Should the Cygnet have stayed in the egg?

Reading about the Aston Martin Cygnet made me wonder if this car was an aberration or a smart move.
Honestly, when you think about it, it’s nice to see that one of the super sports car manufacturer got the “Save the Planet” message and decides to answer its call, along with the “My Car Won’t Fit in the Parking Space” distress call from our city dweller friends…

It’s true that in a purely practical way, a DB9 or DBS definitely don’t help you when you need to park in a crammed street (yeah, driving a hundred thousands car doesn’t mean you always have a reserved parking spot), and that V12 will want to stop for gas more often than a new born calls for milk. And seen the price of gasoline these days, you’d wish it was running on breast milk. So yeah, considering all this, a 3 meter long car powered by a 1.3 litre engine seems like the ultimate weapon.

And then Aston Martin rolls in with the solution: take a Toyota IQ, dress it up with new body panels, throw a couple of cows inside for the seats and dashboard… And multiply the base Japanese price by no less than three. Then you make it only available to existing Aston martin owners only, for a few months at least so that they can show off at DBS’ meet ups, before releasing it for the rest of us common mortals.

So far so good for Mr Aston Martin, sounds like the killer plan!

But then you look at the Cygnet, and usually smiles fade. Aston martin are known for their sporty lines, long, gracious hoods, sexy curves, and all these are trademark elements that have not been brought onto the Cygnet.

With a front end that reminds more of a pig than a baby swan, the Piglet, erm sorry, Cygnet is for sure the ugliest car that has ever rolled out of Aston Martin’s HQ (I can’t say factory since they come out of Toyota’s production plants).

In my opinion, the original IQ is a success, the car looks decent, doesn’t claim to be what it’s not, and is relatively affordable, making it a perfect car for town. For longer week end drives, people can always opt to get another, normal sized car with all the comfort that it offers.

Interior-wise you can’t really say anything bad. Since the leather work is home-made by Aston Martin, the result is guaranteed to be flawless. At the same time, seen the price tag, it’s the least they could do.