Aston Martin Cygnet: Handcrafted, too?

Whatever you make of Aston Martin's wacky plan to take the Toyota iQ city car and turn it into a swan of its own, you have to credit the British luxury automaker. Not only will it take on the green movement with a four-seat, 1.0-liter car badge engineered from the Toyota - it will do it with the bespoke ordering customary to all Aston Martin owners.

Britain's AutoExpress magazine reports that Aston Martin Cygnet owners will be able to outfit their very, very small Astons with as much special trim as any other of the company's models, from the new Rapide to the stunning Vantage roadster.

Aston guru Dr. Ulrich Bez says there will be "no compromise" for buyers interested in the ultra-luxury urban commuter, which Toyota introduced last year to European consumers. By no compromise Bez said that would mean everything from wood, leather and carbon-fiber trim for the interior of the new vehicle.

Still, under the hood, the Aston Cygnet will sport the same 1.0-liter engine and 60-mpg capability that's a stark contrast to the usual V-8 and V-12 engines that charge the performance of other Astons. The key to the Cygnet, though, won't be the performance angle--a somewhat astonishing statement from a brand that's known for sheer performance, not to mention the gadgetry of the James Bond cars.

Bez says instead, the Cygnet will be an "intelligent purchase for people concerned about the environment." And based on that, he expects to sell 4,,000 copies of the Cygnet each year.