Hot on the heels of our Top 10 Coachbuilt Supercars comes the announcement from Zagato that the Italian carrozeria will be reviving the stoic Diatto marque with a small run of the Diatto GT Ottovu. First shown at the Geneva show as the Diatto Ottovu Zagato, the GT will step out of the concept box and into limited production of 99 examples.

Those coming new to the game might not be familiar with the Diatto name, but it has a loyal and, as it turns out, wealthy following who have motivated (and likely bankrolled) the brand's revival by commissioning the new GT from Zagato. Once a contemporary of Bugatti and Maserati, Diatto started out some 170 years back, producing horse-drawn carriages, then moving on to luxury train cars before becoming one of the first automakers in the world and finally vanishing from the industry in the inter-war period.

Reviving the classic Turinese carmaker, the Diatto GT Ottovu is based on a steel frame with an aluminum body with a front-mid engine layout driving the wheels behind the four-passenger cabin. Motivation comes courtesy of Ford's 4.6-liter V8, supercharged and tuned by Roush and Cosworth to produce 530 horsepower, although Zagato says up to 650 would be possible. As it is, the GT Ottovu is claimed to hit 60 in the threes.

As for the styling, the concept looked better in person than in the pictures, and Zagato clearly went for an elegantly understated design approach. That being said, it still falls short of taking many breaths away. Zagato called the bespoke leather interior "sober, smart and comfortable"...which may as well have applied to the overall design. If it tickles your fancy, though, it will be available through specialist dealers in the United States as well as Europe, but don't expect that kind of exclusivity to come cheap.

[Source: Italiaspeed]

Gallery: Diatto GT Ottovu

Gallery: Zagato Diatto Ottovu

Zagato puts Diatto GT Ottovu into limited production originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Jul 2007 10:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Zagato Diatto Ottovu

Zagato releases additional photos of Diatto Ottovu originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Feb 2007 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We brought you news a few days ago about Zagato's big plans to revive the long-dormant Diatto nameplate with an exclusive coachbuilt sportscar, and the Italian design house has now released an image of its creation. The Diatto Ottovu Zagato will be unveiled at the Geneva auto show in just a few weeks, powered by an anticipated supercharged V8 sourced from Maserati.

Diatto is one of those brands that history forgot, a century-old Italian carmaker that shut down in 1929. The company was founded in 1905, and on the occasion of its 100th anniversary, albeit two years late, two (evidently well-heeled) collectors commissioned Zagato to build them something special - an undertaking not unlike the Ferrari 575 GTZ, or the niche to which the overlords at Porsche would like to relegate Bugatti.

Like the previous 575 project, which recalled the iconic 250 GTZ, the Diatto Ottovu Zagato was realized to recall the coachbuilt motor-carriages Zagato re-bodied for Diatto some 85 years ago.

Related posts:

• Diatto Ottovu Zagato set for Geneva debut

Preliminary press release after the jump.

[Source: Zagato]

Continue reading Zagato reveals Diatto design

Zagato reveals Diatto design originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Feb 2007 13:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Zagato is reported to have an impressive trick up its sleeve for the Geneva show next month: the revival of the Diatto marque, with a limited production sports coupe. Not much in the way of details is known at this point, but reports suggest the Diatto Ottovu Zagato will feature an aluminum construction and possibly a front-mounted supercharged V8 sourced from Maserati.

Diatto was among the original motor-carriage makers, starting out as a producer of horse-drawn carriages back in 1835, switching to automobiles in 1905 which it continued building through 1929. By then its illustrious list of clientele included kings and queens as well as Enzo Ferrari himself.

This won't be the first Diatto coachbuilt by Zagato: Diatto was among Zagato's first clients when the Italian design house re-bodied its automobiles over 85 years ago. And if the rumors are true, this won't be the first Diatto with a bit of Maserati inside, either: Alfieri Maserati cut his proverbial teeth working for Diatto before leaving to establish his own company in 1926.

Reviving long-lost classic marques has been all the rage in the automobile industry in recent years. We're hoping Zagato's new Diatto will come closer to Volkswagen's Bugatti than Mercedes' Maybach.

[Source: Italiaspeed]

Diatto Ottovu Zagato set for Geneva debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Feb 2007 16:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.