Aston Martin will once again collaborate with with renowned Italian design house Zagato in the 50th anniversary year of the iconic DB4GT Zagato. The first product of this renewed working partnership will be shown for the first time at the famous Villa D’Este Concours on 21st May 2011, with a racing debut at Nürburgring later in the month.
The first partnership between Aston Martin and Zagato came to fruition in 1961 after Aston Martin sought to remove even more weight from the very special DB4GT. In the search of an ever lighter and higher performance version, Aston Martin approached Zagato, a company renowned for such projects. Managing Director, Elio Zagato and Technical Director Gianni Zagato along with a talented team managed to draft the main designs of the DB4GT Zagato in just one week.
After previewing the car late in 1960 at the London Motor Show to great acclaim, Aston Martin began taking orders from customers and production of this exclusive car began in 1961. Of the original 19 DB4GT Zagato built, all still survive and are held in pride of place within some of the worlds greatest car collections. The first car built and used to unveil to the public was later was raced extensively beginning with its debut at Goodwood in 1961.
Aston Martin and Zagato have enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship since their first collaboration which culminated in the production of the now iconic DB4GT Zagato 50 years ago.
Dr. Ulrich Bez, Chief Executive said: “The DNA of both Aston Martin and Zagato has combined successfully to make some of the world’s most desirable collector cars in the past and in this special anniversary year of the DB4GT Zagato it is appropriate to explore a modern collaboration. Now is the right time for a new Aston Martin Zagato and in combining our design intelligence I think we can create something fitting of the iconic DB4GT Zagato that has gone before and since established itself as one of the most famous Aston Martins of all time.”
Work on the new Aston Martin Zagato collaboration is well under way with an initial concept to be presented at the Villa D’Este Concours in May to gauge initial customer reaction with a view to a production car following in 2012.
Aston Martin Design Director, Marek Reichman added: “Our designers are able to collaborate with a broad spectrum of organisations and individuals to seek new and exciting ideas and inspiration due to Aston Martin’s independency."
