Back in 2011, Aston Martin introduced the V12 Zagato Concept to the world, a supercar that was born from the creative minds of Aston Martin and Italian coachbuilder, Zagato. The overwhelming popularity of the concept prompted the folks over at Aston to expedite the release of the production car and lo and behold, the production car was supposed to make an appearance at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
But what we saw at Frankfurt appeared to be the same one we saw at Pebble Beach and Villa d’Este, albeit with a new trunk lid as opposed to the huge spoiler we saw before.
The ’production version’ of the V12 Zagato was one of the highlights of Aston Martin’s booth at Frankfurt, where it was joined by the pair of V12 Zagato race car variants that participated at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring - ’Zig’ and ’Zag’ - as well as the One-77 supercar and the newly released Virage and Vantage S. Now, Aston Martin has finally revealed all the goods for their exquisite super car.
There’s no question that Aston Martin’s crown jewel model is the One-77 Supercar. To that, the V12 Zagato comes second. The level of intricacy and detail behind the building of the V12 Zagato is a testament to the painstaking process that takes approximately 2,000 man-hours to complete.
In essence, the V12 Zagato draws some similarities to the One-77 in that it’s been built from a combination of hand crafted aluminum and carbon fiber. The bonnet, the signature ’double-bubble’ roof, and doors are made of hand-crafted aluminum, while the front and rear fenders, door sills, and boot lid surround are made from carbon fiber.
The design of the V12 Zagato owes itself to the lavishness put upon it, courtesy of a number of bespoke components, particularly the side glass and the distinctive rear window, which continues along the sculptural lines of the aforementioned ’double-bubble’ roof. To compliment the exposed carbon fiber components on the supercar, Aston Martin added a contemporary black finish on the exterior brightwork around the windows. The exposed elements of carbon fiber on the front splitter, A-pillars, rear lamp pods, diffuser, door mirror cases, and rear wing feature the kind of styling cues that separates the V12 Zagato from its contemporaries with the material exquisitely exuding the same perfectly symmetrical weave and smooth resin finish we’ve all come to love. The final detail of the V12 Zagato is the bold new grille that harkens back to Zagato’s now legendary "Z" monicker.
As far as paint options are concerned, the V12 Zagato is being offered in four different hues: Scintilla Silver, Alloro Green, Alba Blue, and Diavolo Red.
The interior of the Aston Martin V12 Zagato is the picture of luxury. In picking the interior trim for the limited run supercar, Aston Martin opted to use Seven Bridge of Weir hides in a semi-aniline finish, offering durability while also preserving the natural texture of the leather. The hand-stitched quilting not only creates a flowing pattern that exudes a dynamic sense of movement, but it also establishes the kind of luxurious trim that this car richly possesses.
Likewise, the headrests and rear parcel shelf have the letter ’Z’ embroidered on them as an ode to Zagato. The dashboard also gets its luxury trim in the form of a satin finished carbon fiber with the center stack complimented by piano black accents and satin black rotary switchgear. As a finishing touch, Aston installed carbon fiber sill plaques with a ’V12 Zagato’ inlaid metal script, just so people know exactly what supercar this really is.
Befitting a car of its stature, Aston Martin made sure to give the V12 Zagato the kind of powertrain that excites speed freaks the world over. Just like the concept version, the production V12 Zagato is powered by a 6.0-liter V12 engine mated to a six-speed automated manual transmission. This brings forth an output of 510 horsepower and 420 lb/ft of torque.
The ultra limited, 150-piece, Aston Martin V12 Zagato is currently on sale at a price of £330,000, which is around $519,400 based on current exchange rates.
As a dedicated, limited-run piece of British craftsmanship, the Aston Martin V12 Zagato doesn’t have a lot of competition. One car that can rival it in terms of ’exclusivity’ is the Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0. In terms of numbers, the 911’s 4.0 liter engine with its own output of 500 horsepower and 339 lb/ft of torque isn’t at all too far from what the V12 Zagato is capable of.
The difference between the two lies not in the powertrain, but in customers’ tastes and preferences. We’d love to have one of these cars in our garage, but if you’re the sporty type with a panache for flash, the 911 GT3 RS 4.0 is for you. On the flip side, if you’re the kind of gentleman who enjoys the finer things in life, the V12 Zagato is the clear choice.
And if you ask us? We’ll take the latter, too.
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