Aston Martin Revives Lagonda at Geneva 2009

[Deleted member 25]

To ******* revive Lagonda for making an SUV is a pure sacrilege to begin with, but to have the guts and come up with a concept that is not even worth to be labelled as a caricature of a Kia concept is unforgivable.

 

[LaArtist]

wow..how amazingly ugly..

 

[ateekt]

What the heck is that? Is it me or for real, this thing is inspired by the Infiniti Fx with crack-head update!

 

[modena_360stradale]

Just no... It is a pointless brand with a pointless car.

Maybe I'm just sentimental, but I wouldn't mind seeing Lagonda come back. It does have some history. From being engineered by Bentley, raced at Le Mans, to being taken over by Aston.

This Lagonda, with its 'modern' 4.5-Liter V12, was supposed to be Bentley's masterpiece. It was designed and built in a few months, and won 3rd overall at LeMans:

This "Lagonda", designed and built in who cares, is a piece of garbage:

I hope that settles that.

 

[Centurion]

I don't get why they have a graphic of a vintage GT on the background wall as the concept share absolutely no similarities with it at all. The rear carry resemblance of an out door rubbish bin:

 

[Merc1]

Amazing....I'm waiting for someone to post that this was a joke.

I was expecting a huge sedan like a Phantom or Maybach, something the opposite of the Rapide.


M

 

[Merc1]

From CAR:

Aston Martin shocked the Geneva motor show today when it unveiled the Lagonda Concept, a V12-engined SUV that’s designed to spearhead the expansion of the company into over 100 countries.

And it's the first fruits of a new collaboration between Aston and Mercedes-Benz, which will provide the 4x4 hardware and engine tech - from the Merc GL SUV.



Aston Martin Lagonda Concept unveiled at Geneva motor show 2009



OH NO. Not the kinda of collaboration I had in mind.


M

 

[Monster]

From CAR:

Aston Martin shocked the Geneva motor show today when it unveiled the Lagonda Concept, a V12-engined SUV that’s designed to spearhead the expansion of the company into over 100 countries.

And it's the first fruits of a new collaboration between Aston and Mercedes-Benz, which will provide the 4x4 hardware and engine tech - from the Merc GL SUV.



Aston Martin Lagonda Concept unveiled at Geneva motor show 2009



OH NO. Not the kinda of collaboration I had in mind.


M

So instead of launching a Maybach SUV, Mercedes con Aston into reviving the old Lagonda name and use someone else's name for its experiment.

 

[Merc1]

I was just think that....at least Maybach won't have to suffer this blunder.

Something tells me though that the reaction to it will cause the project to be cancelled. Such an SUV is just out of fashion now. Lagonda should be doing a sedan or coupe, not an SUV. I think (and hope) they'll realize that.

M

 

[Monster]

I was just think that....at least Maybach won't have to suffer this blunder.

Something tells me though that the reaction to it will cause the project to be cancelled. Such an SUV is just out of fashion now. Lagonda should be doing a sedan or coupe, not an SUV. I think (and hope) they'll realize that.

M

I hope they will realise there is no place in the market for the Lagonda brand. I am guessing Lagonda went for the SUV because Mercedes don't want Lagonda to compete with its future products, eg another sedan and a coupe, if there is indeed a future for the Maybach brand.

 

[Merc1]

I'm afraid the brand is a go, but hopefully this SUV isn't. I can see a big sedan of some sort that isn't so sporty like the 4-door DB9. Something to replace that squared off one from the 80's. Then again that would be in direct competition with Maybach. Oh well, we'll just have to see how things shake out.

M

 

[Centurion]

Sorry but I just can't see AM launching a V12 SUV. After the current recession the auto industry will never be the same again. V12s are dead and big and heavy SUVs have taken a few punches too. IMO a hybrid is a much more economically feasible way to go rather than choosing a highly politically incorrect V12, especially when BMW might go KERS in the future. I do believe that there is space for an upper end luxury market. The 100-150 price spectrum is saturated with sports cars like the Turbo, R8, F430 and everything else but there are very few four door cars in that price spectrum. Bentley Continental Flying Spur is the only car four door car with an asking price in that spectrum. If people don't mind driving a two door pig like the Bentley CGT then I'm sure AM will find plenty of buyers for this SUV. It wouldn't surprise me if the CEOs at VAG are bulging their eyes now creating a plan for putting a Bentley SUV in the showrooms the minute AM presents a production ready concept of their unholy dream.

That article high lights what I said in the 77-One thread, AM and MB are in bed together.

 

[Merc1]

From AUTOWEEK:

Big, brash and bold, Aston Martin pulled the wraps off a super-luxury $210,000 Lagonda SUV at the Geneva motor show with plans to relaunch a brand dormant since the 1990s.

With styling that mixes a modern, BMW-look front end with a retro rear end based on a classic 1930s Lagonda, the 204.7-inch-long SUV possesses plenty of presence, but it can’t be described as beautiful.

