Aston Martin Built A 430bhp Cygnet V8, Because A Customer Asked For It

Gaydon's 'Q' division has stuffed the old 4.7-litre Vantage engine into a Cygnet following a bizarre but amazing customer request
Aston Martin Built A 430bhp Cygnet V8, Because A Customer Asked For It

The Cygnet isn’t exactly a high point in Aston Martin’s history, is it? Little more than a cynical money spinner (it wasn’t anything to do with emissions figures, as claimed by many at the time of release), we were happy to see the back of the Toyota iQ-based thing when it was discontinued amid low sales in 2012.

Now though, the Cygnet has been given a shot at redemption. Aston Martin’s Q branch has created a one-off version with an engine that’s a little more Aston-y than a 1.3-litre inline-four: a 4.7-litre naturally-aspirated V8 pinched from the old Vantage S.

Aston Martin Built A 430bhp Cygnet V8, Because A Customer Asked For It

The reason? Because - unbelievably - a customer asked for it. Given the nature of the project there’s no word on cost, but given the highly bespoke nature of the work, it won’t have been cheap. Whoever the customer is, we’re doffing our metaphorical caps in his or her direction.

A right-hand drive Cygnet body shell was sourced for the build, into which a roll cage was welded, “becoming an integral part of the chassis in the process,” Aston Martin says. A new bulkhead and transmission had to be fabricated to fit the engine in.

Aston Martin Built A 430bhp Cygnet V8, Because A Customer Asked For It

The track has been widened considerably, with carbonfibre composite arch extensions added to cover the 19-inch, five-spoke alloy wheels.

Thankfully the brakes have been upgraded, with six-piston monoblock calipers squeezing 380mm discs at the front, and four-piston calipers married to 330mm discs at the rear. The suspension setup features double wishbones at the front and rear.

Aston Martin Built A 430bhp Cygnet V8, Because A Customer Asked For It

The V8 hasn’t been detuned for this very special Cygnet, meaning it still outputs 430bhp and 316lb ft of torque, all of which is sent rearwards via a seven-speed ‘Sportshift II’ sequential gearbox. It’ll be nicely loud too, thanks to the V8 Cygnet’s bespoke twin-exit exhaust system.

It’s put a fair bit of weight on, now tipping the scales at 1375kg. But that’s still less than a Vanquish S weighs, so hilariously, it actually accelerates faster than the car it borrows its power plant from. 0-60mph takes 4.2 seconds, and the top speed is 170mph.

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In the cabin you’ll find a pair of composite Recaro bucket seats - each with a four-point harness - a removable Alcantara steering wheel and a new carbonfibre dashboard. The instrument cluster has been taken from the Vantage. But it does still have some luxuries, including leather trim, air conditioning and two USB ports.

The Cygnet V8 will make its public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this weekend, where it’ll be noisily making its way up the famous hill climb.

Comments

Anonymous

Ask some other manufacturer to do it, and they’ll flatout refuse.

07/12/2018 - 07:05 |
20 | 0
Robert Homann

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

07/12/2018 - 07:36 |
8 | 2
jdm-supra-1600(md squad)(Supra squad leader)

Only if all manufacturers listened to what the customers really want

07/12/2018 - 07:12 |
68 | 2

Except they do for the most part and people want SUVs and good economy

07/13/2018 - 19:57 |
2 | 0

Well, money talks. As a one-off commission, this will have been hellishly expensive.

07/16/2018 - 10:26 |
0 | 0
Miru

How bizarre, but very awesome

07/12/2018 - 07:14 |
0 | 0
ᴶᵘˢᵗᴬᴿᵃⁿᵈᵒá

Now,to the looks department

07/12/2018 - 07:22 |
2 | 0
Anonymous

Ok guys , today is not 1st April

07/12/2018 - 07:27 |
6 | 0
Matt Kimberley

That is epic. Pure fantasy-land stuff.

07/12/2018 - 07:27 |
48 | 0
BenPaye(JDMSquad)(MX5Squad)(LFAsquad)(Subie Squad) (Rotary F

In reply to by Matt Kimberley

Yessss

07/12/2018 - 07:41 |
8 | 0
DL🏁

Wait… what if a customer asks for the 5.9L NA V12 to be fitted in the new Vantage?

07/12/2018 - 07:27 |
296 | 2

What if someone asks for twin superchargers instead of turbos?

07/12/2018 - 07:42 |
114 | 0

Would be nice, but Aston can’t keep living in the past like that. The 4.0 litre V8 does a great job, and people need to accept that times change! Otherwise we’d all be watching black and white and buying Triumph Vitesses.

07/12/2018 - 09:24 |
24 | 14

Probably not. They would probably be happy to fit the turbocharged V12 from the DBS Superleggera though, possibly with the manual transmission from the old V12 Vantage. If you’re rich.

07/12/2018 - 10:50 |
6 | 0
Soni Redx (MD Squad Leader) (Subie Squad Leader)

In reply to by DL🏁

“THE DISHWASHER IS ON A NEW CYCLE..”

07/12/2018 - 19:42 |
30 | 0
7heDuke

Sooo the customer was a forza-player? 😅

07/12/2018 - 07:42 |
32 | 2
Anonymous

I know that Q also developed a V12 Cygnet but unfortunately that prototype was never meant to have been made, so it didn’t make it out of the factory. But as you can imagine it was an animal!

07/12/2018 - 07:52 |
4 | 0
Pascal_98

Meanwhile toyota is saying that a turbo’d engine would be too much power for a gt86…

07/12/2018 - 08:43 |
36 | 0

It’s not power, it’s heat. They’re not comfortable putting a warranty on a car that’s not “up to their standards”. And also, the designers built the GT86 as a driver’s car. Turbo lag is the worst when trying to power out of corners with any kind of consistency

07/12/2018 - 11:37 |
4 | 0

And Aston Martin is putting a V8 in their Toyota…

07/13/2018 - 17:24 |
0 | 0

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