Aston Martin will launch six new models over the next six years, including replacements to the DB9, Vantage and Rapide, as well as new models including the Lagonda and Cygnet.
Below, we reveal these models and their likely launch dates.
Cygnet - 2011
Aston’s retrim of the Toyota iQ city car is set to take up to half the firm’s sales in Europe from next year.
The Cygnet might be questionable to purists, but it’s going to be pretty visible in Europe’s cities; dealers have been collecting letters of intent from buyers, even though a final price for the car has yet to be announced.
With tailpipe CO2 emissions of around 115g/km, the Cygnet will have a vital role in helping Aston to cut its fleet average CO2 by the near-20 per cent demanded by the EU by 2015.
DB9/DBS - 2013/2015
Thorough re-engineering of today’s DB9 will include a reskin, fresh interior and revised V12 engine. Aston is pouring much of the budget into revisions to the VH bonded alloy underpinnings to cut weight and improve structural stiffness.
Cleaning up the tailpipe emissions of the Cosworth-engineered engine is a key target for project VH500.
The DBS is a hit; it has exceeded predicted volumes of 350 units per year by 150 cars. The next-gen model will offer more power and a sportier chassis, matched to a revised interior and beefed-up exterior styling
Vantage - 2014
Being engineered alongside the DB9 as project VH500, the next-gen Vantage, due in 2014, will benefit from many of the structural tweaks being developed for the larger DB9.
Shedding weight from the alloy-bodied Vantage, which tips the scales around 150kg heavier than a steel-bodied 911, is a major project target.
Sales of the Vantage have suffered more than those of high-end Astons during the recession. But if and when they pick up, the car will need to be cleaner if it’s to avoid making life difficult for Aston on fleet CO2 averages.
Lagonda - 2014
Aston is pushing ahead with its project to relaunch Lagonda as a more luxurious, less sporting brand to complement Aston.
An SUV aimed at the emerging BRIC markets — where Aston’s low-slung sports cars struggle to cope with poor road conditions — is still the launch model.
And Mercedes is potentially still a partner for the project, donating the GL underpinnings for the Lagonda luxury utility vehicle.
However, the challenging styling of the 2009 Geneva motor show car is thankfully tipped to evolve in a more elegant direction.
Rapide - 2016
The Rapide has moved Aston into new territory and could contribute up to half of this year’s global sales. Production is currently at Magna in Austria; Aston has made a commitment to that for up to six years.
However, depending on how the world’s car markets recover, Aston could bring assembly back to its Gaydon HQ in the UK for the second generation of the Rapide.
Because the Rapide is based on the low-slung DB9 chassis, Aston is ruling out a Lagonda version.
