Balancing convention and innovation will be key.
Aston Martin has great plans for its ultra-luxury marque Lagonda, eyeing a slice of the very lucrative pie that is presently split between fellow British marques Rolls-Royce and Bentley. The Lagonda nameplate was one that was resurrected relatively recently and stuck onto the back of the distinctive (and to this writer, gorgeous) Taraf saloon, which garnered such positive attention worldwide that its initial plan to be offered only in the Middle East was abandoned, in favour of delivering them to every corner of the globe asking for it.
With the automotive industry changing rapidly, with the rise of electric vehicles, the continued popularity of SUVs, and the growth in the high-luxury market, Aston Martin boss Andy Palmer feels that the brand is poised to capitalise on market trends and undo the duopoly enjoyed by existing contenders. However, Palmer will ensure that it will do so while retaining a characteristic flair that befits the Aston Martin brand. This will be encapsulated by the two upcoming Lagonda models, expected to launch by 2023.
“The truth is, I don’t want either of them (the upcoming Lagonda models) to be what you’d call a ‘traditional saloon.’ If we do another three-box saloon, it’s going to be her to break into that market. So what I’m challenging the design guys to do is to look for something that breaks that duopoly [between Rolls-Royce and Bentley], but which still has the appeal to what is a relatively conservative market, and what is still very much a chauffeur-driven market.” — Andy Palmer, CEO, Aston Martin
While there’s little information insofar as the Lagonda models are concerned (like whether those models will join the Lagonda Taraf or perhaps replace it), what is clear is that they’ll enjoy the very latest tech from Aston, like electrified powertrains and even perhaps an all-electric variant. We already know that the Aston Martin DBX crossover will enjoy an electric-only variant, and that will likely trickle down to Lagonda, according to an Autocar report.
“The large car platform, of which the DBX is the first execution, is engineered to accept an electric powertrain. It doesn’t get that at launch, but it does during its lifetime. Not necessarily in the guise of DBX, but that architecture does get an electric drive during its lifetime.” — Andy Palmer, CEO, Aston Martin
What remains to be seen is whether the future Lagonda models will pursue the same market position as the Taraf, which hit the market at a staggering £685,000 (or $1,173,000 thereabouts, or enough to buy a Rolls-Royce, and a Bentley, and a Range Rover in the UK), offsetting the excessive price tag with a very, very limited production run, or if it’ll pursue larger numbers with smaller margins. Regardless, if they look as visually-arresting as the Taraf, you won’t find us complaining.
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