friendly performance of the Cygnet is aimed at ‘cancelling out’ the gas-guzzling hunger of, say, a DB9. Whether this will play out in real-world CO2 emission stats over the life of both cars, or simply in the owner’s conscience, remains to be seen.

These kinds of concerns clearly would not have escaped the decision-makers at Gaydon, who would have had to weigh up the environment aspects of the move with the very real danger of turning off certain customers who chose the brand for its ultra-exclusivity and performance pedigree. It’s certainly a risk, but one that Aston Martin should be applauded for. Sitting at the testosterone-fuelled peak of the supercar market alongside the Ferraris, Porsches, Bentleys and Lamborghinis of this world, it isn’t exactly an easy or obvious decision to make.

When superbrands like Aston Martin make decisions like this on environmental grounds, it shows that the commercial landscape is undeniably changing to a greener future. Unthinkable even eighteen months ago, the fact is that in less than a year there will be an Aston Martin on the road that is more environmentally-friendly than a Nissan Micra – changing times indeed.
 


Category:  Environment

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