A few years ago, Aston Martin proved that you can do just about anything if the price is right. We have no idea how much the owner of the world’s only V-8-powered Aston Martin Cygnet originally paid for this wild creation. Similarly, we don’t know how much that owner is selling it for now. But it is for sale. And you won’t find another one like it anywhere in the world.
To refresh your memory, the Cygnet was Aston Martin’s short-lived city car. Literally a reskinned Toyota IQ, less than 1,000 were built before Aston Martin pulled the plug in 2013. But at some point after that, someone approached the company’s Q by Aston Martin customization service and asked for one with a V-8. Why? Who cares… it’s a V-8 shoved into something barely large enough for seats. Be glad that it exists.
Photo by: Nicholas Mee
Photo by: Nicholas Mee
Photo by: Nicholas Mee
Of course, V-8-swapping a Cygnet is no simple task. Aston Martin started with a bare body and fabricated a roll cage, transmission tunnel, front bulkhead, and all the required mounting points to use front and rear subframes from a late 2000s Vantage. The 4.7-liter V-8 also comes from that era Vantage, making 430 horsepower and 361 pound-feet of torque. It goes entirely to the rear wheels through a seven-speed Sportshift automated manual. Considering the ultra-short wheelbase, we suspect parasitic power loss is minimal.
Aston Martin showcased the car at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed before turning it over to its owner. It’s now listed for sale through Nicholas Mee, a dealership north of London that specializes in Aston Martins. The original owner managed to survive approximately 2,900 miles behind the V-8 Cygnet’s wheel, and it’s reportedly still in “almost as new condition.”
Included in the sale is a car cover, technical specifications, and the only Cygnet V8 owner’s manual in existence. Not included: a place to store your immense chutzpah should you actually attempt to reach the car’s quoted top speed of 170 mph.