A motoring misdemeanor
One costs £10,000 and the other £35,000. They are, unbelievably, essentially the same vehicle and that the streets of Kensington, Chelsea and Belgravia are stuffed with the more expensive version is, in my humble opinion, an utter misdemeanor.
Toyota’s iQ is a clever little vehicle. My friend happens to own one and I’ve been in it several times. It is practical and far better than a Smart fortwo in that it has a little more space inside and does a very reasonable 64.2 mpg. This perfectly zippy little beast does exactly what it says on the tin and is an ideal city car.
Aston Martin have taken the very same vehicle and essentially rebadged it the Cygnet. At more than three times the price, you do get get a proper Aston paint-job and a stylish hand-fitted interior with as many leather hides in it as are needed to trim a DB9. It’s also, however, with a top speed of just 106 mph, the slowest Aston Martin in history and most of the components in it are made by Toyota.
The good people of the Royal Borough may well think they’re making a statement in buying a Cygnet. In reality, they should develop their IQ’s and buy the Toyota.
For more information on the Toyota IQ, go to: http://www.toyota.co.uk/cgi-bin/toyota/bv/frame_start.jsp?id=CC2-iQ-landing
For more information on the Aston Martin Cygnet, go to: http://www.astonmartin.com/cars/cygnet