Aston Martin justifies 40k Cygnet

How can Aston Martin justify the 40,000 pricetag of its new Cygnet supermini? We looked at why it costs so much more than Toyota iQ it's based on.

Launch editions of the Cygnet cost 39,995, while the 'standard' version will cost 30,995, yet the Toyota iQ costs from just 10,278.

Time is money, says Aston
One reason for the added cost is the time it takes to re-fit the car, and the materials used, according to Aston.

While the suspension and the 1.33-litre engine are left untouched, the car is virtually stripped down to the chassis and just the roof panel and the C-pillars are carried over from the iQ. Every other panel is changed and the leather used in the Cygnet is the same as you would find in a DB9.

Aston says that it takes 120 hours for an iQ to be transformed into a Cygnet. Compare that with the 180 hours that the car maker takes to build one of its sports cars, and you begin to see why the high pricetag is demanded.

Slightly more plush than the Toyota iQ's interiorWill the Cygnet sell?
Aston Martin says it already has 200 pre-orders for the Cygnet and plans to sell between 500 and 700 models this year. Eventually it hopes to sell 1500 a year worldwide and says it has an unlimited supply of iQs from Toyota.

Aston says it hopes the Cygnet will attract younger and more urban customers to its brand and envisages traditional Aston owners buying a Cygnet for a son or daughter.