Celebrating 100 years of Aston Martin.
While everyone was waiting for the birth of the Royal Baby, Aston Martin was busy celebrating their 100th anniversary with a gathering of over 550 cars at the Kensington Gardens. The celebration showcased all of the greatest models that the British automaker had produced and sold, and even included a James Bond display. But two stars of the show were also the newest models to wear the Aston Martin name: the DBS Coupé Zagato Centennial and Aston Martin DB9 Spyder Zagato Centennial.
Aston Martin and Zagato, the independent coachbuilder and design house in Italy have enjoyed a history of incredible sports cars together that saw cars like the DB4 GT Zagato, V12 Vantage Zagato racers, Vantage and Volante Zagatos, and others. To celebrate 100 years of Aston Martin, the Italian company created the DB9 Spyder Zagato Centennial and DBS Coupé Zagato Centennial one-off projects that showcase the heritage, power, and elegance of the cars built by the automaker over the past century.
The Aston Martin DBS Coupé Zagato Centennial was built specifically for a young Japanese entrepreneur. Zagato took the classic Aston Martin DNA and design language and added their Italian style along with some Milanese influence. The classic Aston Martin grille features integrated headlights and a flatter fascia while strong character lines run horizontally across the supercar, creating the impression of straight-line speed. The iconic “double-bubble” roof creates a vintage Zagato models from the 1950s, and the effect is echoed in the rear fascia with its smooth tail section.
“Redesigning the DBS was a difficult job. The DBS is already one of the most beautiful modern sports cars around. Our challenge was to bring sporty styling together with a more Mediterranean luxury GT feel, all with typical Zagato quality,” said Norihiko Harada, Zagato’s Chief Designer.
Alongside the DBS Coupé Zagato Centennial was the Aston Martin DB9 Spyder Zagato Centennial, another one-off celebratory model that was built for American car collector, Peter Read.
In 2001, the Zagato team led by Peter Read, and Andrew and Marella Zagato, helped to create the successful DB7 Zagato that saw all 99 units sell before the car was ever produced. The same team was in charge of the new DB9 Spyder Zagato Centennial.
“The DB9 Spyder Zagato Centennial perfectly merges Aston Martin and Zagato’s DNA by combining the elegance of design, typical of Zagato, with the soul, power and prestige of Aston Martin, all developed over the last 100 years. This car personifies the timelessness of the Aston Martin/Zagato marquee,” said Read.
The same vertical grille with integrated headlights and distinct character lines that run the length of the supercar featured on the DBS Coupé Zagato are featured with the DB9 Spyder Zagato Centennial. Although the classic Zagato “double-bubble” roof is not used, the same rounded figure is showcased at the rear along with a clean and smooth rear fascia and rounded muscular figure.
The Aston Martin DBS Coupé Zagato Centennial and DB9 Spyder Zagato Centennial will be delivered to a young Japanese entrepreneur and Peter Read, respectively, and are strictly one-off models to celebrate 100 years of Aston Martin.
Aston Martin DBS Coupé Zagato and DB9 Spyder Zagato Centennial Gallery
Source: Zagato
Would you rather have the Aston Martin DBS Coupé Zagato Centennial or the DB9 Spyder Zagato Centennial?
