Ferrari 550 GTZ - Click above for high-res image gallery

Gallery: Ferrari 550 GTZ Barchetta by Zagato

Zagato marks the end of an era with custom Ferrari 550 GTZ Barchetta originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Iso Rivolta Marella design study - Click above for high-res image gallery

Gallery: Iso Rivolta Marella design study by Fedor Stetskevich & Zagato

Russian designer works with Zagato on ZR1-based Iso Rivolta Marella concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Elio Zagato

Continue reading RIP: Automotive racer and designer Elio Zagato, 1921-2009

RIP: Automotive racer and designer Elio Zagato, 1921-2009 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Pebble Beach 2009: Zagato

Monterey 2009: Zagato honored at Pebble Beach originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

New Bertone, Zagato and Morgan concepts to debut at Ville d'Este originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Apr 2009 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Okay, okay. We'll admit it. The world doesn't need another sportscar. But then we don't really need anything beyond food, clothing and shelter. Everything else is desire, and the Zagato Perana Z-One definitely fits the mold... and fits it well. The Z-One's got the power (a 440hp 'Vette-sourced V8), the looks (styled by Milanese coachbuilder Zagato), the exclusivity (less than 1,000 units annually) at a competitive price (starting at 50k euros). To our eye, the South Africa GT is one of Zagato's best contemporary designs - following such recent examples as the Maserati GS, Ferrari 575 GTZ, Spyker C12, Diatto Ottovu and Bentley GTZ - but don't take our word for it: check it out in the galleries below. Details in the press release after the jump.

Gallery: Geneva 2009: Zagato Perana Z-One

Photos Copyright (C)2009 Noah Joseph / Weblogs, Inc.

Gallery: Zagato Perana Z-One

Continue reading Geneva 2009: Zagato's Perana Z-One is desire in motion

Geneva 2009: Zagato's Perana Z-One is desire in motion originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Mar 2009 05:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Zagato Perana Z-One

Gallery: Zagato Perana Z-One

Continue reading Geneva 2009: Zagato releases full details, photos of Perana Z-One

Geneva 2009: Zagato releases full details, photos of Perana Z-One originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Mar 2009 12:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Zagato Perana Z-One

Zagato prepares Perana Z-One for Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Feb 2009 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Geneva 2008: Bentley Continental GTZ Zagato

First Bentley Zagato GTZ available at $1.7M originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Click to view a gallery of the Lamborghini Zagato Raptor

If you thought the Lamborghini Reventon was as exclusive as Bolognese supercars get, feast your eyes on the Zagato Raptor. The one-off concept car unveiled at the 1996 Geneva show took on the insurmountable task of supplanting the Diablo (on which it's based) on the bedroom walls of enthusiastic children worldwide.

The concept car borrowed its mechanics from the Diablo VT, but while it retained the Lambo's 492-hp V12, in a gesture to insanity it did away with the traction control and ABS. The design, which Zagato appears to have echoed with the Spyker C12 concept, features the carrozzeria's signature double-bubble roof that tilts up with the doors not unlike the canopy on Pininfarina's Maserati Birdcage or Giugiaro's Quaranta concepts. The Raptor was developed in conjunction with Swiss sledding champion Alain Wicki (yes, he has his own Wikipedia entry), and while public reception was hot, the car was never put into production. All that remains is this one original show car, which is now going up for auction at Pebble Beach by the auctioneers at the Blackhawk Collection.

Check out the images in the gallery below. Thanks for the tip, Jonathon!

Gallery: Lamborghini Zagato Raptor

Unique Lamborghini Zagato Raptor up for auction at Pebble Beach originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Aug 2008 08:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Zagato Eldorado

For Sale: Zagato Caddy originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 06 Mar 2008 19:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Geneva 2008: Bentley Continental GTZ Zagato

Geneva 2008: Zagato Bentley Continental GTZ originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Mar 2008 03:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We've posted a number of articles in recent months about coachbuilders like Pininfarina and Bertone finding themselves in financially troubled waters. The difficulties these and other independent manufacturers around Europe are suffering now appear to be part of a larger trend that's forcing these companies to either adapt to the changing market or face extinction.

While major manufacturers once subcontracted the production of niche vehicles - sports cars and convertibles especially - to smaller companies, the larger carmakers have been adapting their assembly lines towards small runs of diverse automobiles, leaving the indie coachbuilders with declining business. As a result, Pininfarina, for example, has been dipping further and further into the red, while Bertone was forced to sell its business on the verge of bankruptcy hearings.

Industry experts now advise that the coachbuilders will have to change their focus in order to survive and return to profitability. Although some have been receiving patronage from wealthy customers seeking original automotive creations like Zagato's Maserati GS and Pininfarina's Ferrari P4/5, that business is sporadic at best. Magna Steyr continues to be awarded contracts from carmakers like BMW, and Karmann is gearing up for an anticipated contact from Kia, but these and other coachbuilders will need to begin looking elsewhere for continued viability. Pininfarina and Bertone can return to their erstwhile core business of automotive design while shutting down or severely downsizing their manufacturing divisions, while emerging markets like China could provide potential contracts in the future. But while there may be a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel, European coachbuilders will need to streamline to reach it.

