Aston Martin confirmed plans to bring back the legendary Lagonda with its first models appearing in 2012. At the recent announcement of the marque's revival, Dr Ulrich Bez, Aston Martin CEO, was quoted to say, "After my eight years with Aston Martin, four with profitability, and 16 months of independence, it's time to think about a longer term future."
Currently, the British automaker sells in 32 countries, but Ulrich hopes that the Lagonda will be available in more than 100 countries.
By reviving the long lost brand, Aston Martin will be able to reserve its own logo for the sports models such as the impending Vantage V12 RS and the One-77 supercar, while retaining the ability to create other cars of different taste.
"We have now investigated and concluded that the revival of the Lagonda brand would allow us to develop cars which can have a different character than a sports car, and therefore offer a perfect synergy," said Ulrich.
"Lagonda will use a unique design language as Aston Martin does. We will take elements of DNA from the past but will be very future orientated as we are with Aston Martin. With Lagonda offering exclusive, luxurious and truly versatile products with high quality and usability and suitable for both existing and emerging markets, I believe we can be present in more than 100 countries in the world."
Also, as a way to commemorate Lagonda's upcoming 100th anniversary next year, the British automaker plans to launch a new Lagonda concept. Though details are few at this moment, it has been suggested that Ulrich's description of the concept as "truly versatile" points to a possible SUV or crossover concept. If true, it would fit right into Aston Martin's plans to sell in growing markets such as the Middle-East, Russia, and China where the demand for these types of vehicles are high.
source:nextautos
