At the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, Aston Martin stunned everyone with the weird but alluring design of the Lagonda Vision Concept. The Gaydon-based automaker further revealed that Lagonda is back in business as a standalone brand, with two models coming by 2023, the first “as soon as 2021” if all goes according to plan.
Right after Geneva, Aston Martin made the rounds in the automotive media with two new breadcrumbs. First of all, the yet-unnamed supercar scheduled to arrive in 2020 has been confirmed with hybrid assistance. Then there’s the “brother of the Valkyrie,” also known as the hypercar that will come after the Valkyrie in 2021.
This gets us to Varekai, a trademark the British automaker filed with the Intellectual Property Office for Class 12 goods, namely “passenger cars and racing cars and parts and fittings therefor.” What could Aston Martin do with such a weird name?
Varekai means wherever (anywhere) in the Romani language, and some of you might have heard it before thanks to Cirque du Soleil. The question is, could one of the Lagonda models or the Valkyrie’s so-called brother receive it as the official handle?
It’s tough to say, with many motoring publications from the English-speaking world having polarizing opinions on this matter. One theory – which is the most intriguing of the lot – is the DBX Concept-inspired crossover to be named Varekai. Why would Aston Martin do that, it’s hard to tell, more so when Valkyrie is closer to Varekai.
Speaking of the DBX, the automaker’s first-ever sport utility vehicle shares the Second Century platform with the DB11 and all-new Vantage. Production starts in the first half of 2019 at the St. Athan plant in South Wales, which will soon enter the final stage of construction.
The Mercedes-AMG 4.0-liter V8 and Aston Martin 5.2-liter V12 are no-brainers for this application, though electrification will up the ante later on in the life cycle of the DBX. Based on the drivetrain of the DBX Concept, an all-electric version could also make the cut.
This gets us to Varekai, a trademark the British automaker filed with the Intellectual Property Office for Class 12 goods, namely “passenger cars and racing cars and parts and fittings therefor.” What could Aston Martin do with such a weird name?
Varekai means wherever (anywhere) in the Romani language, and some of you might have heard it before thanks to Cirque du Soleil. The question is, could one of the Lagonda models or the Valkyrie’s so-called brother receive it as the official handle?
It’s tough to say, with many motoring publications from the English-speaking world having polarizing opinions on this matter. One theory – which is the most intriguing of the lot – is the DBX Concept-inspired crossover to be named Varekai. Why would Aston Martin do that, it’s hard to tell, more so when Valkyrie is closer to Varekai.
Speaking of the DBX, the automaker’s first-ever sport utility vehicle shares the Second Century platform with the DB11 and all-new Vantage. Production starts in the first half of 2019 at the St. Athan plant in South Wales, which will soon enter the final stage of construction.
The Mercedes-AMG 4.0-liter V8 and Aston Martin 5.2-liter V12 are no-brainers for this application, though electrification will up the ante later on in the life cycle of the DBX. Based on the drivetrain of the DBX Concept, an all-electric version could also make the cut.