Aston Martin Cygnet with a V12...

[daan]

The Aston Martin Cygnet city car could be sold with the firm’s V12 engine if there is sufficient customer demand.

Sources suggest that a feasibility study has already been completed, and that the 6.0-litre V12 from its range-topping cars will fit the tiny city car’s engine bay without extensive modifications.

Other upgrades to allow the Toyota IQ-based Cygnet to handle the weight, horsepower and torque of the powertrain are said to be “significant but not insurmountable”. It is likely, however, that the V12 would have to be detuned significantly from the 510bhp it produces in the new DB9 and Vantage models.

The Cygnet is currently sold in one state of tune, powered by Toyota’s 97bhp 1.3-litre petrol unit.

If Aston gives the go-ahead for a production Cygnet V12 it is likely to be sold as a project car much like the Nissan Juke R has been. The Juke R, which fits the Nissan GT-R’s running gear into a Juke supermini body, sells for around £400,000. It was put into limited production, mainly for the Middle East market, following a positive reaction to the concept car’s creation.

From Autocar


All I can say is...

 

[gamerdog6482]

That is gold!!

Oh wait, you're serious?

 

[Tornado]

Meanwhile, you can't even make the one in Forza AWD. What a jip!

 

[daan]

That is gold!!

Oh wait, you're serious?

I did check to make sure it wasn't April before I posted it.

I can't believe the V12 will fit.

 

[MatskiMonk]

I thought these rumours were debunked a few days ago:

Autocar sources suggest the company has already completed a feasibility study and has determined that the 6.0-liter V12 that outputs 510 bhp (380 kW) and 457 lb-ft (620 Nm) of torque will fit in the engine bay without major modifications. However, the car would still have to be upgraded to handle the additional weight and power of the V12.
Smelling a rat, the fun-loving gents at Jalopnik.com followed up with a call to Aston Martin's Matthew Clarke who responded, "Looks like they were reheating a Jalopnik story to me." Surely the Jalops will take that as a compliment, but Clarke adds that nothing has been built as of yet.
That's neither an admission or denial but since the idea is so preposterous Jalopnik's Matt Hardigree flat out doesn't believe it. Neither do we!

 

[gamerdog6482]

Why?
Next we'll see a W18 in a Smart.

 

[nealcropper]

There's no way a 6 litre v12 can fit in there. It would have to be...... No its not gonna happen.

 

[GTPorsche]

The only way that would work, is if the V12 was put into the passenger compartment and the driver sat on the hood... or what little hood there is.

 

[gamerdog6482]

Or if that made the hood six feet long.
Which would be terrible.

 

[niky]

If by "engine bay", they mean everything forward of the B pillar, sure. An Aygo has a much smaller engine bay than a Juke, and a V12 is much longer than a V6. Definitely shenanigans.

The only way they're fitting that motor in there is if they do what Nissan did with the Micra V6. Stuff the motor behind the driver.

 

[Beeblebrox237]

I would love to see this happen.

 

[sneakypete123]

Why?
Next we'll see a W18 in a Smart.

Have you ever seen the Smart with the Suzuki Hyabusa engine in it?
That looked insane and it was only a 1300cc bike engine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5S1NAMnYKM

 

[analog]

If by "engine bay", they mean everything forward of the B pillar, sure. An Aygo has a much smaller engine bay than a Juke, and a V12 is much longer than a V6. Definitely shenanigans.

The only way they're fitting that motor in there is if they do what Nissan did with the Micra V6. Stuff the motor behind the driver.

The Cygnet/IQ is quite a wide car (it's short but wide), maybe they're going for a transversely placed engine which perhaps could just about fit?
Anyway, bonkers idea.

 

[Famine]

Might be the time to mention that the V8 will actually fit.

 

[nealcropper]

Might be the time to mention that the V8 will actually fit.

Yes, that's as maybe, but the OP said the V12. More specifically the 6.0l V12.

Do you think it will fit famine?

Thats a genuine question BTW. No sarcasm intended.

 

[Beeblebrox237]

I read, in the article linked from the OP, that the V12 will fit with some modifications.

...the 6.0-litre V12 from its range-topping cars will fit the tiny city car’s engine bay without extensive modifications.

Other upgrades to allow the Toyota IQ-based Cygnet to handle the weight, horsepower and torque of the powertrain are said to be “significant but not insurmountable”.

Read more: http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motoring/aston-martin-cygnet-v12-possible

 

[nealcropper]

I heard that the V12 will fit, mounted behind the driver, with some modifications.

Yeah the modifications would be to make behind the seats bigger.

Have you ever been in a I.Q? Again no sarcasm intended. My girlfriends cousin has one and it is tiny. If you put an engine behind the driver 3/4 of it would be poking out the rear window. There is no space anywhere in that car for a V12. Not to mention the gearbox to go with it.

