Most of our readers will know by now that the Cygnet exists purely to counteract the 120 grams of CO2 per kilogram EU carbon restrictions to be introduced in 2012. With a combined CO2 g/km rating of 400, Aston Martin’s current fleet of high performance vehicles could never match this.
An all-electric prototype of the Toyota iQ will make its European debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March. The iQ EV is equipped with an electric motor fed through a newly developed, flat and compact lithium-ion battery that is mounted under the car's floor. According to Toyota, the battery pack doesn't reduce the regular iQ's load area or passenger space. The all-electric version of Toyota's mini car is said to have a potential driving range of up to 65 miles or about 105 kilometers. The EV prototype is currently being tested on European roads, with a potential market launch through a leasing programme in 2012. The Japanese company will also bring the car in the USA (as a Scion) and is also investigating its viability in other regions.
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Set to go on sale in April, both are offered with the iQ's 1.33-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine producing 98HP, matched to either standard 6-speed manual gearbox or optional CVT automated transmission, and each will be produced for a strictly limited run.
The British automaker says the Cygnet with the manual gearbox completes the 0-62mph (100km/h) sprint in 11.6 seconds while returning an estimated combined fuel economy of 56.5 mpg UK, equal to 47 mpg US and 5.0 lt/100km.
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For the 2011 iQ, which will be sold in the States under the Scion brand, Toyota is increasing the level of perceived quality with the use of higher-grade, soft-touch plastics on the dashboard and the door panels, the introduction of new color schemes and upgraded trim options.
The car's exterior appearance has been beefed up with an aero kit that includes front and rear aprons, side skirts and fender extensions that allow the use of eye-catching 18-inch alloys wrapped in 215/40R18 Yokohama tires.
With the exception of the darkened headlamps and tail lamps, and the newly designed front bumper with modified upper and lower grilles, Scion's model is identical to the Toyota iQ sold in other regions of the world including Europe.
With an overall length of only 120.1-inches (more than 30-in. shorter than the Toyota Yaris), width of 66.1-inches and a 78.7-inch wheelbase, the iQ is the smallest model in the Toyota Group's North American lineup.
T
he Cygnet looks like the iQ because that's what it is; a retrimmed Toyota. Aston Martin's designers essentially took numerous design cues from their sports cars like the trademark grille and air-vents and applied them on the small Toyota without making any other changes on the car's shape.
Unique styling features on the outside are limited to the pop-up handles, reshaped front and rear bumpers, specific head and tail lamps, and newly designed multispoke alloy wheels.
The same goes for the Cygnet's cabin which has been adorned with premium materials and different trim, but other than that, it retains the iQ's basic architecture and design.
Aston Martin chose not to release any information on the car's hardware, but it is believed that the iQ's 1.33-liter petrol engine will be carried over to the Cygnet.
The firm's plan is to initially sell the Cygnet to current and future Aston Martin owners with a general release to follow at a later date.
Aston Martin said that it will continue to develop the Cygnet, but expects to have the car into production and on sale in the UK and Europe before the end of 2010.
Even though the Cygnet is nothing more than a more premium Toyota with DB9 styling cues, the mini will get an Aston Martin price tag, estimated to be somewhere around £20,000 or about $32,000 - €22,000 at today's exchange rates.
Aston Martin Cygnet
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Toyota iQ
While the FT-86 RWD Coupe will be the superstar at Toyota's Tokyo Motor Show stand, the Japanese firm will also showcase the FT-EV II, a battery-powered micro car that is more radical than the first-version of the concept model that broke cover at this year's Detroit Show in January. The FT-EV II, which stands for "Future Toyota Electric Vehicle II", is powered by an electric motor that draws energy from a lithium-ion battery which provides a driving range in excess of 90km (60 miles).The Japanese automaker claims that the FT-EV II can reach a top speed of a little over 100km/h or 62mph.
Like the FT-EV I, the second generation concept is based on Toyota's iQ mini car. But even though it's shorter measuring only 2,730 mm (107-in.) from nose to tail, the company says that it can seat up to four people - just don't expect any wonders for the rear tunas passengers.
Other highlights of the FT-EV II include the twin sliding doors and the absence of steering wheel or foot pedals as the urban model is controlled by a joystick - welcome to the automotive world of gamers...
