Aston Martin will give us a thinly veiled glimpse at the first production model under the reformed Lagonda brand when it launches the car at next month’s Geneva Motor Show. And as Auto Express revealed last year, the debut machine will be a full-sized SUV rival to the Rolls-Royce Cullinan and Bentley Bentayga.
Previewed by a hazy teaser image, the Lagonda All-Terrain concept – which will morph into a production model in 2021 – will spearhead the prelaunch of the luxury brand under the stewardship of Dr Andy Palmer.
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From the teaser image, it’s clear that the All-Terrain will bear familiar design cues to the Lagonda Vision Concept – the car that signalled the rebirth of the marque when it made its debut at last year’s Geneva show.
The headlamps and grille arrangement dominate the bluff front end and seamlessly integrate into a one-piece design. Our exclusive images preview how the finished car could look.
No technical specifications on the Lagonda SUV have been announced, but Palmer has already confirmed that every model to launch under the Lagonda brand will be fully electric. Indeed, the architecture has been designed with solid-state battery technology in mind – the tech is considered to be the next big shift in electric vehicles, allowing for significantly reduced charging times and increased range.
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Talking to Auto Express at the Lagonda’s launch, Palmer said: “There’s so much confusion around what is a hybrid electric – even the Government can’t get it right.
“So we demystify it; if it’s an Aston, it’s probably got a gasoline engine. But if it’s a Lagonda, you know what you’re getting: it’s 100 per cent electric. I’ve been a student of the electric [car] industry since it began, and nobody has replicated what [Elon] Musk did to create a purely 100 per cent electric car company.”
The production version of the All-Terrain concept will be the first of a fleet of zero-emission, luxury Lagondas. Following in its footsteps will be Rolls-Royce Phantom-rivalling saloon, and then possibly a more design-led coupe variant.
Palmer said: “Just being one [electric] car in a range doesn’t make a statement, while saying ‘This brand is electric’, and pinning your hopes and prayers on that technology I think is a more powerful statement that’s easier for the consumer to understand.”
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