Aston Martin Lagonda Gets the Green Light

Aston Martin’s boss, Ulrich Bez, has given the Lagonda SUV the green light, saying that it was a “go” and that it “will not stand on one leg,” thus implying that it will be a whole range of models and not just a stand-alone vehicle, as Autocar reports.

At the moment, the British sportscar maker is trying to find financial backing for the project and a partner from whom to source the platform. “Daimler spent around a billion relaunching the Maybach brand,” said Bez. “But we can do Lagonda for a small fraction of that cost.”

Te concept version of the SUV was based on the Mercedes Benz GL-Klasse. Bez admitted that a partnership with the German carmaker remained “a good concept”. This would become even more true if the rumored deal for Aston to develop future Maybachs becomes a reality.

The Aston Martin Lagonda Concept was unveiled at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show to celebrate 100 years of car production under the Lagonda brand. The idea of an Aston SUV was not received well by the public, it showed the direction in which Aston Martin would like to go with the brand.

Ulrich Bez, CEO of Aston Martin, said at the time of the unveil: ”The Lagonda brand would allow us to develop cars which can have a different character than a sports car. Lagonda will have its own niche with luxurious and truly versatile products suitable for both existing and emerging markets.”

“Aston Martin is present in 35 countries but there are limits to where you can drive a sports car,” said Janette Green, Aston’s director of brand communications, justifying the need for the model. “In Russia, for example, you need a car that can cope with difficult roads and harsh winters.”