Aston Puts Lagonda SUV On Hold - World Rejoices?

The Lagonda division of Aston Martin hasn't been in the news for a while but it has surfaced again with revelations that the project could be on hold. Aston Martin aim for creating the Lagonda brand was to increase volume and help the company enter markets it couldn't (or didn't want to) enter with the Aston Martin brand name.

Lagonda was and will continue to be a good idea if executed right. Problem was, no one knew when the reintroduction was announced what vehicle would wear the Lagonda name. I think the fact that the company decided on a crossover surprised everyone.

Reception was lackluster to say the least, and on the second day after introduction the Lagonda Concept was taken off the display stage. Aston Martin cited that the concept was needed elsewhere, but that was a pretty pathetic excuse - the public was never even allowed to see the vehicle.

It seems as if Aston Martin Lagonda's Chairman David Richards was unhappy the vehicle, and is readying another for an auto show this year.

Aston Martin Lagonda boss also laid out his reasons for the hold: "We have several sources ready to invest upward of a quarter-billion pounds," said Bez, "but the timing right now is simply wrong. We have some work to do yet, and it takes a lot of investment." Not a very clear statement! Seems like they're trying to avoid embarrassment on the SUV.

So it's fair to say that the specific SUV design shown at Geneva is probably dead. It doesn't seem as if the Lagonda name is though, which is a good thing for the future of Aston Martin. If I were Lagonda, I'd introduce a sedan concept to gauge reaction and create positive buzz, then go back to the drawing board on the SUV.

If all went well, I'd produce both - a high-technology luxury sedan similar to the original Lagonda as well as a new SUV to sell in markets Aston Martin doesn't play in. Sounds like a win-win to me!