Goodwood Festival of Speed 2018: Aston Martin debuts one-off Cygnet V8

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Aston Martin is showcasing a one-off version of its Cygnet city car at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this weekend.

Production of the Toyota IQ-based hatchback ended back in 2013, but an Aston Martin customer has commissioned a bespoke version powered by a 4.7-litre V8 engine taken from the previous generation Vantage S sports car, Auto Express reports.

The 430bhp motor is 3.4 litres larger and 333bhp more powerful than the base car’s four-cylinder engine, the magazine says. This helps the pocket-rocket achieve 0-62mph in just 4.2 seconds - faster than the car from it takes its engine.

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Along with the jump in power, Aston Martin has kitted out the Cygnet V8 with the seven-speed Sportshift II automatic transmission from the Vantage S, says Autocar.

Interior luxuries such as leather trim and steering wheel-mounted buttons have been ditched, to help keep weight to a minimum. There’s also a roll-cage, bucket seats and a carbon-fibre dashboard.

Meanwhile, the bodywork has been given a thorough overhaul in order to accommodate the larger engine and chassis modifications.

The most notable changes include wider wheel arches, a dual exhaust system and five-spoke wheels derived from the outgoing Vantage.

The one-off car was created by Aston Martin’s Q branch, a special operations team that works with the wealthiest customers to built unique versions of the company’s models.

According to Top Gear, not only is this latest creation completely road legal, but Aston Martin also claims the Cygnet would only need a few minor tweaks to make it compliant for racing events held by the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the governing body of international motorsport.

Fans attending the Festival of Speed can see the one-off city car in action in the event’s famed 1.16-mile hill climb. The festival kicks off today at Goodwood House in Chichester, West Sussex, and runs until 15 July.