Geneva 2012 : Aston Martin V12 Zagato

Words: Keith Adams Photography: Newspress

Aston Martin V12 Zagato
Aston Martin V12 Zagato

Aston Martin’s V12 Vantage-based Zagato made its European debut in production form at Geneva, and was met with a warm response from the assembled press. Weighing in at nearly £400,o00 it’s out of reach of most of us mere mortals, but as an engineering and design exercise, the Anglo-Italian supercar looks near-irresistible.

In case you’re wondering why it’s three times the cost of its donor car, the production process is painstaking, and each one represents 2000 hours spent crafting the Zagato at Aston Martin’s Gaydon base. It’s certainly very different – the roof boasts a characteristic Zagato double-bubble and there’s plenty of intricate carbonfibre addenda.

Question is – does this Italian styled British supercar deserve the premium over its all-British counterpart?

 

Keith Adams

12 Comments

  1. In 1965, John Thornley had his ‘poor man’s Aston Martin’ in the form of the elegantly styled MGB GT. I’d like a poor man’s version of this 2012 Aston Martin, please ……

  2. Seems that somebody was so gobsmacked at how amazing it looks, they shook their head in disbelief and all the dandruff landed on the car

  3. Bit like the Bugatti Veyron, it’s hard to make a case for purchasing it, but it’s great that it exists

  4. Impractical, probably not as fast as its looks will leave you to believe, but beautiful. WANT!

    *killed by a lust overload*

  5. I will not understand the styling of Zagato! I am of the oppinion that the standard Aston Martin styling is much more pleasant for the eyes, especially for my eyes.
    But by cars which will cost as much as these there will be some people who will buy these special editions because the will not miss the money and they want something which will be unique. That is the same with a Leica M9 and a Leica M9 Titan. A little bit different styling which makes the camera less useable but Leica could sell it for the fife times the price and that is the same what Aston is doing. But it is good for a small coach builder in Italy and their employed.

  6. @ David Knowles

    Sounds like a potential market for a brand new MG sports coupe…

    I like the boldness and progressiveness of the V12 Zagato’s design. It actually moves the AM design language ahead a few years, unlike most recent models released by Aston proper.

  7. Is it worth three times the price of the donor car? If anything is, you bet that this is.

    I’m surrounded by ordinary Astons where I live (footballers, i think). One of these would show ’em

    Has anyone ever seen a DB7 Zagato on the road? Fabulous.

  8. The Zagato name is an instant draw for very, very wealthy sports car afficiandos and the Italian styling house does a fantastic job with every Aston Martin it has a hand in.

    Due to its low production numbers the Zagato version will sell with little trouble. However, I do agree that £400,000 is an aye-watering price for a model that in ‘standard’ form is priced nearer £130,000.

  9. The best Zagato in Geneva was sat on the AC cars stand, the Aston boutique Zagato did have a Citroen C5/6 style convex rear window, but it didn’t really grab you in the flesh, sat inside astride the metro esq sills happened to be akin to sitting inside a finely upholstered bucket!

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