Is this the royal baby stroller?

Prince William may soon be pushing this $3,000 Aston Martin

 

The pitch

Now that Prince William and Kate Middleton are welcoming their first child, some baby shopping might be in order. And given that the royal family has always been partial to the British luxury-car maker Aston Martin – Prince Charles still apparently favors the convertible given to him as a 21st birthday present – here’s a stroller for them to consider: Yes, an actual Aston Martin babymobile.

In partnership with upscale stroller maker Silver Cross, the car company has come out with a travel system that’s billed as “the ultimate contemporary pram.” And it has the ultimate price tag, too: 2,000 British pounds — or around $3,000.

But the company says you get a lot of pram — er, stroller — for the money. Begin with a chassis that’s “precision engineered…for a blissfully smooth ride whatever the terrain.” Add to that “an extremely durable performance fabric” that “will always look immaculate no matter what the conditions.” (Oh, and don’t forget the leather-like lining: It’s made from Alcantara, “an extraordinary luxury material used on only the finest products.”)

Finally, there are the finishing touches: a multi-position handlebar, a hood and an apron “covered in a water-resistant performance sports fabric,” a “hand-stitched” soft-leather bumper bar and a set of puncture-proof tires.

Of course, this isn’t just a stroller; it’s a travel system. And that means it comes with both a fully reclining seat (with forward- and rear-facing settings) and a “carry cot” that’s designed to deliver “the ultimate lie-flat environment.”

But perhaps the most exclusive element of the Aston Martin stroller is, well, its sheer exclusivity. Only 800 are available, sold only through the British luxury retailer Harrods. It’s probably fair to assume that Prince William and Kate can jump to the front of the line.

The reality

It’s not that the Aston Martin stroller doesn’t offer attractive features, say consumer experts who specialize in baby products. It’s just that many of these same features come in strollers that sell for about a sixth of the price. And the experts concur that a quality stroller can easily be found in the $400-to-$600 range. Even at the high end, a stroller needn’t cost much more than around $1,000, the experts note. “There’s nothing really innovative” about the Aston Martin stroller, says Lauren Jimeson, a blogger who reviews strollers for the Babble.com parenting site.“It’s about the name and the price.”

Jimeson’s ultimate stroller brand? Orbit Baby, whose Travel Collection model sells for $1,170. Jimeson points to both Orbit’s durability and the fact its strollers “collapse easily.”

But for those shopping for something cheaper, Hollie Schultz, founder of the BabyGizmo.com product site, likes the Britex B-Ready stroller, which sells for $500. “It’s made really well, and it’s full of all the must-have features,” says Schultz. (Among her favorites are two features also found on the much higher-priced Aston Martin: the adjustable handle and the forward- and rear-facing reversibility.)

Of course, for parents who value, above other factors, having the name of a luxury-car maker attached to their stroller, the Aston Martin might still make sense. But then again, so might a Ferrari-branded stroller — yes, there are those on the market as well. The difference? The Ferrari models can be found for as little as around $200 through Walmart.

Nonetheless, the Aston Martin stroller does have one very distinct aspect in terms of that limited run of 800, says product spokeswoman Hilary Frohlich. That helps ensure the stroller “will hold its value,” she says. Of course, an heir to the British throne is not likely to worry about cashing in on that pram when it comes time for an upgrade. After all, an actual Aston Martin sells for as little as around $125,000. Maybe Prince Charles can even afford to buy a new one.