Aston Martin aims at Rolls-Royce with Lagonda sub-brand

Aston wants to take a different approach to luxury.

Aston Martin has hatched a plan to return to the highest rung of the automotive industry. The brand is re-launching its emblematic Lagonda nameplate to take on to players in the luxury segment like Rolls-Royce and Bentley.

Aston primarily stands for performance cars, so company boss Andy Palmer asked his team to take a different, unprecedented approach to luxury.

"The direction I gave to [Aston design boss] Marek Reichmann was "look, Rolls-Royce is the epitome of luxury. It's first class in a Boeing 777 -- big and comfortable, we can't compete with them. Give me Concorde -- the best of speed; the finest of fastest cars," explained Palmer in an interview with Australian website Motoring.

He confirmed a sedan and a SUV will spearhead Lagonda's return as a full-blown manufacturer. Neither design has been finalized yet, but the high-riding model will not be simply a more luxurious variant of the DBX that Aston will begin building in Wales before the end of the decade.

The models will likely ride on a bonded aluminum platform developed and manufactured in-house. And while engines and other mechanical components could be shared across different model lines, the Lagonda models will feature brand-specific designs and interiors.

"It's got to look like it comes from a different father," summed up Palmer.

The first member of the new Lagonda lineup is tentatively scheduled to make its debut around the turn of the decade.

Note: 2017 Aston Martin DB11 pictured. Photo by Steve Siler.