The historic Lagonda nameplate is one of Aston Martin’s most underutilized assets. That’s about to change, and the brand is set to make a full-fledged return before the end of the decade to take on the biggest names in the luxury segment.
Lagonda’s range of ultra-luxurious cruisers will initially include just two models: a sedan and an SUV. Engineers are developing the cars to rival the best that Rolls-Royce, Bentley, and Mercedes-Maybach have to offer, but company boss Andy Palmer revealed Aston won’t settle for copying what others are doing. Aston Martin and performance are inseparable, so its approach to luxury must be unique.
“The direction I gave to [Aston design boss] Marek Reichman was “look, Rolls-Royce is the epitome of luxury. It’s first class in a 777 — big, comfortable. We can’t compete with them. Give me Concorde — the best of speed; the finest of fastest cars,” explained Palmer in an interview with Australian website Motoring.
A handful of powertrain, chassis, and electrical components will be shared across the Aston Martin and Lagonda lineups in order to save money on research and development, but the interior and exterior design will be unique. “It’s got to look like it comes from a different father,” summed up Palmer. In contrast, every Maybach-badged model launched since the nameplate’s resurrection has been visibly based on a Mercedes-Benz.
At the opposite end of the high-end, high-dollar segment, Aston Martin will introduce a mid-engined coupe developed to run alongside the Lamborghini Huracán and the Ferrari 488 GTB. It will attempt to one-up its main rivals by relying on a naturally aspirated V12 engine for power, and insiders who spoke to British magazine Autocar suggested it will be one of the most beautiful cars ever to come out of Aston’s design department. Many of the aerodynamic add-ons required for high-speed motoring will be hidden under the car to create a pure, fluid silhouette.
Aston’s product offensive calls for the launch of seven new models in the coming years, including the three detailed above and a high-riding model named DBX. By the turn of the decade, the company’s lineup will look completely different than it does today.
