Aston Martin Cygnet

Top Gear wrote:Back in June, Aston Martin released a photo of its Cygnet concept, a Toyota IQ-based city car with the face of a Vantage.

We were, it is fair to say, a little vexed. Now Aston has shown off a handful more images of the Cygnet - which now looks mightly close to production-ready - and... yeah, we're still a little vexed.

This is partly because Aston is still staying very quiet on any details about the Cygnet.

No word on potential engines or performance - though it'd be safe to assume that it'll be closely related to that of the IQ - just an assertion that the Cygnet 'represents a creative, environmentally conscious solution... with the prestige of Aston Martin's luxury brand ownership'.

Aston is pitching the Cygnet as 'a tender to a luxury yacht' - the luxury yacht being a full fat Vantage, DB9 or DBS (or, soon, the Rapide). It will initially only be offered to existing Aston owners, though could go on general release later in its life.

Design chief Marek Reichman has done a smart job of Astonising the IQ's exterior, but there's no hiding that fact that, well, it's an IQ underneath, is there?

Aston hopes to bring the Cygnet to production some time in 2010, with the aim of as many as 2,000 cars a year. If the words ‘why, for the love of God, why?' are flashing through your mind at the moment, consider this: CO2 emissions.

If Aston shifts a couple of thousand Cygnets, each emitting under, say, 120g/km of CO2, that's a hell of a reduction in its fleet emissions.

Cynical? Us? Or can any furnish us with a better explanation for the Astoyota?