The retro rear styling, in particular, doesn’t sit well with the SUV proportions and modern front end.

As yet there’s no commitment to production; 2012 is the earliest date Aston will consider.

“It’s far too early to talk about production, production numbers or future planning,” Aston chairman Dave Richards said.

Launching such an ostentatious model in the teeth of the worst recession in 60 years might also appear not to be the best timing.

“But we’re looking long-term here, 10 to 15 years,” sales director Bill Donnelly said. ”This recession will end and there’s still plenty of wealth in the world and will be in the future, too.”

The substance under the Lagonda is a Mercedes-Benz GL platform, offered up by Daimler as part of an ongoing discussion between the two companies about future cooperation.

Daimler is interested in Aston’s expertise in making luxury cars for the next Maybach, while Aston needs access to Mercedes-Benz powertrain technology.

It’s not hard to see the Lagonda concept as a tryout for that project.

In the meantime, Aston is talking about the Lagonda SUV as a niche for super-luxury cars in countries where road and weather conditions are tough and render conventional luxury sedans and sports cars unusable for many months of the year.

Russia, China, South America, India and the more remote parts of the United States are on Aston’s hit list.

Aston also sees the Lagonda as a way to extend the number of countries where it sells. Currently it sells in 33 countries around the world and reckons the Lagonda will extend that to 100.

The Mercedes underpinnings give the Lagonda strong engineering credentials. Aston, under design chief Marek Reichman, has kept key hard points the same--so the front axle, lower A- and B-pillars and firewall are in the same positions. The door hinges are carryover, too, although Reichman expects to tool new doors to ensure the styling suffers no compromises.

Under the hood is an Aston Martin V12, tilted up at the front to fit over the GL’s front axle.

The front overhang is extended to accommodate the longer Aston engine. The rear seat is moved back to a position halfway between the second and third rows of the GL’s layout, which boosts legroom.

Although the cabin has individual rear seats, both fold forward to turn the Lagonda’s cabin into a practical load bay, helped by access through a hatchback rear door.

Aston has yet to decide how to make the Lagonda, if the project ever gets the green light.

Reichman says the bodywork could be tooled in either steel or aluminum. The latter is Aston’s material of choice for its sports-car range, so the company has plenty of experience in forming aluminum panels.

Reichman says that despite the clean-looking body sides, the mix of soft curves and crisp edges in some panels will be a challenge to manufacture.


Geneva motor show: Lagonda reborn as SUV concept


Makes you think it will get built, but I too say it won't!


M

 

[Centurion]

2012 isn't exactly tomorrow which gives them plenty of time to observe and assess suitability for market. Since the car will be all GL under the skirt, AM would most likely only need 18 months of so for testing and then they're good to go.

 

[modena_360stradale]

I don't get why they have a graphic of a vintage GT on the background wall as the concept share absolutely no similarities with it at all. The rear carry resemblance of an out door rubbish bin:

The rear of the car follows the roofline down to the trunk like on the original. It's a modern take on an old style.

 

[modena_360stradale]

I hope they will realise there is no place in the market for the Lagonda brand. I am guessing Lagonda went for the SUV because Mercedes don't want Lagonda to compete with its future products, eg another sedan and a coupe, if there is indeed a future for the Maybach brand.

That's almost like saying there's no place in the market for Pagani or Bugatti because there's already Ferrari and Lamborghini.

The problem isn't with there being a new company named Lagonda, the problem is with the hideous concept they've rolled out.

 

[Monster]

That's almost like saying there's no place in the market for Pagani or Bugatti because there's already Ferrari and Lamborghini.

The problem isn't with there being a new company named Lagonda, the problem is with the hideous concept they've rolled out.

I was expecting someone to say that, the thing is Pagani and Bugatti offers something absolutely unique and desirable, it captures our imagination. There is less limitations to how they position their product in the market where else Lagonda is in this Maybach/Mercedes+Aston sandwich. I agree the main problem with Lagonda is this hideous concept, but even if they roll out something different, I can't imagine it could be any different to what Aston already has or will offer. The Lagonda brand could have the potential to suffer the same fate as Maybach.

 

[modena_360stradale]

I was expecting someone to say that, the thing is Pagani and Bugatti offers something absolutely unique and desirable, it captures our imagination. There is less limitations to how they position their product in the market where else Lagonda is in this Maybach/Mercedes+Aston sandwich. I agree the main problem with Lagonda is this hideous concept, but even if they roll out something different, I can't imagine it could be any different to what Aston already has or will offer. The Lagonda brand could have the potential to suffer the same fate as Maybach.

I couldn't agree more

 

[NarutoRamen]

exactly....

 

[Wolfgang]

The Lagonda reminds me a little of the Lincoln Navicross, a previous design by Marek Reichman.

2003 Lincoln Navicross - Images, Specifications and Information