Eric Minoff
Vice President, Head of Department - US
LOT 19
2003 Aston Martin DB7 Zagato Coupe Coachwork by Carrozzeria Zagato VIN. SCFAE12323K700048 Engine no. 00359
Sold for US$168,000 inc. premiumLot to be sold without reserve
Lot 19
Left-Hand Drive and one of only a handful in the USA
2003 Aston Martin DB7 Zagato Coupe
2003 Aston Martin DB7 Zagato Coupe
2003 Aston Martin DB7 Zagato Coupe
Coachwork by Carrozzeria Zagato
VIN. SCFAE12323K700048
Engine no. 00359
Coachwork by Carrozzeria Zagato
VIN. SCFAE12323K700048
Engine no. 00359
5,935cc DOHC 48-Valve V12 Engine
Electronic Fuel Injection
440bhp at 6,000rpm
6-Speed Manual Transaxle
4-Wheel Independent Suspension
4-Wheel Disc Brakes
*A rare and exotic Aston Martin by the legendary Carrozzeria Zagato
*Handsome Mercury Grey over Parchment leather
*Car #48 of 99 produced worldwide
*One of just a handful known in the USA
*Imported from new by Aston specialists Autosport Designs
*DB7 GT specification engine and manual gearbox
*Rarely seen left-hand drive variant with fewer than 14,000 miles at cataloguing
*Clean CARFAX report and Aston Martin production records
THE DB7 ZAGATO
In 2001, Dr Ulrich Bez, CEO of Aston Martin, and Andrea Zagato of the eponymous Italian design house, had a casual chat while co-judging at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. The two gentlemen conceived the idea of an exclusive sports car recalling the beautiful DB4 GT Zagato, a mere 19 of which were made in the early 1960s. Arguably the most desirable of post-war Aston Martins, the DB4 GT Zagato captured the imagination of enthusiasts like few cars before or since, a state of affairs that led to its resurrection in the late 1980s/early 1990s when a further six cars were sanctioned by the works. Aston Martin and Zagato had also collaborated on one of the wildest high-performance machines of the 1980s, the V8 Vantage and Volante Zagato. The model chosen as the basis for the two companies' new joint venture was the DB7 Vantage supercar.
Like its illustrious predecessors, the DB7 Zagato has a shortened wheelbase and only two seats, but unlike the DB4 GT Zagato, which was a lightweight 'homologation special' for competition use, its 21st Century equivalent was conceived as a luxury grand tourer. The DB7 Zagato was styled at the Italian carrozzeria's Turin base by Nori Harada, a pupil of the famous Ercole Spada, designer of the original DB4 GT Zagato. Given the extent of Zagato's planned alterations, the car was based on the strengthened open-top bodyshell of the DB7 Volante. Bodies were dispatched to Turin for shortening and altering to incorporate Zagato's trademark 'double bubble' roof before returning to Aston Martin's Bloxham factory for trimming and finishing. Sleek and muscular, the DB7 Zagato, with its referential grille, long bonnet, and truncated tail, marked a return to the styling that made the DB4 GT Zagato an all-time classic.
Shorter, lighter, and with its 6.0-liter V12 engine delivering a maximum output of 440bhp, 20bhp more than the standard DB7 Vantage, the Zagato offered superior performance. The suspension and brakes were upgraded also, while the interior - Spartan yet comfortable like that of the DB4 GT - boasted unique untreated leather upholstery, designed to wear and age around the owner. In July 2002 the DB7 Zagato was unveiled to selected potential customers at an exclusive preview at Savile Row tailors, Gieves & Hawkes. Production was limited to only 99 units for delivery in 2003, thus guaranteeing their status as collectible classics of the future.
THE CAR OFFERED
This handsome DB7 Zagato coupe is number 48 of the 99 produced for the global market. This is one of just a handful of examples in the USA, a number estimated to be fewer than 10, and was imported from new by the noted Aston Martin specialists Autosport Designs of Huntington Station, New York. Production records on file show this car is based on the open Volante body shell, which is correct for the Zagato coupes. It is also noted that records show it was originally right-hand drive, but the spec was changed to left drive by Aston Works Service for the Sales and Marketing department prior to delivery. The body was finished in this appealing shade of Mercury Grey, and the cabin originally trimmed in Bitter Chocolate aniline leather. However, the aniline leather required attentive care, and while designed to take on character, could easily look unkempt with moderate use. This car, like a handful of other Zagato coupes, was re-trimmed using more traditional and durable Connolly-style leather – and the parchment color selected provides a lovely contrast to the body.
Power comes from the marvelous 5,935cc V12 engine in DB7 GT specification. Making 440 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque, it offers plentiful grunt for swallowing up the miles, while the active sports exhaust emits a glorious soundtrack. Brakes are by Brembo calipers with the uprated booster from the V12 Vanquish providing improved pedal feel and power. The accompanying CARFAX report shows this car arrived Stateside in 2005, with ownership history in Vermont, California, and Florida, along with consistent mileage reports.
The partnership of Aston Martin and Zagato has resulted in some of the most memorable and achingly desirable GT cars of all time, and the DB7 Zagato continues that legacy with sophisticated style and mighty twelve-cylinder performance.
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