UK-based Aston Martin specialist Nicholas Mee has revealed it is offering the one-of-a-kind Aston Martin ‘Super Cygnet’ with the 4.7-litre V8 from a Vantage S shoehorned under its tiny bonnet.
Built by Aston Martin’s Q bespoke division, the Super Cygnet is being sold on behalf of its commissioning owner and has never before been offered on the open market.
This one-off machine is certainly a far cry from the standard Toyota IQ-based Cygnet that proved so divisive when it was launched back in 2009.
For many enthusiasts, the production Cygnet simply masqueraded as an Aston Martin; despite boasting trademark styling cues and a more luxuriously appointed cabin, it was still powered by Toyota’s anaemic 1.3-litre four-cylinder engine, producing just shy of 100bhp.
The version offered by Nicholas Mee, meanwhile, develops more than four times as much firepower – 430bhp – which is delivered to the rear axle rather than the front via a seven-speed paddle-shift transmission and limited-slip differential. With such a short wheelbase and weighing just 1375kg wet, the Super Cygnet will provide a lively driving experience to say the least.
This is reflected in the car’s performance figures, which read far more typically of a vehicle with an Aston Martin badge. Power-to-weight is 313bhp – the same as a 2012 R35 Nissan GT-R – while 0-60mph is dispatched in just 4.2 seconds. Top speed? A hilarious 170mph. Aston Martin’s Works racing driver Darren Turner is said to have achieved 155mph in the car during a test at the UK’s Bruntingthorpe proving ground.
Such bombastic levels of performance for a city car meant that Aston’s Q division also made myriad modifications to the chassis, brakes, suspension and cabin. Tellingly, the Super Cygnet shares only its lighting and some body panels with the standard model.
The front and rear subframes, brakes and suspension were all transplanted from the Vantage S, and a roll cage has been welded in so that the bodyshell can handle the extra power. Forged five-spoke alloy wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 rubber are tasked with putting all that power down.
Inside, Recaro racing bucket seats and four-point harnesses keep the driver and passenger in place, and the dashboard has been enhanced with carbonfibre and Vantage instrumentation. The motor sport ambience continues with a removable Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel, bespoke carbonfibre door cards, rear-seat delete and FIA-spec fire-extinguisher system.
The car made its public debut at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed, where it was driven up the hill climb by journalist Henry Catchpole (video below). It has covered just 2893 miles from new.
The Super Cygnet comes with a unique owner’s handbook, a bespoke car cover and a cherished registration. It is listed as POA on Nicholas Mee’s website.
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