Aston Martin Tries to Make Impression on the SUV Market With the Lagonda SUV Concept
After all the automobile giants like Mercedes, Porsche, Audi, etc. luxury car makers have also decided of making their way into the segment and bring for the SUV world some of the most luxurious (and expensive!) SUVs ever seen! After the news of Bentley, Rolls Royce and Lamborghini stepping into the category, we couldn’t think of any other but Aston Martin, who had signed a deal with Mercedes – AMG some time back.
Aston Martin first revealed its Lagonda SUV Concept at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, which was not liked very much by the SUV world as critics as well as SUV lovers did not really develop a liking for the vehicle. The company realized that there would have been a lot of changes to be made before they could expect good sales result after launching the SUV. A thing to be noticed is that this was before the company signed the deal with Mercedes – AMG. With access to the latter’s excellent engineering and electronic assets, Aston Martin has planned of making the Lagonda all different. One of the largest changes to be made is that the Lagonda will now feature Mercedes Benz GL Class platform. Earlier it sat on the Mercedes Benz M Class platform.
All that Aston Martin is going through for the Lagonda SUV Concept reminds us of Porsche’s story which happened during the launch of the Cayenne. The SUV was also highly criticized during its concept period. People accused the Cayenne of being ugly as per Porsche standards. However, after the release of the SUV, Porsche reported huge rises in sales, and the Cayenne turned out to be a huge success. A lot of people are saying that the Lagonda is extremely ugly, especially since Aston Martin has presented gorgeous vehicles like the DB9 and the One – 77 to the world. However, the performance and luxury quotients of the Lagonda are unquestionable! It’s an Aston Martin after all!
As far as the engine is concerned, we’re pretty sure that the company will put in a 6000cc V12 engine in the SUV. Lagonda will definitely be a four wheel drive vehicle, and will share motors with the legendary Aston MartinDB9. One admirable thing about the Lagonda is that the SUV will come with a wode number of available powertrains, and customers will be given a choice as per their will. One will be able to choose from a diesel variant, petrol as well as a hybrid option. This facility combined with the capabilities of the all-wheel drive system that comes with the Lagonda makes it a very potential vehicle for off road experiences!
We agree that the exteriors of the car are not as good as is expected from the company, but they have definitely set a new bar when it comes to luxurious and elegant interiors. However, Aston martin will definitely face extreme competition as it is entering a segment where giants like Porsche, Audi, Volkswagen, etc. have already made deep impressions. Beating legendary SUVs like the Cayenne, Touareg, Q7, etc. would definitely be very tough. We would love to see how the improved Lagonda fares in the SUV market.
