New Aston Martin Lagonda flies economy class to Oman

The new Aston Martin Lagonda has debuted online, with the car revealed on its arrival in Oman for hot weather testing.  

Following last month’s teaser image, this is our first proper look at the new V12-powered four-door saloon, seen here in official photographs released by Oman Air, who took on the task of transporting the prototype.

It’s a fitting location to put the revived Lagonda through its paces, as the latest limited-run Aston Martin will only be offered to a select group of Middle Eastern customers on an invitation-only basis.

Developed by Aston’s design chief Marek Reichmann, the car's exterior styling borrows heavily from the 1976 Lagonda’s iconic wedge-shape, as well as featuring more modern touches that reference the Rapide. As we reported when the new Lagonda was first spied back in May, the angular boot, roofline and flanks also provide further nods to the William Towns-designed original.

Technical details are still under wraps, but it’s understood power will come from the same 5.9-litre V12 engine that powers the Vanquish. That should see at least 565bhp sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed automatic gearbox, resulting in a top speed close to 200mph and a 0-62mph time of around five seconds.

Like its 1976 predecessor, which pioneered the use of LED instrumentation in its interior, the new Lagonda will employ cutting edge car design tech including carbon fibre bodywork. Underpinning this will be the same aluminium VH platform that underpins all current Astons, but with a stretched wheelbase to create more legroom in the rear.

Each car will be hand-built at the firm's Gaydon factory using the same facilities that previously produced the One-77 and under the auspices of the 'Q by Aston Martin' special projects division responsible for the CC100 roadster. 

“We are so proud to have the Lagonda here on the ground for the first time, and Oman is the ideal testing-ground for a car which has been specifically designed for customers in the Middle East,” commented Neil Slade, Aston Martin’s General Manager for the Middle East and North Africa.

Pricing has not yet been revealed, but expect the Lagonda to retail for north of £400,000, with the production run limited to around 100. A full reveal is likely to take place towards the end of this year, ahead of deliveries in 2015.

What do you think of the new Aston Martin Lagonda? Is this the right direction for the famous British brand? Let us know in the comments section below...