For almost 60 years Aston Martin and Italian designers Zagato have been working together to produce some of the most beautiful sports cars known to man, and they’ve outdone themselves this time.
Zagato’s latest creation, the unremarkably named, but incredibly seductive, Vanquish Zagato Concept takes cues from current and past Aston Martins while adding Zagato’s own tradition and flair. When it hits the floor at Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in Lake Como, Italy, on May 21 it should be the belle of the ball.
There’s a lot of DB11 in the design, and that’s a very good thing. There are also so many other cues taken from other past Aston Martins that it could be visually confusing, but Zagato has managed to make them all work together in a coherent way, a testament to their ability to produce visually stunning automotive art.
The classic double bubble roof makes it very clear that this is a Zagato design. Shapely mirrors that echo the One77, beautiful bladed LED taillights that emulate the incredible Vulcan lights, hood vents reminiscent of the 2011 V12 Zagato and dynamic side strakes reflecting those of the DB11 all coalesce to produce a car that looks both fast and classy at the same time.
The all-carbon fiber body has curves that go on forever, with creases and points in all the right places, especially the rear hip body line, which is both voluptuous and angled at the same time, breaking up what could have been a massively curved rear fender by giving the eye a visual break.
The classic Aston grille has been softened but accented at the same time, but is interrupted by the one design element that doesn’t seem to fit. Round driving/daytime running lights break up the sexy curves of the grille and distract from the overall frontal view. It’s not enough to ruin the overall appearance of the car, but it definitely doesn’t flow with the rest of the vehicle.
Aston Martin hasn’t said whether this car will be produced, but if you ask me it looks like it’s ready for Prime Time. Given the clamor that will be heard from Aston collectors worldwide, I would expect Aston to announce production in the next few months.
