Aston Martin unveiled its latest concept at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, held at Lake Como this weekend and it is in a word, stunning. Designed by long-time styling partner Zagato, this latest expression of the Vanquish is without a doubt the most beautiful Aston Martin to date.
While officially only a concept, the Vanquish Zagato could easily be put into production if demand is there. Underneath its gorgeous carbon fiber coachwork is naturally aspirated V12 engine that makes 600 horsepower and will undoubtedly use the company’s 8-speed touchtronic automatic transmission with paddle shifters to put the power to the rear wheels. But the real story here is the design.
The project was developed and engineered in Aston Martin’s Graydon headquarters by Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman in collaboration with Andrea Zagato and his team in Milan. Said Reichman, “Over the years, we have developed and refined our own design language and we have always gone that little bit further with our special series cars like CC-100, One-77 and Aston Martin Vulcan. The Vanquish Zagato Concept shows how our two companies can come together and push the definition of Aston Martin design.”
By pushing the design, Reichman means taking the best from the company’s recent concepts and adding even more detail. You’ll find wing mirrors inspired by the One-77 concept, a retractable rear spoiler from James Bond’s DB11 concept, a new presentation of the classic side strake running from the front wheel arch to door evokes a detail originally showcased on the CC-100, and the rear LED taillamps feature a modified bladed design from the Vulcan race car.
These features are integrated into an overall design that’s based on the classic Aston Martin proportions of a long hood, low overall height and a cab that sits back toward the rear wheels. The rear quarter panels feature an accentuated shoulder that announces the cars added athleticism and the front end carries a large expression of the signature Aston Martin grille to ensure enough airflow to cool the massive engine and brakes.
Another unique design feature is the “Double Bubble” roofline. This technique is a Zagato trademark and was first employed in the 1950s to allow room for the driver and passenger to wear racing helmets without ruining the aerodynamic profile of the car.
Carbon fiber construction allows for artfully molded body panels making the Vanquish Zagato more than just a mere automobile, but rolling sculpture. This technique allows for larger panels, so there are fewer split lines and more uninterrupted surfaces. This is evident in the carbon fiber sills that run around the lower portion of the body, housing the quad exhaust.
The carbon fiber theme continues on the interior with a custom herringbone pattern covering the center console and door sills. The hand-sewn aniline leather is beautifully presented with red stitching contrasting the glossy black accent surfaces on the sides of the seats and door panels. Anodized bronze vents and metallic rotary dials give all the touchpoints a solid feel and add to the overall sense of quality and luxury in this concept.
While Aston Martin has given no indication that the Vanquish Zagato will actually go into production, it wouldn’t be a surprise if it did. Just don’t expect it to come cheap. The last partnership between these two companies was the Aston Martin V12 Zagato which sold for a cool $450,000. We’ll keep our ears to the ground and let you know if this gorgeous coupe will be coming to market any time soon.