The Aston Martin V12 Zagato is a British sports car and endurance racer made by Aston Martin in collaboration with Zagato to celebrate a fifty-year partnership since the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato. It was introduced at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este at Lake Como on 21 May 2011.
Aston Martin V12 Zagato at a glance
| Introduced | 21 May 2011, Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este |
|---|---|
| Award | the show’s Design Award for Concept Cars and Prototypes, also won by the One-77 in 2009 |
| Base | the Aston Martin V12 Vantage |
| Engine | 5.9-litre AM10 V12, 510 bhp (380 kW; 517 PS), 570 N·m |
| Versions | Corsa (race, 2011) and Stradale (road, 2012) |
| Fuel tank | endurance-racing tank of up to 120 litres |
| Planned and actual production | 150 planned; only 61 made |
| Price | about £330,000 excluding local taxes |
| Heritage Twins | 19 pairs of coupés and convertibles with 600 bhp, announced in April 2020 |
This page is based on English Wikipedia only (a trusted source), so the facts were not cross-checked against a second source.
History of the Aston Martin V12 Zagato
The V12 Zagato was introduced at Lake Como, Italy, on 21 May 2011 and won the competition’s Design Award for Concept Cars and Prototypes. Zagato introduced the “Corsa” (race) version in 2011 and the “Stradale” (road) version in 2012; the Stradale lacks the black quick releases on the bonnet and boot that the Corsa has, and its exhaust pipes are further apart.
Design
Designed at the Aston Martin Design Studios in Gaydon, the chassis was engineered by a team led by Chris Porritt that included veterans of the One-77 project, and has a retuned version of the regular V12 Vantage’s double-wishbone suspension. It has a new handcrafted aluminium body with a front similar to the Vantage, and differences in the roof and rear. Like the V12 Vantage on which it is based, the V12 Zagato is powered by a 5.9-litre AM10 V12 producing 510 bhp and 570 N·m.
Production
Following large customer interest, Aston Martin announced it would produce a homologated version, a limited run of 150 at its headquarters in Gaydon, with deliveries starting in the second half of 2012 at around £330,000. In the end orders did not materialise as envisioned and only 61 cars were actually made.
In April 2020 Aston Martin partnered with the British company R-Reforged to produce 19 pairs of coupés and convertibles (38 cars in total) known as the Heritage Twins; the cars gained centre-locking 19-inch alloy wheels and a deployable rear wing, and the V12 was increased to 600 bhp, with the choice of an automatic or a 7-speed manual transmission.
Racing, 2011
The V12 Zagato made its racing debut at the 53rd ADAC ACAS H&R-Cup VLN round at the Nürburgring on 28 May, in preparation for the Nürburgring 24-hour race. Two cars competed in the 51st ADAC Reinoldus-Langstreckenrennen four-hour race on 11 June, near production standard with only the essential safety and aerodynamic modifications; in the SP8 category they took second place and more.
Design and features
- Engine: the 5.9 L V12 of the V12 Vantage.
- Body: handcrafted aluminium, with a new roof and rear section.
- Fuel tank: an endurance-racing tank of up to 120 litres.
- Chassis: a retuned double-wishbone suspension, engineered by the One-77 team.
Aston Martin V12 Zagato versions
- V12 Zagato Corsa (2011): the race version with black quick releases.
- V12 Zagato Stradale (2012): the road version, 61 built.
- V12 Zagato Heritage Twins (2020): 19 coupé and convertible pairs with 600 bhp.
More Aston Martin cars are in our Aston Martin collection, for example the DB4, whose GT Zagato it celebrates, the One-77 and the Vanquish.
Aston Martin V12 Zagato questions and answers
What is the Aston Martin V12 Zagato?
A coupé built with Zagato to celebrate fifty years since the DB4 GT Zagato.
How powerful is it?
510 bhp (517 PS) and 570 N·m from a 5.9 L V12.
How many were made?
Only 61, though 150 were planned.
What is the difference between Corsa and Stradale?
The Corsa is the race version with black quick releases; the Stradale is the road version with exhausts further apart.
How much did it cost?
About £330,000 before local taxes.
Video: Aston Martin V12 Vantage Zagato Start and Rev
Video by Marchettino on YouTube.
Sources
- Aston Martin V12 Zagato, English Wikipedia: design, production, racing
