Celebrated Milan design studio Zagato, which has been putting sexy, lightweight bodies on brawny Aston Martin chassis since the 1950's, is paying tribute to the 100th anniversary of the car brand once described as 'cooler than a polar bear's paws', with two very special projects.
Note that neither is a concept or a show special; both are real cars and both are already sold to customers who have every intention of driving them.
DB9 SPYDER ZAGATO CENTENNIAL
The story of this car began in 2001 when Aston Martin boss Dr Ulrich Bez was persuaded to approve the design of the DB7 Zagato, inspired and financed by Andrea and Marella Zagato, together with American car collector and Aston Martin enthusiast Peter Read.
The DB7 Zagato was a roaring success - all 99 examples were sold at the Paris motor show of that year before a single production car was built - and now the same team - with the approval and collaboration of Aston Martin - has designed, developed and produced the one-off DB9 Spyder Zagato Centennial.
Read, for whom the car was conceived and built, put it like this: "The Spyder combines Zagato's signature elegance of design, with the soul, power and prestige that Aston Martin has developed over the past 100 years."
DBS COUPÉ ZAGATO CENTENNIAL
The DBS Coupé Zagato Centennial, built for a successful young Japanese entrepreneur, combines Aston Martin DNA with Italian flair and Milanese inspiration - especially its 'double bubble' roof, typical of Zagato designs of the 1950s.
Zagato chief designer Norihiko Harada explained: "Redesigning the DBS was a difficult job - it's already one of the most beautiful modern sports cars in existence. Our challenge was to combine sporty styling with a more Mediterranean Gran Turismo feel, incorporating signature Zagato styling cues."
The result blends a typically strong Aston Martin front treatment with a smooth, very sophisticated tail section. It's unique and highly personalised but still acknowledges the legacy of the hand-built Aston Martin Zagatos of the 1950's.