The partnership of Aston Martin and Italian design house Zagato has never made much commercial sense. But it’s based on shared passion for refined, exquisite designs, and it has spawned some magnificent cars over the years. One of the rarest and coolest of them all is this Aston Martin Vanquish Roadster Zagato.
To give you an idea how rare this thing is, this one-off model is still known everywhere as a concept car, designed in 2004 as the joint venture’s rather hastily produced Geneva Motor Show contender. Aston Martin Vanquish Roadster Zagato is more a coach-built, drop-top version of the hardtop Vanquish rather than a whole new, bespoke design, which is why it doesn’t feature an entirely new look as with most other Aston-Zagato models.
Still, cutting the roof off the Vanquish has had a profound, and we think positive, effect on the way it looks, especially combined with the Zagato touches including the round taillights and the double-bubble glass hood cover. Mechanically, Aston Martin Vanquish Roadster Zagato concept is identical to the production coupe, boasting a V12 engine and one of the worst paddle shift transmission the world has ever seen.
Other highlights of this one-off “provocative” design by Zagato include a separate hard-top for winter, a transparent hardened glass and an easily used soft cover for summer, and a special luggage compartment for the days in between. This car was spotted in Paris on British plates, which gives you an idea about the nobility of its owner.
Photos via Autogespot