[Source: Automotive News (subscription required) via Winding Road]

European coachbuilders will sink or swim in changing market originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 06 Jan 2008 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The name Zagato might as well be Italian for "exclusive"; that's exactly what their designs are. Although the carrozzeria has been designing cars since 1919, their most recent designs have all been extremely limited editions. Creations like the Maserati GS Zagato and Ferrari 575 GTZ had just one example made of each. The Spyker C12 Zagato was planned for 24 copies, but those plans have since been shelved. The design house recently announced that the Diatto GT Ottovu would be produced in a limited run of 99, like the 2002 Aston Martin DB7 Zagato, which seems like mass-production by comparison. So it makes sense that when the Milanese design atelier turned their attention to creating a wristwatch, they would only make 25 examples.

The striking timepiece you see here is the result of a new long-term collaboration between Zagato and Swiss watchmakers Wyler Genève, forged out of the childhood friendship between the heads of both companies. Zagato designed the titanium case which houses the mechanical "manufacture" - i.e., built completely in-house - movement suspended in a carbon fiber and resin frame on shock absorbers. The dial features an F-E power reserve indicator like a fuel gauge on a car, and like Chopard's Mille Miglia and Pirelli's P.Zero watches, is strapped to the wrist with a rubber tire-tread strap.

You can bet the pricing is on a "if you have to ask" basis, but if you have the means and missed the 25 Zagato watches being offered, don't fret - let your bank manager do that for you. The same case design is being used on Wyler's new tourbillon, a complicated rotating form of watch movement that typically sells well into a likewise very automotive five-figure range.

Click on the image gallery below to see more. Complete press release after the jump.

[Source: Wyler Genève]

Gallery: Wyler Geneve Zagato

Continue reading Zagato designs for Wyler Genève

Zagato designs for Wyler Genève originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

2002 Aston Martin DB7 Zagato

Zagato is responsible for some of the most exclusive and interesting rebodying jobs ever to grace tarmac. Beauty being in the proverbial eye of the beholder, some have had greater affection for their designs than others, but they're certainly intriguing. Some recent examples have included the custom Ferrari 575 GTZ and Maserati GS, but the Milanese coachbuilder's work has branched far out of the Italian peninsula, including the unfortunately stillborn Spyker C12 Zagato, as well as a stable full of British cars for Rolls-Royce, Jaguar and, of course, Aston Martin (among others).

The carrozeria has announced plans to prepare a coachbuilt Bentley according to the latest reports. The news arrives on the heels of Bentley's announcement that it would increase its in-house customizing efforts, which at the time ruled out turning to outside coachbuilders. This still appears to be the case, as a spokesperson for the automaker told us that to his knowledge, Bentley has not been involved with the Zagato project. No further details are known at this time, we're looking forward to scoping out what Zagato has in store for the Flying B badge. If we had to guess, a Continental will be the subject of the transformation. Stay tuned.

[Source: Italiaspeed]

Zagato eyes Bentley for latest project originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 09 Dec 2007 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Spyker dropping C12, developing new SSUV and C8 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 Oct 2007 14:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Pebble Beach Week 2007: Spyker Zagato makes California appearance

Pebble Beach Week 2007: Spyker Zagato makes California appearance originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 Aug 2007 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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.

Sometimes the past deserves to remain in the past, but once in a while the automotive industry reaches into its history to resurrect something worthwhile whose demise was regrettable and whose return is welcome. The return of coachbuilding is one example of an industry trend we're glad is making a comeback.

Coachbuilding was popular decades ago among the extremely wealthy for whom the ordinary offerings of the automotive industry weren't anywhere near exclusive enough, so they had special bodywork fitted to regular cars to make them their own. Contemporary coachbuilt motors follow the same formula: an existing car fitted with new bodywork, and often customized mechanicals, for the most discerning and obscenely wealthy clients. Results have varied, but variety, as the saying goes, is the spice of life. Here we've chosen our ten favorite examples.

Continue reading Autoblog's Top 10 Coachbuilt Supercars

Autoblog's Top 10 Coachbuilt Supercars originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 21 Jul 2007 11:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Spyker C12 Zagato, introduced during the same burst of fanfare that followed Spyker's acquisition of an F1 team, has been put on hold. Only 24 are slated to be made, and only for existing Spyker customers, but Spyker simply doesn't have the production capacity at the moment. Right now, the company has enough to deal with getting its backlog of current and coming models made, at the same time working to shore up its finances. According to the Auto Telegraaf, the company will be posting a large loss this year, the F1 team is having trouble with sponsors, and company shareholders are bickering. Not that we would necessarily spend $700K on one, but we would think it a shame if the C12 Zagato was crushed by market forces.

[Source: Motor Authority]

Gallery: Spyker C12 Zagato

Spyker C12 Zagato delayed originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Jul 2007 19:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.