EDIT: Also the I.Q is supposed to be a compact car, it can't be that compact if it can fit a ruddy great 6.0l V12 inside with some modification. It's a ridiculous claim.

 

[Beeblebrox237]

Yeah the modifications would be to make behind the seats bigger.

Have you ever been in a I.Q? Again no sarcasm intended. My girlfriends cousin has one and it is tiny. If you put an engine behind the driver 3/4 of it would be poking out the rear window. There is no space anywhere in that car for a V12. Not to mention the gearbox to go with it.

EDIT: Also the I.Q is supposed to be a compact car, it can't be that compact if it can fit a ruddy great 6.0l V12 inside with some modification. It's a ridiculous claim.

Sorry, I mistyped. It will supposedly fit in front, not in back. I have been in an IQ, and it is pretty small. The engine might fit, though.

 

[SuperShouden]

You do know, with a 570hp V12...that car won't turn. It just won't. I don't even know if it would handle normal city driving. But...it would definitely get the Top Gear award for Comically Bad Handling.

 

[nealcropper]

Sorry, I mistyped. It will supposedly fit in front, not in back. I have been in an IQ, and it is pretty small. The engine might fit, though.

No problem pal, I'm not trying to have an argument here, just a debate.

I still can't see the engine fitting in front of the driver either. I mean the actual engine might fit, but what about everything that goes with it?

 

[gamerdog6482]

Maybe they'll put the engine it facing up, and make the car 18' tall.
I'd buy that.

 

[Wiegert]

You do know, with a 570hp V12...that car won't turn. It just won't. I don't even know if it would handle normal city driving. But...it would definitely get the Top Gear award for Comically Bad Handling.

Uh...

the V12 would have to be detuned significantly from the 510bhp

I imagine the power being reduced to something closer to the amount which the DB7 V12 Vantage had (Probably somewhere around 400bhp). I know it's still a silly amount for such a small vehicle, but it's not as ludicrous as them keeping the same amount of power the engine has in the DBS.

As for making the thing turn, That's something they'll have to deal with once they've managed to shoehorn the V12 into it. I don't see handling being the main focus of this project though.

 

[niky]

No problem pal, I'm not trying to have an argument here, just a debate.

I still can't see the engine fitting in front of the driver either. I mean the actual engine might fit, but what about everything that goes with it?

In much the same vein as a V8 might fit in there...

Which probably answers the questions about handling. As I recall, the Rover powered Micra handled like a hammer. It'd only turn after you'd slowed down baaically to a stop. The front wheels need to be moved two or three feet forward to compensate.

 

[Eric.]

If by "engine bay", they mean everything forward of the B pillar, sure. An Aygo has a much smaller engine bay than a Juke, and a V12 is much longer than a V6. Definitely shenanigans.

The only way they're fitting that motor in there is if they do what Nissan did with the Micra V6. Stuff the motor behind the driver.

You mean in the proper place?

 

[niky]

The proper place for a V12 is between the legs.

Of course, not everyone swings that way.

Just looked it up. The 5.9 liter V12 is, near as I can figure, about 90cm long, without the gearbox.

The Cygnet is just over 3m long. The engine bay is nowhere near 1m long.

Only way it's fitting in there is if they extend the nose... like so:

I just don't see it happening.

 

[Famine]

Yes, that's as maybe, but the OP said the V12. More specifically the 6.0l V12.

Do you think it will fit famine?

Thats a genuine question BTW. No sarcasm intended.

I seriously doubt it - and I've not heard of Aston even contemplating working it out, as Jalopnik claim but as Aston themselves pooh-pooh.

But the V8 does.

 

[Beeblebrox237]

No problem pal, I'm not trying to have an argument here, just a debate.

I still can't see the engine fitting in front of the driver either. I mean the actual engine might fit, but what about everything that goes with it?

I have to agree that I doubt it will fit. However, is it possible that they mount it transversely and give it AWD? I've no idea it that would work or not.

 

[analog]

Regardless of all technological issues, wasn't the main reason the Cygnet came into existence in the first place to reduce Aston's overall carbon emissions?
The thing is an embarrassment already being nothing more than a tarted up IQ but at least it has a purpose.
But maybe Aston has a new motto, if you're going to be sad, be tragic.

 

[Beeblebrox237]

The Cygnet was a joke, let's face it. However, the V12 version may well be epic, if it actually works...

 

[Tornado]

Regardless of all technological issues, wasn't the main reason the Cygnet came into existence in the first place to reduce Aston's overall carbon emissions?
The thing is an embarrassment already being nothing more than a tarted up IQ but at least it has a purpose.
But maybe Aston has a new motto, if you're going to be sad, be tragic.

From what I read, it was envisioned to do that, but there was a revision to the EU requirements that made Aston exempt from them anyway due to their small volume; so the thing really was pointless by the time it came out.