The Aston Martin Lagonda Taraf was initially planned for the Middle-East, but the British brand has since decided to offer its ultra-luxurious saloon across the globe. There will be a right-hand drive version for the UK too, and sales in markets such as Singapore and South Africa are planned in addition to Europe.
But it won't come cheap - one will cost £696,000 (RM4.46 million) in the UK, according to Autocar. Now where does that put it in comparison with the limos in the market. Well, an extended-wheelbase Rolls-Royce Phantom costs £373,824 while the most luxurious Bentley, the Mulsanne, is priced at £229,360. So one can have a Phantom and a Mulsanne plus a grand tour around the world for less money than a Taraf!
Sitting on Aston Martin's VH architecture, the Lagonda Taraf is powered by a 550 hp 6.0 litre V12 engine paired to a six-speed ZF gearbox. It will be very limited as only 200 units will be built, and customers can personalise their cars via 'Q by Aston Martin', the brand's bespoke service.
They may not be making many of it, but Aston Martin took an almost-completed Lagonda Taraf to Oman in the Middle East, and it completed a total of 22,530 km in four weeks there. The main focus of testing was to ensure that its components, air conditioning and interior trims could bear the extreme heat - the car had surpassed expectations.
Design director of Aston Martin, Marek Reichman labelled the Lagonda Taraf as a piece of automotive art. It has been designed and developed entirely in keeping with the spirit and ethos of previous Lagonda super saloons – notably the William Towns Lagonda – and as a tribute to this car it proudly bears the Lagonda nameplate, he said.
To be hand-built in Gaydon, UK, Reichman said that the Lagonda Taraf was developed together with a select few of Aston Martin's "most important" clients. Measuring in at 5,396 mm with a wheelbase of 3,189 mm, the super-sedan is a long car indeed.
The masterpiece was well thought out, seeing that it even took styling ideas from a classic Riva powerboat, while its panels are made out of carbonfibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP), bonded to the aluminium surface of the VH platform, the reason being that the material performs better in high temperatures.
Additionally, Reichman says that the finishing that has been applied to the CFRP consists of Aston Martin's own patented coating, seven layers of paint and with 21 hours worth of lacquer and polishing done to it. Quite some machine, but it has to be for the price!
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