Aston Martin's Cygnet has just grown into a swan. A big, mean, angry 430 hp swan.
The British automaker is unveiling this very special car at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed. Called "The Ultimate City Car", this one is track-ready as well. It was built by Q by Aston Martin, the company's commission service. That's right, this monster Cygnet, which Aston sold in the early 2010s and was based on the Toyota iQ city car, was built for one very lucky (and brave) customer.
It starts with the 4.7L V8 that is normally found under the hood of the previous-generation Vantage S. A new intake was designed with twin air filters. It's packed under the tiny hood of the Cygnet, where normally a 1.3L four lives. The V8 makes 430 hp and 361 lb-ft of torque.
Living behind the V8 is a seven-speed automatic, also from the Vantage S. Behind that is a special and very short driveshaft helping send power to the rear wheels.
With all that power, the super Cygnet needed a lot more rear tire. So massively flared carbon-fibre arches were installed that hide 275/35/19 rubber in the rear and 235/40/19 in the front. The stock car wore 175/60/16 front and rear from the factory.
The interior is race-ready, with a full roll cage and FIA compliant fire system. The seats are fixed-back Recaros with four-point harnesses. The steering wheel is removable, and the dash uses a Vantage instrument cluster. Aston hasn't forgotten about luxury though, and the steering wheel is Alcantara, it has leather door pulls, air conditioning is fitted, and there are two USB ports.
Your fun run in this car will be almost as short as the wheelbase. The tiny footprint means that the fuel tank holds just 30L. Still probably enough to put a big grin on your face.
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