- aston martin has revealed images of the wild dbs gt zagato, the other half of a continuation re-creation pair that includes the already revealed db4 gt zagato.
- they are striking, to say the least, with plush interiors and lots of gold in the trim.
- only 19 pairs of the dbs and db4 will be produced, costing about $7.4 million for both, and they'll be delivered by the end of the year to their lucky new owners.
while we doubt billionaires are often swayed by two-for-one offers, we imagine a few must have been seriously tempted by the one aston martin made earlier this year. the british sports-car maker announced that it would exclusively be selling its latest continuation re-creation, a pixel-perfect replica of the db4 gt zagato, alongside a zagato version of the modern dbs superleggera. buyers would have to buy the pair, for the equivalent of $7.4 million before taxes.
we saw the db4 gt zagato shortly afterward and found it every bit as stunning as the original. but now the company has officially unveiled the other half of the partnership at an event in rhode island. this is the aston dbs gt zagato.
you are unlikely to lose it in a parking lot. the first car is finished in supernova red, with exposed carbon-fiber details and gold wheels. the same dressy scheme is used in the cabin with bright red leather and a level of gold trim that puts us in mind of the 1980s. the saddle in the center of the cockpit is 3d printed, and aston says that other more modest finishes are available—including the first automotive use of printed carbon fiber. the company also says that the gold finish of the show car comes through a process known as physical vapor deposition, which puts gold over stainless steel.
if the factory finish isn't enough, aston’s bespoke q division is offering dbs zagato buyers the chance to alter their cars more radically, including the possibility of making unique one-off parts to ensure you never find yourself in the awkward position of parking next to another zagato. there is no hint in the official release as to what these might be, but our imagination is already galloping: do you think they would allow an ejector seat?
although based on the regular dbs, the zagato version has been given a comprehensive redesign with a new front and rear, an external air channel incorporated into the doors, and a modern take on the distinctive "double bubble" roof that dates from the beginning of zagato's 60-year association with aston; this one is made from carbon fiber and long enough to entirely replace the rear screen. another neat detail is the black anodized active front grille, made from diamond-shaped elements that turn to increase or decrease airflow.
mechanical changes are more modest. aston says that the dbs gt zagato makes 760 horsepower from a retuned version of the superleggera's 5.2-liter turbocharged v-12. that’s a 45-hp increase over the regular car, although the company hasn't released any performance figures.
just 19 pairs of the dbs and db4 will be produced, with construction of the run of continuation cars already well advanced. buyers will get their dbs next year, with at least one customer having chosen to paint both cars to match. and if you haven’t put your name down yet, it might not be too late; when we visited aston martin works a couple of weeks ago we were told that "one or two slots" may still be available. you’d be hard-pressed to find something more exclusive.