#AstonMartin Reveals Hot Vanquish Zagato #Concept [Auto Styling News]

Aston Martin brought a real head-turner to this year's Concours d'Elegance in Pebble Beach this year, the latest concept Vanquish Zagato, which debuted at the Villa d'Este show on Lake Como in Italy this past spring.

The Vanquish Zagato is the fifth car to emerge from a collaboration that stretches back over five decades, pairing Aston Martin's acclaimed dynamic and material qualities with Zagato's signature design language. As well as spectacular sporting ability, Vanquish Zagato showcases the very best of Aston Martin’s bespoke luxury.

The collaboration with Zagato began with the beautifully muscular DB4 GT Zagato racing car of 1960 – now valued at over £10 million -, and includes the V8 Vantage Zagato launched in 1986, the 2002 DB7 Vantage Zagato and the V12 Vantage Zagato revealed in 2011.


The design of the production Vanquish Zagato will be closely related to the concept. With proportions that remain quintessentially Aston Martin. The new bodywork is entirely shaped from carbon-fiber, with the split lines on the body significantly reduced by the use of large one-piece panels.

The beautifully wrought hood looks very muscular indeed, as if it's going to leap forward while sitting still. The grille is larger than on current models, making it an extremely aggressive and drop-dead gorgeous. The lamps and fog lamps are equally sweet, and add to the overall handsomeness of the concept.

Other design elements include devastatingly beautiful round tail light reflectors that are meant to evoke the classic Zagato, using the same 'bladed' LED technology as the Aston Martin Vulcan, while the wing mirrors are closely related to the units developed for the One-77.

The Vanquish Zagato's sculptural rear end resembles the DB11's aerodynamic profile, complete with retractable spoiler and rear hatch for easy access to the luggage compartment. Rippling carbon fiber sills run around the lower body to create a pronounced line from front to rear, with a quad-exhaust nestling within the curvaceous shapes.

The Vanquish Zagato’s glasshouse wraps around the bodywork like a visor, enhancing its aggressive stance. The classic strake is larger, running from the wheel arch all the way to the door, like the new DB11. A sharp crease on the rear wheel arch transforms into the rear flanks, where it meets the cascading roofline.

The roof has a gorgeous "double bubble," continuing into the rear window glass, like few other cars has ever accomplished, but has been a staple in Zagatos going back to the 1950s as a way to make room for racing helmets, so this is clearly an homage, which may or may not make it into production, if this car actually does. (The Peugeot RCZ, which IS a production vehicle, has an equally gorgeous, and perhaps even more pronounced "bubble" on its roof and rear window. Sadly, we don't ever  get to see Peugeots in the US, so Google it.)

In short, Aston should definitely build this. It's a testament to this concept that all of these elements not only look beautiful together and work together seamlessly to bring about a true work of art (as all Astons are, but here, even more so.) But also, they separately would be assets on ANY luxury vehicle - and are actually improvements over many in its class. They would dramatically elevate any vehicle of a lesser class.

Photos: Courtesy Aston Martin