Aston Martin have teamed up once again with coach-building company Zagato to once again create a series of four limited-edition models based on the Vanquish grand tourer.
Aston Martin have a long history with Zagato, dating back to 1960 when the two firms showcased the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato, which was powered by a 3.7-litre in-line six-cylinder engine which developed 314 PS and had a top speed of 246 km/h. Aston Martin last paired up with Zagato in 2011 to celebrate 50 years since the first pairing which spawned the DB4 GT Zagato, to create the Aston Martin V12 Zagato which was based on the Aston Martin V12 Vantage and limited to just 150 units. Under the hood it was powered by the same 6.0-litre naturally-aspirated V12, which developed 517 PS and 570 Nm of torque, from the standard V12 Vantage. Today, the quartet of Aston Martin Vanquish Zagatos are powered by the naturally-aspirated 6.0-litre 600-PS V12 from the Vanquish S.
The new Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato will be very exclusive with just 325 units in total of all four variants. Production will be split, the first to will be the Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Coupé which will be limited to just 99 units. The second will be the Vanquish Zagato Volante which will also be limited to 99 units, all of which are, sadly, sold-out.
The two remaining models, the Vanquish Zagato Speedster is the rarest with just 28 being made (again, all sold-out), which features a roofless design that expresses raw excitement from an open-top performance car. The boldest aspect of the Speedster’s design is the Speed Humps that rise up to form streamlined cowls that flow back from the seats, representing Zagato’s signature ‘double-bubble’ roof.
Completing the quartet is the Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Shooting Brake which is a two-seater despite its looks of being a practical GT (Grand Tourer) car. The extended roof on the concept sketch bears the iconic Zagato ‘double-bubble’ surfacing complete with a glass roof to let light flood into the cockpit. The sculptural roof culminates in a powered tail-gate that opens onto a luxuriously trimmed rear cabin area, complete with a tailored luggage set.
Aston Martin Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman, said of the Vanquish Zagato family: “We haven’t released Zagato models as a family before, at least not in this way, but the idea is not without precedent. Think back to the DB7 Zagato and DB AR1, or the V8 Zagato Coupé and Volante, for example. We’ve simply taken things a few steps further. Why create a family of Zagatos? Well, many of our customers want different things. Some prefer the purity of a Coupé, but others love the idea of something more extreme, like the Speedster. And yes, some of them have ordered one example of each. There’s always an over-demand from our clients and patrons. We could easily fulfil demand for more cars than this, but we want Zagato to remain something very special. We’re creating collectibles, future concours cars. With only 325 cars worldwide, divided between 99 Coupés, 99 Volantes, 28 Speedsters and 99 Shooting Brakes – they are still the rarest of the rare.”
Andrea Zagato, CEO of Zagato said of the enduring creative partnership: “Zagato’s relationship with Aston Martin began with my grandfather and the DB4 GT Zagato, almost sixty years ago. To have a creative ‘marriage‘ thrive for three generations is something as unique as the cars themselves. My family name is associated with all kinds of wonderful designs, but for many enthusiasts and collectors around the world those that combine the ‘Z’ of Zagato with the wings of Aston Martin are the most special. Collaborating closely on the design of four complimentary, yet completely different Vanquish Zagatos has been an incredibly exciting challenge. I’m proud to continue the story my grandfather started and thrilled that our partnership with Aston Martin continues to realise such exciting cars.”
Production for the Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato commenced in late 2016 with deliveries to be completed through 2018. Given the Vanquish Zagatos’ rarity and the fact that two of the four variants have already been sold out, you could expect the rest of the range to be priced on a very high plane indeed. It would also help to know someone at Aston Martin to put your name down for one of these very rare and desirable grand tourers.
Story: Sahej Patheja
