Latest news with #NicholasMee
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Now's Your Chance to Buy What Might Be History's Craziest Aston Martin
Aston Martin built exactly one copy of the V-8-powered Super Cygnet, and now, this hilarious creation is available for public sale for the first time. Listed via Aston Martin seller Nicholas Mee in the United Kingdom, the price is marked 'POA,' or price on application. The one-off Super Cygnet has 2,893 miles on it, all courtesy of the original buyer who commissioned it. Even the regular Cygnet was one of the most bizarre projects Aston Martin has ever taken on. Every Cygnet started life as a Toyota iQ, a Smart-esque two-seater, and it used the original powertrain in all but one of the 593 examples sold. The Toyota-sourced 1.3-liter four-cylinder sent the city car to 62 mph in 11.8 seconds when paired with the six-speed manual, or 11.6 with the CVT. It was monotonously slow. The Super Cygnet is proof that Aston knew how to make this little city car fun, though. A 4.7-liter V-8 used in the Vantage S replaced the dinky four-cylinder, and Aston paired this with its seven-speed automatic transmission. It sent 430 horsepower to the rear wheels, which required all sorts of engineering to tame. The front and rear subframes from the Vantage S were pulled for duty, including both the suspension and ABS system. Forged wheels are wrapped with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. Inside, Aston fitted a full roll cage and Recaro racing buckets. Curb weight stood at just 3,031 pounds. Thanks to the changes, the 0-60-mph time shrank to just 4.2 seconds, and its top speed ballooned to 170 mph. (That said, the fastest recorded speed anyone has taken it to is reportedly 155 mph.) Its design was unsurprisingly more upscale and fitting for an Aston Martin, too. The significantly wider track required a carbon composite widebody to be fitted. New front and rear fascias provided a totally new personality, and the dual exhaust exiting out the rear leaves little doubt to the beast lurking under its hood. Aston's Q division painted it in a pretty Buckinghamshire Green, and interior materials are a mix of Alcantara and carbon fiber. It even uses the Vantage's instrumentation. We'd suggest getting in touch with Nicholas Mee as soon as possible if you're interested in owning this wildly cool piece of Aston Martin history, as it's only scheduled to be open to inquiries until 6 p.m. local (England) time on February 28 — or 1 p.m. ET. Still, if you're really interested, we imagine they'll call you back if you leave a message with a string enough offer. You Might Also Like You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners The Man Who Signs Every Car
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Aston Martin Built The Perfect City Car And It's For Sale For The First Time
If you're in the market for the perfect city car, you're probably looking for something small, nimble and comfy that's made for navigating narrow streets and sitting in traffic. Those aren't qualities you normally associate with Aston Martin, which is better known for luxury trimmings, high speeds, and stunning looks. In 2011, however, the British marque did experiment with city cars, and now the brand's idea of the perfect city center runaround is being sold for the very first time. The Aston Martin Cygnet was offered by James Bond's favorite automaker from 2011, and it was a ridiculous car. It basically took the Scion iQ, gave it a new face, and filled the cabin with a luxurious leather interior. I love it, and can't help but think it was a few decades ahead of its time, but the Cygnet was derided by many car fans as it wasn't true to the Aston Martin ethos. To correct this, the British brand made a one-off Cygnet to appeal to Aston purists. That model was still based on the iQ, but instead of a pokey little 97 hp motor up front it was packed with the roaring V8 from the Vantage S. Read more: Dodge Will Pay You $10 Per Horsepower To Buy A New Charger, Challenger, Or Durango The V8-powered Cygnet was dubbed the Super Cygnet and it was wonderful. As well as the 4.7-liter, 430hp V8 motor from the Vantage, the updated Cygnet also took the transmission, suspension, and brakes from Aston's sports car. To house all of the high-performance tech, Aston made a few changes to the body of the Super Cygnet, and it actually only shares body panels and glazing with the original car. The rest of the Super Cygnet was bespoke for the V8 model and, as such, it's got slick flourishes like enormous wheel arches, larger vents on the front, and a pair of Recaro race seats inside to prep the driver for any track days they might want to take their pocket-sized Aston Martin out to. Despite the original Cygnet dying off in 2013, the Super Cygnet was conceived and built by Aston's engineers in 2018 with the help of its bespoke Q service. It was originally built for an Aston collector, who has now decided that it's time to part ways with this incredible car. There's no word on how much the original owner paid for the one-of-a-kind Cygnet, but it's now being sold by UK-based Aston specialist Nicholas Mee. This is the first time the car has been offered for sale since it was commissioned. The one-off Cygnet is finished in a lovely dark green color, and there's a lush black interior. The car has also covered just 2,900 miles from new, which is ridiculous when it could legitimately be the ultimate Aston Martin daily driver, but that's just rich people for you! Nicholas Mee hasn't shared any details on pricing for the Super Cygnet, but it's definitely going to be one of those, "if you have to ask, you can't afford it" situations. After all, it's a one-off Aston that's pretty much as good as new. So, if you do know a friendly neighborhood billionaire in need of a new daily driver, send them this way and maybe they'll let us have a go with it. That is, provided, they can find a way to import it into America, since it's still not quite 25 years old. Read the original article on Jalopnik.
