So much power in such a tiny package.
The Aston Martin Cygnet is back – and with a vengeance. Instead of its original, rinky dink 1.33-liter engine underhood producing just 97 horsepower (72 kilowatts), the Cygnet now wields a raucous 4.7-liter V8 and a few extra performance goodies. At this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, the feisty hatchback unleashed all 430 horses (320 kW) on the annual hillclimb event – and it looked like so much fun.
First thing you’ll notice is that this Cygnet sounds absolutely bonkers, at least for a car of its size. The engine was ripped from a Vantage S, and the exhaust tips are definitely not the same set that came on the car when new. The 19-inch alloys – which are three inches larger than the original set – wrapped in performance rubber, and flared fenders also give the tiny car a more aggressive look.
Watch more cars take the climb:
It was genuinely speedy up the hill, too. Driven by racing driver James Walker, the Cygnet sprinted down the front straight, carved up a few corners, and even hung out its rear at one point. Goodwood doesn’t list an official time for it yet, but it looked quick.
With all its new performance add-ons, the Cygnet can sprint to 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) in just 4.2 seconds, and on to a top speed 170 mph (274 kmh). That’s a significant upgrade from the outgoing model, which conquered 62 mph in just 11.8 seconds, and a top speed of 106 mph (171 kmh). Whatever the case it’s adorable, and we hope Aston Martin puts it into a limited production run.
Source: Goodwood Festival of Speed via YouTube
