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Aston Martin V8 Zagato

In 1985 Aston Martin went back to Carrozzeria Zagato to create an iconic new body for a special order Aston Martin V8 to be sold as the Aston Martin V8 Zagato and the Zagato Volante. The order had been signed between Victor Gauntlett and the Zagatos Elio and Gianni at the 1984 Salon de Geneve. The Aston Martin V8 Vantage Zagato was launched at the 1986 Geneva Show, lacking the streamlined front of the original design and sporting a large lump in its bonnet to clear the quadruple twin Webers of the Vantage engine which had taken over from the less powerful (but flatter) fuel injected V8. The Zagato saloon was almost 300mm shorter than the normal Aston Martin Vantage V8 Series II, but even with a 70 kilos lighter Zagato body it was felt that the 305bhp fuel injected V8 was not powerful enough and the full Vantage 432bhp V8 was given. Geneva 1987 saw the launch of the open Aston Martin V8 Zagato Volante, which was longer than the saloon and 35 kilos heavier, but was given the flat-bonnet fuel injected engine unless customers made a special order for the lumpy bonnet full-fat Vantage motor. Zagato sold 52 Saloons plus 37 Volante convertibles.

Aston Martin V8 Vantage 1989 Zagato Volante - grille. The Volante models of the V8 Vantage Zagato were designed to have headlamp covers and a dummy grille, but many cars were changed to a more conventional appearance. The power bulge on the bonnet shows this car to have been given the Weber V8 of the Vantage specification.

Aston Martin V8 Vantage 1987 Zagato front. The large power bulge was not part of the original Zagato design plan, but became necessary when buyers requested the taller Vantage engine in place of the lower power fuel-injected unit. At least the 432bhp full-fat 5,340cc Vantage engine made possible the Zagato's promised 300km/hr top speed.

Aston Martin V8 Vantage 1989 Zagato Volante. Zagato designed the Aston Martin V8 to have a flat bonnet, but this only fitted the lower fuel-injection engine which was also lacking in power. Many buyers specified the taller Vantage specification necessitating the power bulge.

Aston Martin V8 1978 Zagato. Based on the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Aston Martin and Zagato announced a collaboration at the 1985 Geneva Salon. The car was presented at the 1986 Salon, but production cars were given an ugly square grille and large power bulge to cover the carburettors when the intended fuel injection system was too slow.

Aston Martin V8 Vantage 1987 Zagato. Based on the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, the Zagato car was 300mm shorter and 70 kilos lighter. More importantly it had a drag coefficient of just 0.28 helping it to achieve a design objective of 300 km/hr (with the Vantage engine).

Aston Martin V8 Vantage 1989 Zagato Volante. The Volante version of the V8 Zagato was longer than the Zagato saloon, and heavier than the Zagato saloon, but still lighter than the V8 Volante drophead

Aston Martin Zagato 1990 Vantage Volante. Aston Martin announced the Zagato Aston Martin in 1986 and in 1987 launched the Volante convertible version of the car. Most of the 37 Volante cars had a flat bonnet and the fue l-injected version of the 5,341cc V8 engine, but a dozen or so were upgraded to full Vantage spec with engines up to 6.0-litres and a power bulge to cover the carbs.

Aston Martin V8 Vantage 1989 Zagato Volante - tail lamps

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Carrozzeria Zagato

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