Aston Martin has confirmed it will relaunch the Lagonda brand with a new saloon to rival the Rolls-Royce Phantom.
To get an idea of what to expect from this bold new proposition, we speak to the man responsible for creating the concept that will inspire it, Aston Martin Lagonda design boss Marek Reichman.
What’s the thinking behind the Lagonda?
“It’s a game changer for luxury products in the future, what luxury can be and what it will be. The world is changing, but look at luxury: it’s still very traditional. Luxury and technology haven’t been combined yet.
Look at Rolls-Royce: it’s the most luxurious car in the world. Given its roots, its reason for being, it’s essentially still an internal combustion engine to replace a horse, a carriage and a trunk. It’s an imperfect package for luxury.”
Why go purely electric?
“Electrification in particular has huge advantages for the layout of cars. You can put the weight and the powerplant where you want it. It’s not determined by history, pushing or pulling a carriage. There’s a freedom to think differently.”
A history of Aston Martin Lagonda
Has Tesla taken that advantage of electric car design?
“No, it’s a not-so-good-looking Aston Martin Aston Rapide. It has the same silhouette as a Rapide. Does it take advantage of all aspects of electrification? No. Look at technology, and no one has combined luxury and technology to be a leader. But to give Tesla credit, they’ve changed the perception of electric propulsion. If they had gone this far, there would have been negative consequences. Tesla eased into future technology with something we recognised.”
Why so radical with Lagonda?
“Lagonda has always been a disruptor. It has a massive heritage of going toe to toe with Rolls-Royce and Bentley. It has always offered a different shape and form. Lagonda is beauty from another planet, but it’s not unnatural. It’s a brave step – brave as a Lagonda can be and should be. It should be brave. It’s a disruptor.”
How will you differentiate Lagonda from Aston Martin?
