Miguel Sánchez
Ok, in recent days we have published several texts based on cars that share the same formula: English birth and Italian development. First was the news of the Jaguar XK120 with Pininfarina body. Then that of the XK140 bodied by Michelotti rescued from oblivion after his appearance in a garage in Ghent. And now ... We repeat the recipe mixing two ingredients that no one will stop liking: Aston Martin y Zagato.
The collaboration between one of the leading English brands and the Italian bodybuilder who is fond of both round and geometric shapes… It has a long time to come. Who does not remember the fantastic Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato? A model that, between 1960 and 1962, achieved something that seemed impossible: to further improve the already charming DB4. Of course, making it more harsh.
And it is that you had to be very rough to be able to stand up to the unbeatable Ferrari 250 GT that, in those years, swept the popular car championships sport. For this Aston Martin developed the DB4 GT, shortening the chassis and powering the engine six cylinder de 3.670 cc and 12 valves up to CV 314 a 6.000 rpm.
Almost a hundred units were built, of which about 20 were bodied and assembled by Zagato in its Milanese workshops after receiving, carefully packaged from the United Kingdom, the chassis and all the mechanics. The model became a true icon that, mythomanialy, can almost be seen face to face with the most mythical GT of the time: the Ferrari 250 GTO.
And all this so that 26 years later history would repeat itself with the fruit of a new Anglo-Italian collaboration: the Aston Martin V8 Zagato. A sports car with eighties lines as well as classic lines, with poise as well as nerve, comfortable but with a sound that hypnotizes those of us who are passionate about the symphony of cylinders ... A marvel worth listening to!
ASTON MARTIN V8 ZAGATO: HISTORY REPEATS
It is true that the DBT GT Zagato set the goal of beating the great Italian GTs of the time, while in a decade defined by the golden age of supercars ... The eighties V8 Zagato perhaps did not come out with the same spirit of achieving the back to the omelette with respect to the Ferrari and Lamborghini of the moment. However ... You just have to give a quick review of its features to realize that it is not far from the icons that defined its time.
And is that the V8 5 liters of this Aston Martin throws a power of 432 CV to 6000 rpm, capable of launching it at a 300 km / h peak or put it off 0 to 100 in 5'0 seconds. A true beast somewhat heavy of 1.650 kilos ready to furrow the roads with the spirit that we have seen in the previous video.
Only 89 were made. So ... Imagine the price. In fact, before it was presented at the Geneva Motor Show in 1986, some 50 units had already been committed, many of them destined directly to the speculative supercar market. A difficult jewel to see and that, when it does, it is usually to come to the fore in specific dealerships where it marks figures such as $566.491 that the english seller Nicholas Mee and Company Ltd ask for the unit you see in these photos.
Well yes. It seems that the collaboration between Zagato and Aston Martin is something like some kites; that pass from time to time near the Earth leaving a trail that is remembered for years. And it is that, after the evolution of the DB4 in 1960 and the hand in hand materialized in the V8 Zagato of 1986 ... In 2002 the DB7 Vantage Zagato, a design that -at least for us- drinks directly from the DB4 Zagato and that represents a perfect compromise with the past for both brands.
For the accounts that we are doing, history should repeat itself ... And you know what? Next 2019 is the centenary of Zagato. Wouldn't it be a great occasion to renew your vows? 😉
