Zagato prepares Perana Z-One for Geneva
Click above for high-res gallery of Zagato Perana Z-One renderings
It appears that the Geneva Motor Show will be ignoring this whole global recession thing, as automakers are using the Swiss show en masse to debut exciting new vehicles and concepts. Zagato popped up this morning with its own surprise, the Perana Z-One. The Italian design house has hooked up with South Africa's Perana Performance Group to build the Perana Z-One, of which 999 units will be produced. There are conflicting reports on the price, which range from 50,000€ to 90,000€, but other specifications are set in stone. The Perana Z-One will be powered by a 6.2L LS3 V8 from General Motors producing at least 440 horsepower and a 0-62 mph time for the car of less than four seconds. That icon of American mechanical engineering will be shrouded in a sexy coupe body style that blends a bit of Ferrari's Italian flare with some sinister Shelby Cobra styling cues, then pours an Aston Martin aesthetic over the whole thing. All we have are these high-resolution renderings at the moment, but soon we'll be on the ground in Geneva to bring you live pics of what the Perana Z-One looks like in person.
Gallery: Zagato Perana Z-One
[Source: Zagato]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Shipey 10:33AM (2/23/2009)
COUGHFERRARICALIFORNIACOUGH
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jinsei888 10:40AM (2/23/2009)
california? no. 8C proportions, possibly.
Beastage 11:18AM (2/23/2009)
Bah who cares?! I think it looks good! better to have similarities with Ferrari/Alfa Romeo/Aston Martin than with .... Toyota or Subaru
Serge 10:43AM (2/23/2009)
LS3 FTW!!!
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ugg.tryptophan 11:26AM (2/23/2009)
the new equation for supercar is crazy awesome styling + lightweight body + LS3
Todd 11:32AM (2/23/2009)
re: ugg.tryptophan: New equation? I guess you've never heard of Intermeccanica, Apollo, Iso, and Gordon-Keeble just to name a few. They were dropping GM smallblocks in the 60s.
Shipey 10:46AM (2/23/2009)
I think you've got something there as well... California/8C crossbreed.
In any case, it's a cool looking car, just VERY derivative of current Italian designs.
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Darko 11:02AM (2/23/2009)
Just confirming about Geneva Car Show, the officials said that all space has been reserved. There are some that took less space than before (GM per.ex) but there are new players in car industry. It seems that having neutral terrain pays off for Geneva as there will be so many news and concept cars that one day will hardly be enough too see all. And thanks Opel (GM) for sending me free tickets ;-)
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Steve 11:11AM (2/23/2009)
This looks like an 8C that went into razor sharp Ninja mode, sliced through some tree's deep within the ancient temple mystic night, and ran right into the legendary Ugly tree, just like a Kamikaze.
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BoxerFanatic 11:15AM (2/23/2009)
Funny, everyone says that it is derivative of an italian, Ferrari or Alfa...
ZAGATO IS ITALIAN. It is an italian design firm, like Pininfarina, or ItalDesign, or what once was Bertone.
Overall the design looks a bit over-done, but on a closer look, most of the details and surface development is very good. There is just a LOT of it.
Actually, the first thing I thought was that they were copying Aston Martin's new ultra-car concept.
I know everyone cheers about the small block chevy... but frankly, this car deserves a more interesting engine. SBCs are getting ubiquitous, and way over-exposed. Not to say that it isn't a good engine, but *snore*... another SBC...
Maybe if it was sporting a 599's V12, or something, I dunno. an 8C/Maser/Ferrari V8 would be ok, as would other high-rev V8s from Porsche, BMW, or even Mercedes... but a smokin' 5-6 liter V12 with throttle-less variable valve timing and lift, and maybe even displacement-on-demand would be much more interesting.
There are engines other than a Chevy V8...
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Beastage 11:22AM (2/23/2009)
True, but I reckon the Chevy ones are the cheapest and most easy to adapt to any car really.
The price seems like a bargain... 50k-90k euro, let's say 70k... that is cheap for a unique car.
Can be easily supercharged if needed...
BoxerFanatic 12:05PM (2/23/2009)
I know that the SBC is common, and relatively easy... which is kind of why I find it boring.
I was just thinking that the VQ37 and VK50 Infiniti VVEL engines are quite nice.
There is a JDM 2.5 liter variant of the VQ 6-cylinder with Direct Injection, VQ25DD.
Imagine that doubled to a ~5 liter V12, with Direct Injection, and VVEL valvetrain, and lightweight forged internals. V12s are the most smooth piston engine configuration, and VVEL and DI would give it a very wide powerband, while maintaining high revving characteristics. With a variable length intake tract, and exhaust re-routing valves like Aston Martin, and others use to manipulate backpressure and acoustics...
That could be one heck of a screaming naturally aspirated engine.
And the car certainly looks long enough for a 12 cylinder engine of that sort of displacement.
That would be something new and interesting.
zamafir 1:11PM (2/23/2009)
Most of my favorite cars of all time have been penned by Zagato, this thing looks great, it's about time we had another italian bodied, american engined bit of hotness.
JZeke 11:16AM (2/23/2009)
Thats hot, but insanely derivative.
At first I thought it was a 599 re-body until I read the post. Now I'm seeing influences from: Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa (pontoon body), 8C Competizione, Lotus M250 Concept, Maserati A6GS... Hell even the Vanderbrink GTO!
With all the clever ideas coming from design schools, I hope buyers resonate with this mash-up more than something holistic and new. It is, after all quite a looker.
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lorincdm 12:22PM (2/23/2009)
Zowie! Okay, it kinda looks like a modern interptretation of a Ferarri 250, but still…
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steve clark 12:27PM (2/23/2009)
Call it derivitive all you want but this is *the nicest* design to come out of Zagato in my lifetime. Finally, something that lives up to their historical reputation!
Does $21k of that pricetag include my LS9?
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RicoChet 1:47PM (2/23/2009)
This is what a new "Corvette Stingray" should look like if you ask me.
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ZeeStorm 2:11PM (2/23/2009)
If they wind up at 50k euro for the base model, I'm in for 1!
I hear all these comparisons.. sort of surprised the Viper GTS was not mentioned. That's what I think of when I see it besides the front looking totally different, like aforementioned Aston Martin.
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TomCar 5:29PM (3/08/2009)
No matter to what other great cars it reminds, I think the Perana Z-one beautifully tailored by Italy's Zagato stands for itself - very well done! Need to work on getting such affordable italian/american/south-african dream....
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