Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato – 99-unit ltd production

The Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato is no longer a concept. Gaydon has announced that its latest collaboration with famous Italian design-house Zagato – first seen at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este last month – will go into limited series production thanks to “unprecedented customer interest”. How limited? 99 units will be made to order.

Looking like that, Aston Martin won’t have too much trouble getting orders from collectors. The British carmaker says that the production Vanquish Zagato will be closely related to the concept exhibited at Lake Como. A GT car that blends Aston Martin’s inherent refinement and capabilities with Zagato’s characteristic design details is how it’s described.

The bodywork is entirely shaped from carbon-fibre. The glasshouse wraps around the bodywork like a visor, and there’s a new evolution of the classic side strake that runs from wheelarch to door, just like the new DB11 and first seen on the celebratory CC-100. A sharp crease on the rear wheel arch transforms into the rear flanks, where it meets the cascading roofline.

The rear end has a close relationship to DB11’s aerodynamic profile, complete with retractable spoiler and rear hatch for easy access. Rippling carbon fibre sills run around the lower body to create a pronounced line from front to rear, which features quad exhausts. Of course, Zagato’s trademark double-bubble roof – originally created to accommodate race helmets – is accounted for.

Other design details include new lights with round tail light reflectors that evoke the classic Zagato rear view, using the same ‘bladed’ LED technology as the Aston Martin Vulcan, while the wing mirrors are closely related to those on the One-77.

Inside, the Vanquish Zagato sports herringbone carbon fibre paired with shadow and anodised bronze and optional aniline leather. It’s also defined by the unique ‘Z’ quilt pattern stitch on the seat and door sections, as well as the trademark Zagato ‘Z’ embossed on headrests and stitched into the centre console.

The AM 310’s 6.0 litre V12 engine has been uprated to increase its output to 600 PS, capable of delivering a projected 0-96 km/h (0-60 mph) time of 3.5 seconds. A unique suspension setup will create a “unique GT driving experience specific to the Vanquish Zagato model,” the company says.

The Vanquish Zagato is the fifth car to emerge from a collaboration that stretches back over five decades. It started with the DB4 GT Zagato race car of 1960 – now valued at over £10 million – and includes the V8 Vantage Zagato launched in 1986, the 2002 DB7 Vantage Zagato and the V12 Vantage Zagato revealed in 2011. Deliveries of the Vanquish Zagato will begin in the first quarter of 2017.

Very nice, but Zagato should just stick to Aston Martins.

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