Evanta reimagines Aston Martin DB7 as retro DB4 GT Zagato

Noah Joseph — Tue, 29 May 2012 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Aston Martin

In love with the classic DB4 GT? You're in good company. The first of a series of collaborations between Aston Martin and Zagato is one of the most beautiful automobiles ever made. But getting your hands on one would not be a cheap proposition.

After initially unveiling the DB4 GT at the 1960 London Motor Show, Aston Martin built 19 examples through 1963. In 1991 an additional four examples were built, followed by another pair in 2000. But no matter which batch you're looking at, prices still exceed the million-dollar mark whenever one goes up for auction. In fact, a Sanction II coupe recently sold at the Aston Martin Works in Newport Pagnell for a record $1.9 million. So what's a fan to do?

British coachbuilder Evanta Motor Company claims to have the solution. The company has a background in creating modern replicas of the DB4 GT, among other classic Astons, but for this example, it didn't start from the ground up. Instead it took a DB7 - of which Aston produced some 7,000 examples in its ten-year production run - and rebodied it to look like a classic Zagato.

This particular conversion is based on the DB7 V12 Vantage model, with an earlier version of the same 6.0-liter V12 still employed in the latest Astons producing 420 horsepower. That's considerably more than the 314 hp offered by the 3.7-liter straight six in the original DB4 GT, and it is mated to an automatic gearbox and all the modern accoutrements, from air conditioning to air bags.

The blueish-silver bodywork hides a red leather interior complete with full rollcage and retrofitted dashboard and seats. While all the details surely didn't come cheap, you can bet it cost less for Evanta to create than an original DB4 GT - or for that matter, a 2002 DB7 Zagato.

Evanta reimagines Aston Martin DB7 as retro DB4 GT Zagato originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 May 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zagato sketches out its history with Aston Martin

Noah Joseph — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 08:28:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Aston Martin

The name Zagato may be most closely associated in the minds of many with other Italian marques - names like Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Maserati and Ferrari. But the truest of connoisseurs wouldn't make the mistake of excluding Aston Martin from the list.

When the two stoic names teamed up for the Aston Martin V12 Zagato, it came as only the latest fruits of a collaboration that stretches back for decades. The classically curvaceous DB4 GT Zagato started it all in 1960, followed by the pugnacious V8 Vantage Zagato and V8 Volante Zagato of the mid-80s and the DB7 V12 Zagato and DB AR1 of the new millennium.

To highlight the lineage, Zagato released the renderings pictured above and a brief history of the bonds that tie it to Aston Martin. Click above to view in extra high resolution and follow the jump to delve into the text.

Continue reading Zagato sketches out its history with Aston Martin

Zagato sketches out its history with Aston Martin originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 Feb 2012 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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