2014 luxury cars

Don't call it 'My Little Pony'

The long saloon is undeniably pretty, if not quite as heart-stopping as its William Towns-designed predecessor from 1976. And its engine – Aston’s proven 6-litre V12 – is a fine, if unsurprising, choice.

The real mystery of the Lagonda Taraf – the latter word roughly translating to “ultimate luxury” in Arabic, Aston says – is where it came from, and where it’s going. Aston dropped a couple of teaser images back in July, and then a few more in September, including shots of the car’s wildly sumptuous four-place interior. But real details were skint; power, performance and price were left unmentioned (though Aston’s press release did coyly note: “The asking price will be commensurate with the car’s exclusivity, quality and luxurious nature.”). And the company did announce that the car would be produced in a separate building on the campus of its Gaydon headquarters, the same facility in which Aston’s artisans assembled the One-77 hypercar.

Aston initially stated that the Taraf would be delivered to a very few invited customers in the Middle East, but broader availability now seems a strong possibility, after new Aston chief executive Andy Palmer commented at the Taraf’s unveiling in Dubai on 11 November: “I can confirm today that we are also evaluating the opportunity to offer this Lagonda in other markets.” I am fairly certain that my garage will not be one of those markets, but that doesn’t temper my fascination. I am eager to see this grand sedan availed (in tantalisingly small numbers) to a global array of buyers. The Taraf, like the unicorn of a car that was its ancestor, should make the motoring world a vastly more interesting place.