Aston Martin working on Cygnet Concept Car based on Toyota iQ

To comply with tough new fuel economy and emissions regulations coming into effect in Europe by 2012, Aston Martin has joined forces with Toyota to develop a new minicar model called the Cygnet, which is based on Toyota’s iQ minicar. The Aston Martin Cygnet is a mix of luxury, compactness and environmental friendliness.

Though it’s still in the concept stage, the production of the car is expected to be given before the end of the year. Aston Martin CEO Ulrich Bez said: "Much work is still required, but I am confident that this project could become reality in the not-too-distant future."

As revealed by the teaser image, the Cygnet will adopt some very distinct Aston Martin trademarks to differentiate it from its Toyota sibling. The vehicle is being designed for Europe but other details such as the launch date, price and production volumes have not been decided.

The car on which it is based, the iQ, measures just three meters in length, is powered by a three-cylinder engine and has a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating. The Cygnet is expected to keep most of these attributes, but its interior is expected to be as luxurious as that found in any other Aston Martin model.

However, if you want to buy a Cygnet, you have to be already own an Aston Martin. The luxury automaker has identified that around 30% of existing customers have small cars such as a Mini or Smart ForTwo in their garages for city traffic.