The modern twin to the previously unveiled DB4 GT Zagato Continuation, DBS GT Zagato forms the contemporary half of this unique pairing and will pack 760bhp through its 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 power unit. This uniquely ambitious project, created to celebrate the centenary of the legendary Zagato signature, pays tribute to an icon of the past and creates a classic of the future.
Each pair represents the most valuable new sports cars yet built by Aston Martin as the luxury British car maker celebrates its longstanding association with the world-renowned Italian coachbuilder and design house, Zagato.
Indeed, this unique collaboration extends a remarkable creative partnership spanning almost 60 years. One that has consistently generated bold and breathtakingly exciting designs, the latest of which is the DBS GT Zagato.
Shown in Supernova Red – a paint colour exclusively reserved for the DBS GT Zagato ‘Centenary Specification’ – with contrasting exposed carbon fibre accents and Satin Black and Gold 3D machined wheels, demonstrates the meticulous attention to detail that marks out every Aston Martin and showcases the key features of this pack.
Aside from the gloss finish carbon fibre roof and rear diffuser, the eye is drawn to the model’s literal and figurative jewellery in the shape of its solid 18-carat gold wings badges front and rear, black anodised active front grille and its gold anodised side strakes and centre lock wheel nuts.
Inside, the DBS GT Zagato being shown in Rhode Island features rich Caithness Spicy Red leather, Zagato ‘Z’ seat quilting and satin twill exposed carbon fibre fitted to both the paddle shifts and steering wheel.
Featuring a world first, DBS GT Zagato utilises the first automotive application of configurable carbon and metal 3D-printed interior finishes. A beautiful central ‘saddle’ design features a unique parametric, inter-locking form, available in a range of three materials and finishes. This includes the choice of printed Carbon, Aluminium, or – as part of the Centenary Specification – Gold PVD (physical vapour deposition). The latter requires almost 100 hours of print time with additional polishing and post-processing by skilled craftsmen to achieve a perfect lustrous finish. This represents the pinnacle of traditional Aston Martin material craft, combined with pioneering technological innovation.
As with all Aston Martin options, Aston Martin’s customisation service ‘Q by Aston Martin’ can take the customer’s requests a step further. Utilising these additive processes, a truly bespoke part can be created, with the material, finish and geometry of these parts capable of being specified to a unique final design. The use of this cutting-edge technology around the interior allows a customer to commission completely bespoke components – with parts, materials, and finishes designed specifically to their brief.
The DBS GT Zagato sits alongside the DB4 GT Zagato Continuation in the DBZ Centenary Collection: the latest Continuation sports car to be created by Aston Martin and hand built at the brand’s global centre of heritage excellence, Aston Martin Works.
The meticulous construction process at the brand’s renowned Heritage Division headquarters in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, uses the unique skills on hand at the largest, best equipped and most knowledgeable Aston Martin restoration centre in the world.
Each of the 19 DB4 GT Zagato Continuation cars are being built at Aston Martin Works to the highest possible quality using a blend of Sir David Brown-era old world craftsmanship, with the sympathetic application of modern engineering advancements and performance enhancements.
A digital body buck has, for instance, been created to allow Aston Martin engineers to examine minute details of the forthcoming Continuation cars in ways that were, clearly, unavailable to the original cars’ makers. Yet the hand-finished body panels of the new cars, each worked from flat sheets of 1.2 mm thick aluminium and representing hundreds of hours of world-class craftsmanship, are created using techniques that were commonplace almost 60 years ago.
Originally built as an evolution of the short-chassis DB4 GT, the DB4 GT Zagato Continuation follows the same recipe, with those thin-gauge aluminium body panels dressing a lightweight tubular frame in a chassis optimised for track work.
Beneath the Continuation cars’ bonnet will sit a version of the celebrated Tadek Marek-designed straight-six cylinder engine with two spark plugs per cylinder, transmitting its circa 380 bhp to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual transmission and limited-slip differential, for an authentic and unforgettable driving experience.
This latest continuation car follows the success of the 25 DB4 GT Continuation models that sold to enthusiast collectors in 2017, and precedes what will perhaps be the most ambitious continuation to date: the Aston Martin DB5 Goldfinger Edition cars that will come to market in 2020.
All DB4 GT Zagato Continuation cars will be delivered by the end of 2019.