430 hp on 820 kg: The world’s only V8 Aston Martin Cygnet is for sale

Cygnet

It is perhaps one of the strangest collaborations in the automotive world: Aston Martin turning the Toyota iQ into its own version, the Cygnet. The Japanese city car was tackled by the British mainly optically, resulting in a remarkably luxurious city car. Under the skin, however, little changed, and under the hood was just a Toyota three-cylinder. Still, Aston Martin decided to give one example a complete transformation. The brand’s Q division crammed in – with great difficulty – a 4.7-liter V8 engine taken from the Vantage S. The result is one of the most bizarre cars ever.

430 hp

The engine is actually under the hood and not in the trunk – in itself a handsome achievement, since the car was originally designed for a modest three-cylinder. At 316 kW (430 hp) on a weight of just 820 kg, the V8 Cygnet is a real pocket rocket. The seven-speed automatic transmission sends all the power to the rear wheels instead of the front. Combined with the short wheelbase, this undoubtedly delivers a spectacular driving experience.

Custom chassis

The chassis was considerably strengthened to handle all that power. In addition, the Cygnet received the same suspension, brakes and ABS as the Vantage S. Track width was increased and extra-wide carbon fiber wheel arches accommodate serious tires. A full roll cage provides some extra safety, although it remains to be seen how safe such a small car with this much power actually is. The interior is a mix of race car and luxury: Recaro seats, four-point harnesses and a carbon fiber dashboard, as well as practical items such as electric mirrors and even a cup holder.

A unique opportunity

The V8 Cygnet was custom built for one specific customer, who drove it only 4,700 kilometers. Since then, it has been maintained by Aston Martin itself. Now it is for sale by British sales house Nicholas Mee. What it will fetch is a mystery. A ‘standard’ Cygnet is already quite rare and quickly costs around 40,000 euros. But this V8 version is unique and will undoubtedly fetch a multiple of that. Interested? This is the place to be.