Cygnet is swan hell of a city car

That's affordable by Aston standards, because the Cygnet's starting price of £30,000 is what people usually pay for an executive car. But then only Aston could take a Toyota model and transform it into the world's most luxurious and expensive city car. Their designers have done a clever makeover job on Toyota's quirky IQ model to turn it into a baby Aston Martin.

Although the mechanicals and the basis of the car remain the IQ, every exterior panel apart from the roof has been changed. The transformation is most noticeable at the front where the Cygnet gets the classic Aston chrome grille, plus new headlights. The reshaped bonnet gets Aston air vents that hint at performance that sadly is not under the bonnet.

What is under the bonnet is the 1.3litre Toyota engine, perfectly adequate for a city runabout, but 0-60mph in 11.8 seconds and a top speed of 98mph is hardly Astonesque. On the positive side, no Aston owner will ever have got 58mpg before or C02 emissions of just 197g/km. And that's a key part of what the Cygnet is all about, because if Aston sell the 1,500 a year they expect to, it will dramatically reduce their overall C02 footprint.

But it's on the inside where the designers have really done a brilliant cosmetic job on turning the Cygnet into a true Aston. All the materials and trim are what you find in a "proper" Aston. The leather, aluminium, carbon fibre and wood are all what you would expect to get in a DB9. The Cygnet can transport three adults and a bit of luggage in luxury never seen before in a small car.

The first Cygnets will be handed over to owners next May and Aston already have more than 200 orders, including a couple of people who have also ordered a One-77. The little car will also help to guarantee production jobs at Aston's Gaydon HQ and hopefully create new jobs next year. It will be the perfect city Aston for nipping in and out of traffic, leaving the big models for the weekend runs to the country.Oh to be rich.