Aston Martin DB7 Vantage Zagato (2003)
db7 zagato db7 zagato

Following orders for every on of the 99 cars, production of the Zagato began in the middle mid 2003. The new car was based on a shortened DB7 Vantage Volante platform (60mm shorter wheelbase, 24mm from the front overhang and 127mm from the rear), the lightweight car (1740kg, 60kg lighter than standard car),  was estimated to be capable of around 190 mph and able to reach 60 mph in comfortably under 5 seconds. The engine is a modified version of the familiar 6.0 litre V12 with a new exhaust system to produce an output of around 435 bhp. The modified DB7 Vantage Volante chassis was built in the UK, then shipped out to Milan for Zagato to hand fit the body panels, mostly of aluminium. So, thankfully, even in 2003, Aston Martin were still offering a 'coachbuilt' car in the best traditions of Newport Pagnell. With the reduction in length, the rear seats were deleted and the boot was rather small too - the Zagato is strictly a two seater.

db7 zagato boot / trunk

 db7 zagato grille

Distinguishing features on the Zagato car include a new deeper variation on the classic AM grille design; the rear also mimicking the grille shape and a wonderfully shaped rear screen which my daughter christened 'the sunglasses'. Whilst both the headlights and front lights are straight from the standard car, the rear lights are pure Italian. Of course, the trademark Zagato 'double bubble' roof is a strong feature. The boot panel is an unusual drop down type.
These very rare photographs were taken at the new AM Gaydon facility during the 2003 AMOC open day. Although the DB7 Zagato was supposed to be being built at the nearby Bloxham factory, these completed bodyshells were photographed both in the new class leading paint shop and in the storage facility prior to being taken to Bloxham for assembly.

aston martin db7 zagato
The Zagato in the centre was taken in the showrooms of Aston Martin Sales of Mayfair in March 2004. The second car, chassis 007! (shown both left and right) was pictured at the workshops of R S Williams in Cobham on the same day.

Another solution to the number plate problem is to have a short registration number with as few digits as possible. Above left is chassis 81, a right hand driver example in Mercury Grey  and on the right, chassis 58, another right hand drive car in Ferrari Grigio Titanium, photographed on a very wet day in May 2004 at Newport Pagnell.

three db7 zagatos
 

This was something of a mystery car, the only DB7 Zagato road tested for a magazine - featured in the  October 2003 issue of Top Gear magazine. 

The chassis number hides a secret - it's number 100 from a production run of 99. Although it has the highest chassis number, my sources tell me that it was a pre-production prototype built at the start of production and one for AM  keep as part of the factory collection. Occasionally it may be seen, displayed at the Gaydon factory, BMHT museum also at Gaydon or the with the AMHT collection at the Barn..

 

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  Page Updated Mittwoch Juli 09, 2008