Tuesday, July 23, 2019

V8-Powered Aston Martin Cygnet Unveiled With 430 HP

We never thought we would see an Aston Martin Cygnet that’s faster than the Vantage S.

The Aston Martin Cygnet isn’t very fondly remembered. Based on the Toyota IQ, the compact city car was a commercial disaster and has been long forgotten since it went out of production in 2012. But Aston Martin’s Q branch may have just redeemed the Cygnet. After giving the DB11 the Q branch treatment, the customization division has revealed a new one-off Cygnet built for a customer at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. This isn’t just an ordinary Cygnet with a fancy paint job either.

The Cygnet’s puny 1.3 liter four-cylinder engine has been replaced with a 4.7-liter V8 from the old Vantage S. As a result, power has increased from 97 hp in the standard car to a very respectable 430 hp. Weighing just 3,031 lbs, the V8 Cygnet has an impressive power-to-weight ratio of 313 hp/tonne. With this setup, the V8 Cygnet can accelerate even faster than the V8 Vantage S, as 0-62 mph takes just 4.2 seconds. Top speed now sits at 170 mph, making the V8 Cygnet 60 mph faster than the standard car. While the original car had a front-wheel-drive layout, the one-off Cygnet has been modified to accommodate a RWD setup.

Extensive modifications had to be made to accommodate the new powertrain, such as fitting a new bulkhead and transmission tunnel. Power is sent through the Vantage’s seven-speed transmission, but the driveshaft had to be shortened. Other modifications include a full roll cage, Ricaro bucket seats and a carbon-fiber dashboard to keep the weight down. New bespoke twin exhaust pipes have also been fitted to the back. During the V8 transplant, the one-off Cygnet was upgraded with independent double wishbone front and rear suspension.

Beefier brakes with six-piston monoblock calipers are housed in 19-inch alloy wheels, which required some massive wheel arch extensions that make the Cygnet look a lot more aggressive. You’ll get to see the one-off Aston Martin V8 Cygnet in action at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where it will be taking on the famous hill climb.


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