Aston Martin Lagonda has been missing for over two decades, and that is what makes the unveiling of the Lagonda Vision Concept at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show that much more special. Production of the high-end emission-free luxury Lagonda Vision vehicles will begin in 2021. Aston Martin aims for Lagonda being the world’s first zero emission luxury brand. The Lagonda Vision will combine electrification and autonomous driving technologies, two of the hottest topics in the automotive scene in the world today.
“We believe people associate luxury in their cars with a certain traditional and even old-fashioned approach because, to date, that is all that’s been available to them,” commented Aston Martin President and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Andy Palmer. “Lagonda exists to challenge that thinking and prove that being modern and luxurious are not mutually exclusive concepts.”
Aston Martin Lagonda Vision Concept will serve as a blueprint for future Lagonda models that will be seen as soon as 2021. Aston Martin also has two 40% scale models of a coupe and an SUV concept, to demonstrate how Lagonda design language could be adapted in future.
“The Lagonda Vision Concept is an incredibly bold design statement,’ said Aston Martin EVP and Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman. “The electrification revolution means there is no longer any need for horse and carriage design, and our new concept shows the scope of design opportunities that open up once you no longer need to provide space for a large power source directly in front of the passenger compartment. In the Lagonda Vision Concept, the batteries occupy the floor of the car. Everything above that line belongs to us.”
The Lagonda Vision Concept was designed from the inside out. Since there was space to be created for an internal combustion engine and transmission, Aston Martin designers could optimise the interior for the last bit of detail, and then work the car around it.
Aston Martin Lagonda Vision Concept does not have a bonnet as it doesn’t need one. But it does need to be aerodynamic and hence has been given a very sleek front end.
The Lagonda Vision Concept has been configured to accept powerful solid state electric batteries enabling it to cover up to 650 km between charges. That’s the distance from Los Angeles to San Francisco, London to Edinburgh or Berlin to Vienna without stopping. The concept has also has been designed to be compatible with the latest wireless conductive charging technology.
The car makes full use of Aston Martin’s experience in multi-material bonding techniques, creating a structure that is light for an all-electric luxury car, structurally stiff and space efficient. It will also make the most of its electric drive system to provide intelligent all-wheel drive, capable of delivering anything from 100 to zero percent of available torque to any given wheel according to demand.
