The price of rare and collectable cars seems to be on a constantly upward trajectory, but the sale of these two rare Aston Martins may prove to be a salutary lesson. The cars could only be purchased as a pair for a hefty £6.1m and despite the price tag 19 pairs were sold and disappeared into private collections.
The first of these pairs will come back to the market on August 13th-14th in Monterey. Unfortunately, the estimate for the pair is almost half the original price at £3.4m. Talk about depreciation.
The partnership between Aston Martin and Zagato spans over 60 years and in 2019, Aston Martin teamed up with the Milanese styling house to create the DBZ Centenary Collection.
What emerged was the highly desirable pair of the historic DB4 GT Zagato Continuation and the modern DBS GT Zagato. Sold strictly together, only 19 of each were built and they sold out instantly with a price tag of £6.1 million ($8.1 million).
Aston Martin began production of its DB4 GT Zagato Continuation series in 2017, each example an impeccable recreation of the original 1960s model that was built to take on Ferrari on the racetrack. The modern DB4 GT Zagato elevates this masterpiece of design, with subtle updates to enhance the ownership experience.
Chassis no. DB4/GT/0239/L features an original Vehicle Identification Number that justifies the continuation moniker that dates it as a 1963 example. Finished in Caribbean Pearl, its interior is upholstered in opulent Obsidian Black and Connolly Blue leather with blue carpeting.
This example took 4,500 hours to build, with craftspeople employing traditional methods. With only 62 test and delivery miles on the clock, it features period-correct Smiths gauges, a black crinkle finished dashboard and a wood-rimmed steering wheel. The DB4 GT Zagato Continuation is offered with a Florida title.
Sympathetic modern engineering and performance enhancements include carbon fiber seats, while the engine displacement has been increased from the original 3.7-liter straight-six to 4.7-liters, with 390hp at 6,000rpm, a rise in power of 76hp. The competition-specification four-speed gearbox is non-synchronized, the suspension is heim-jointed, and the beautiful silver Borrani wire wheels add an extra element of elegant jewelry to the overall design.
Equally stunning is the other half of this incredible set, the 2020 Aston Martin DBS GT Zagato, also finished in Caribbean Blue. Enhancing Marek Reichman’s styling of the DBS Superleggera was never going to be easy, but with the DBS GT, Zagato showed exactly what has made it one of the world’s most respected design houses for over a century. The ‘double-bubble’ roof, created to allow space for the driver to comfortably wear a racing helmet, is a signature piece of Zagato design. Constructed from carbon fiber to match the rest of the bodywork, the roof extends to the beautiful and aerodynamically designed tail, while the ‘double-bubble’ styling can also be seen in the sculpted hood. The signature Aston Martin grille is another focal point of the design, with individual pieces of carbon fiber that move to adjust airflow, further defining the DBS GT Zagato as an instantly recognizable and desirable model.
Aston Martin’s engineers have elevated the performance and status of the DBS Superleggera to another level. The power of the 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12 has been increased to 760hp with 900Nm of torque, all pushed through an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox.
The interior features opulent Dark Knight monotone leather with embossed Zagato headrest logos. In a first for Aston Martin, many of the trim elements utilize 3D-printed carbon and metal finishes. This includes the famous silver 3D-printed trim inlay that was a £25,000 ($33,000) option on the car.
