A BTS Look at Aston Martin's Amazing DB4 GT Zagato Build

How the DB4 GT Zagato was brought back to life.

By Lance Branquinho - November 12, 2019
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Modern facility with timeless skills
1 / 7
An engine with character
2 / 7
Every inch - perfection
3 / 7
A steady and experienced hand
4 / 7
Classic design with contemporary quality
5 / 7
Modern workshop - classic ideals
6 / 7
Looks like a million dollars - but worth even more
7 / 7

Modern facility with timeless skills

In a world obsessed with craft and handbuilt exclusivity, Aston Martin is doing it right. The famed British sports car brand has teamed some of its best technicians to build a run of very rare continuation Aston Martins. These DB4 GT Zagatos pay respect to the long history of joint-ventures between the luxury automaker and the famed Italian design house. 

Photos courtesy of Aston Martin 

An engine with character

In a world of plastic engine covers and digital fuel injection, the DB4 Zagato cars are very different. Their engines are an enlarged version of the original 3.7-liter inline-six now increased to 4.7-liters. The continuation DB4 Zagato is a lot more powerful than the original cars, with more than 390hp on tap. 

Photos courtesy of Aston Martin 

>>Join the conversation about the Zagato's revival right here in the 6SpeedOnline Forum!

Every inch - perfection

Stunning aluminum panel details abound on the new DB4 Zagato. And those wheels are classic wire-spoke steel items, rolling appropriate tires for the era, with slightly more modern compounds and construction. 

Photos courtesy of Aston Martin 

>>Join the conversation about the Zagato's revival right here in the 6SpeedOnline Forum!

A steady and experienced hand

The skills required to shape the DB4 Zagato's aluminum body, are hard to come by these days. Aston Martin employs some of the most talented craftsmen in all of the U.K. with years of experience under their belts. That knowledge is poured into each car to achieve a build and look that is true to the original, and in some ways, better. Each DB4 Zagato has around 4500 painstaking hours of labor invested in it. 

Photos courtesy of Aston Martin 

>>Join the conversation about the Zagato's revival right here in the 6SpeedOnline Forum!

Classic design with contemporary quality

The cabin design is from a bygone era, but each bit has been brilliantly recreated for this interpretation. From the wood steering wheel to those toggle switches and offset pedals. Aston Martin's technicians also crafted the best possible leather inserts for doors and other trim surfaces. In addition to those, the tall shifter is period correct too, managing a four-speed manual transmission. 

Photos courtesy of Aston Martin 

>>Join the conversation about the Zagato's revival right here in the 6SpeedOnline Forum!

Modern workshop - classic ideals

To shape modern aluminum into the form required to replicate the DB4 Zagato's aesthetics was hugely challenging. Aston Martin's best people worked tirelessly to make the project a reality. It is almost at odds with the modern facilities that Aston Martin operates, but the DB4 Zagato is a symbol of Aston's proud heritage. The technicians tasked with the job did not mind putting in the extra hours to achieve the needed perfection for these special edition cars. 

Photos courtesy of Aston Martin 

>>Join the conversation about the Zagato's revival right here in the 6SpeedOnline Forum!

Looks like a million dollars - but worth even more

The finished product is an absolutely stunning car and a testament to the timeless grace of these classic designs. The Aston Martin DB4 Zagato will have the same limitations on production that its original 1960s forebearer did with only 19 cars being assembled. That limited production guarantees true exclusivity for the owners who will be paying a hefty $7.6m for the luxury of owning one of the world's most desirable cars. 

Photos courtesy of Aston Martin 

>>Join the conversation about the Zagato's revival right here in the 6SpeedOnline Forum!

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