What hits you like a lightning bolt when you first see Aston Martin Lagonda's extraordinary trio of Geneva concepts — as we recently did at the Gaydon HQ just before they departed for Switzerland — is what they say about the company's extraordinary levels of ambition and energy.
For anyone else it would be more than enough to propose a brand new Ferrari F8 Tributo rival for 2022, especially since said Vanquish progresses the genre by a generation.
However, at the same time Andy Palmer and his hyperactive team are unveiling a £1m hypercar concept called AM-RB 003 (drawing much from the seminal Valkyrie, co-created with Adrian Newey) and an eye-popping Lagonda off-roader proposal that takes SUVs in an entirely different direction from Range Rover, Bentley Bentayga and the rest.
Truly, there has never been a greater, more productive era in Aston Martin or Lagonda history. We should settle back and enjoy the ride.
Read more
Aston Martin's Lagonda SUV concept to make production in 2022
Aston Martin unveils V6-powered Vanquish Vision concept
Aston Martin launches new AM-RB 003 hypercar
Join the debate
Add your comment
Piffle
In exchange for a nice lunch, a few words of worthless piffle. The facts are less sweet smelling: AM floated at £19 a share a little over a year ago. The price now is a shade over a tenner with a big fall this week when investors discovered the directors and a few lucky staff had helped themselves to tens of millions of share capital. Journalists apparently understand little, those with money in the game recognise white elephants when they see them.
Is it really so good with Aston?
When I read Steve`s article, I agree its a productive wish list and ambitious of Aston Martin, however to "sit back and enjoy the ride" is quite a statement - completely missing the point of Aston. All, and I mean all new Astons look absolutely awful. As a V8 Vantage owner and a passionate Aston Martin fan, I believe the design, not only the exterior, should shine.
Aston is the gentleman`s sportscar, with unrivalled style, taste, sexiness, and that unique hand-crafted feel. Is Steve not agreeing`, or refusing to be critical? Yes to be ambitious is great, but having taste and understanding what the brand is about is essential.
Aston has lost the plot entirely. Painfully bad interior design that is beyond cheap, and exteriors that are a mixture of generic pointlessness, and cheap add on fast and the furious touches.
I love Aston, but it needs to rediscover its identity. Its upsetting to see utterly uninspirational design. Don`t even get me started on how bad the lagonda is. Real pity.
Sorry, really cannot agree
Well, why not?
Well, this seems to be the only part of the British Car industry that’s actually making money, not enough to be a real boost for the industry or indeed the Country as a whole.