The Aston Martin Lagonda Vision Concept
The luxury sedan of the future.
Shown earlier this month at the Geneva International Motor Show, the Lagonda Vision Concept is the first step Aston Martin has taken to establish a new brand focused on luxury, zero emission vehicles. Generally, I do not get excited about concept cars, yet the Vision Concept merits a closer look. A study in what a luxury sedan could be in the near future, the Vision Concept balances a cutting-edge aesthetic with the next-generation driving technology.
Intended to begin production in as little as three years, the Vision Concept was designed from the ground up as an electric vehicle, and Lagonda has developed a design language that is not constrained by the conventions and limitations of a traditional internal combustion vehicle. Batteries are relegated to the floor, and no space is wasted through the need to accommodate a large engine, fuel tank, or transmission.
In explaining their new luxury platform, Aston Martin executive vice presidentand chief creative officer Marek Reichman said, ‘The shape of the Lagonda Vision Concept is the result of satisfying a number of different requirements. So, while Aston Martin design language can be seen as organic and natural, that of Lagonda is more sculptural, shocking, and challenging. It is a shape formed by the collision of invisible forces, like those made by magnetic particles in an electrical current.” You can see that liquid metal character in the Vision Concept’s smooth, wedge-like shape, which is aerodynamic and allows for the most efficient application of power from its electric motors. With an expansive glass roof, a high beltline, and an almost eighties silhouette, it’s stunningly beautiful.
“While Aston Martin design language can be seen as organic and natural, that of Lagonda is more sculptural, shocking, and challenging.”
Though smaller than most vehicles offering similar internal space, the Vision Concept can comfortably seat four adults in an open, airy cabin. The interior, designed by British craftsman David Snowdon, is like nothing else—an architectural mix of glass, cashmere, silk, carbon fiber, and ceramics. Seats are wool covered, carpets are thick silk shag, and various conveniences are controlled via an array of ceramic tiles and touch controllers. While this is certainly not the first time wool has been used to upholster seats in a car (some Japanese executive cars have done this for many years and to great success), Lagonda entrusted none other than famed Savile Row tailors Henry Poole to the job, ensuring no thread was out of place for the Vision Concept.
With a roof panel that lifts when the doors are opened, getting in or out of the lovely futuristic interior could not be easier. Each seat is its own chair, with an open flat floor making the cabin appear much less confined than that of a normal car. We’ve become so used to our insulated and leather clad executive sedans that it can be hard to envision what the next generation may hold in store.
Lagonda is hoping to have two models, both based on the Vision Concept, available by 2023. Concept cars can be tech demos, or design studies, or simply commentary on the changing sociology surrounding the automobile, and the Lagonda Vision Concept is all of these things. Highlighting the focus to develop an emissions-free electric vehicle that is stylish, luxurious but not wasteful, passenger-focused, technologically advanced, and unencumbered by the conventions of the modern car, the Vision Concept offers a look at what might be in store for the next generation of the luxury sedan.
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