2005 Aston Martin Vanquish S Coupe 2-door 6.0l. Rare. Immaculate on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Aston CEO claims Cygnet cancelled because Toyota is dropping iQ in 2014

While slow sales and a $50,000 price tag may have been contributing factors to the Aston Martin Cygnet being cancelled last month, Aston Martin CEO Ulrich Bez is pointing the finger at Toyota for the demise of this luxurious little city car. In a discussion with Autocar, Bez is quoted as saying that the ultimate reason the Cygnet was cut is because Toyota plans on dropping the iQ (on which the Cygnet is based) in 2014 - a claim denied by the Japanese automaker.
Interestingly, the article also cites another publication reporting that a Toyota importer in the Netherlands heard the same news as Bez, and it has already stopped importing the cars. If the European Toyota iQ is cancelled, that would likely spell the end of the slow-selling Scion iQ in the US, which has sold just 3,365 units through September (a drop of 51 percent year over year).
Regardless of why production of the Cygnet ended, Bez also says that a lack of support from Toyota on the project prevented it from being offered in the US or receiving a supercharged engine, which are two factors that likely would have made the car appealing to more buyers.

Are supercars becoming less special?

There's little doubt that we are currently enjoying the golden age of automotive performance. Dozens of different models on sale today make over 500 horsepower, and seven boast output in excess of 700 hp. Not long ago, that kind of capability was exclusive to supercars – vehicles whose rarity, performance focus, and requisite expense made them aspirational objects of desire to us mortals. But more than that, supercars have historically offered a unique driving experience, one which was bespoke to a particular model and could not be replicated elsewhere. But in recent years, even the low-volume players have been forced to find the efficiencies and economies of scale that formerly hadn't been a concern for them, and in turn the concept of the supercar as a unique entity unto itself is fading fast. The blame doesn't fall on one particular manufacturer nor a specific production technique. Instead, it's a confluence of different factors that are chipping away at the distinction of these vehicles. It's not all bad news – Lamborghini's platform sharing with Audi for the Gallardo and the R8 yielded a raging bull that was more reliable and easier to live with on a day-to-day basis, and as a result it went on to become the best-selling Lambo in the company's history. But it also came at the cost of some of the Italian's exclusivity when eerily familiar sights and sounds suddenly became available wearing an Audi badge. Even low-volume players have been forced to find economies of scale. Much of this comes out of necessity, of course. Aston Martin's recent deal with Mercedes-AMG points toward German hardware going under the hood and into the cabin of the upcoming DB11, and it's safe to assume that this was not a decision made lightly by the Brits, as the brand has built a reputation for the bespoke craftsmanship of its vehicles. There's little doubt that the DB11 will be a fine automobile, but the move does jeopardize some of the characteristic "specialness" that Astons are known for. Yet the world is certainly better off with new Aston Martins spliced with DNA from Mercedes-AMG rather than no new Astons at all, and the costs of developing cutting-edge drivetrains and user interfaces is a burden that's becoming increasingly difficult for smaller manufacturers to bear. Even Ferrari is poised to make some dramatic changes in the way it designs cars.

Aston Martin launches AMR line with ultra-exclusive Vantage and Rapide

Aston Martin has taken to Geneva to launch a new line it calls AMR. According to the British automaker, this brand is designed to connect the company's racecars and road cars. In this quest, the models will feature performance and design upgrades to provide some of the look and feel of those racecars. Every model in the Aston family will get an AMR iteration, but the company will start with the Rapide AMR and the Vantage AMR Pro. The milder of the two, unsurprisingly, is the Rapide AMR. As with all future AMRs, the car was developed by the main branch of Aston, while the AMR Pro cars will be developed by the Aston Martin Advanced Operations department. Among the Rapide's updates is a massaged 6.0-liter V12 with a new exhaust that produces 592 horsepower. That engine will propel the car to a top speed of 210 mph. The car also features a new front bumper with a very tall grille. This look is shared with the Vantage AMR Pro, and it makes both cars look as though they've been told something astonishing, but it works. And, to be fair, the standard Rapide already had a tall grille. The nose is accompanied by 21-inch wheels, a new front splitter, side skirts, rear spoiler, and rear diffuser. Inside there is plenty of dark gray Alcantara with gray and lime green highlights throughout. These match the Stirling Green and lime green paint scheme on the outside of both cars. The cabin also has carbon fiber seats, center stack, and center console. View 20 Photos The Vantage AMR Pro kicks everything up a few notches. It's a track-only car, powered by a version of the V8 found in the Aston Martin Vantage GT4 race car. In the AMR Pro, it produces 500 horsepower. The engine sits beneath a hood that is the same as what Aston uses on the World Endurance Championship cars. The rear wing is also taken from those racers. Other body modifications include a new splitter, fenders, side skirts, and rear diffuser. The car has additional performance upgrades in the form of an adjustable suspension, and center-lock wheels with Michelin Pilot Cup 2 tires. Inside, the car has most of the same upgrades as the Rapide, but it also gets a roll cage. Aston didn't release pricing, but it did say how many of each car will be built. Not surprisingly, there won't be many of each. The company will build 210 Rapide AMRs, but just 7 Vantage AMR Pros. So if you want one, you'd better act fast. Otherwise you'll have to wait for AMR versions of other Astons. Related Video: