Aston Martin eyes Lagonda comeback

The last time we saw an Aston Martin Lagonda on the street, it looked like its sharp angles could deflect not only police radar and laser, but give pedestrians a paper cut if they weren't careful. And the last time we saw a Lagonda concept -- at the 2009 Geneva motor show -- it looked like, well, like what you see above. We're still not sure what we see above, and leading scientists aren't sure, either. But Lagonda is still on track to make a comeback, according to the Australian automotive news website Drive.

Speaking with Drive, Aston Martin boss Dr. Ulrich Bez said, "I am confident, in the future, we will see a Lagonda on the road. I cannot say [if it will be] in three weeks or three years, but I am confident it will be there.”

Bez didn't say whether Lagonda's comeback was guaranteed to take on the shape of an SUV, like the vehicle that was presented at the Geneva show in '09.

"With the Lagonda name, we have the chance to use it for everything that goes beyond what is our base car line, and preferably it will be something like an SUV. But it could be -- if I look at the next five- or 10-year period -- then I could see a variety of possibilities," Bez said.

With Bentley, Rolls-Royce and Maserati keen on getting into the SUV game, being the early adopters they are, most rumors that have swirled around the potential Lagonda comeback have involved an SUV and perhaps a limousine, one not too dissimilar from the current Aston Martin Rapide. Bez confirmed to Drive that an SUV-bodied vehicle would have the best chance of making it into production.

At the time of the 2009 Geneva show, where the polarizing concept debuted, Bez said the following about the century-old marque: “Lagonda will create a new kind of customer relationship, instilling the spirit of travel, adventure and style into a single, formidable package. An Aston Martin demands to be driven. A Lagonda demands a destination.”

By Jay Ramey