Automotive

Aston Martin's $7.65 million DB4 GT Zagato Continuation track car peeks out ahead of Le Mans debut

Aston Martin's $7.65 million DB4 GT Zagato Continuation track car peeks out ahead of Le Mans debut
Each Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato Continuation is constructed to the highest quality using a blend of Sir David Brown-era old-world craftsmanship and the sympathetic application of modern engineering and performance enhancements. The new car is expected to comfortably top 160 mph.
Each Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato Continuation is constructed to the highest quality using a blend of Sir David Brown-era old-world craftsmanship and the sympathetic application of modern engineering and performance enhancements. The new car is expected to comfortably top 160 mph.
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Aston Martin's DB4 GT Zagato Continuation will make its public debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2019 on June 14-16
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Aston Martin's DB4 GT Zagato Continuation will make its public debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2019 on June 14-16
The original Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato was introduced London Motor Show in October 1960 with a 314 hp (234 kW) 3670 cc straight-six engine which propelled it to 153.5 mph (247 km/h). The DB4 GT Zagato Continuation model builds further upon the original, with a larger capacity 4.7-liter straight-six engine producing 390 hp and a considerably higher top speed.
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The original Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato was introduced London Motor Show in October 1960 with a 314 hp (234 kW) 3670 cc straight-six engine which propelled it to 153.5 mph (247 km/h). The DB4 GT Zagato Continuation model builds further upon the original, with a larger capacity 4.7-liter straight-six engine producing 390 hp and a considerably higher top speed.
Aston Martin's DB4 GT Zagato Continuation will make its public debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2019 on June 14-16
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Aston Martin's DB4 GT Zagato Continuation will make its public debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2019 on June 14-16
Entrepreneur David Brown certainly left a mark on the Aston Martin marque. He purchased the company in 1947 for £20,500, then set about building a globally known brand of high performance luxury cars which went public last year.
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Entrepreneur David Brown certainly left a mark on the Aston Martin marque. He purchased the company in 1947 for £20,500, then set about building a globally known brand of high performance luxury cars which went public last year.
Around 40 cars seems to be about the right number for an ultra-desirable collectible car to regularly come to market yet maintain an eight figure price at auction. It's roughly the same number as the DB4 GT Zagato's natural rival, the Ferrari 250 GTO.
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Around 40 cars seems to be about the right number for an ultra-desirable collectible car to regularly come to market yet maintain an eight figure price at auction. It's roughly the same number as the DB4 GT Zagato's natural rival, the Ferrari 250 GTO.
Period-inspired continuation specification instrumentation and interior equipment such as a full FIA-approved roll cage are standard
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Period-inspired continuation specification instrumentation and interior equipment such as a full FIA-approved roll cage are standard
Inside, the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato Continuation is trimmed in Obsidian Black leather, which covers the padding in the carbon fiber racing seats, the door cards, headliner and rear cabin. The black Wilton floor carpets are bound in the same black leather trim.
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 Inside, the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato Continuation is trimmed in Obsidian Black leather, which covers the padding in the carbon fiber racing seats, the door cards, headliner and rear cabin. The black Wilton floor carpets are bound in the same black leather trim.
Aston Martin's DB4 GT Zagato Continuation will make its public debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2019 on June 14-16
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Aston Martin's DB4 GT Zagato Continuation will make its public debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2019 on June 14-16
The car on show at Le Mans this weekend is finished in Rosso Maja paint, just as the first Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato was 60 years ago
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The car on show at Le Mans this weekend is finished in Rosso Maja paint, just as the first Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato was 60 years ago
Borrani silver painted wheels and polished lips add the finishing touches to the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato Continuation just as they did 59 years ago with the original
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Borrani silver painted wheels and polished lips add the finishing touches to the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato Continuation just as they did 59 years ago with the original
Each Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato Continuation is constructed to the highest quality using a blend of Sir David Brown-era old-world craftsmanship and the sympathetic application of modern engineering and performance enhancements. The new car is expected to comfortably top 160 mph.
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Each Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato Continuation is constructed to the highest quality using a blend of Sir David Brown-era old-world craftsmanship and the sympathetic application of modern engineering and performance enhancements. The new car is expected to comfortably top 160 mph.
The hand-finished body panels of the new Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato are created from flat sheets of 1.2 mm thick aluminium over hundreds of hours, using techniques that were commonplace 60 years ago
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The hand-finished body panels of the new Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato are created from flat sheets of 1.2 mm thick aluminium over hundreds of hours, using techniques that were commonplace 60 years ago
The Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato is now among the most valuable cars in the world with the car above selling for $14,300,000 at RM-Sotheby's, in New York, in December, 2015
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The Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato is now among the most valuable cars in the world with the car above selling for $14,300,000 at RM-Sotheby's, in New York, in December, 2015
In its heyday, the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato was a fierce competitor on the racetrack, regularly beating the Ferrari 250 GTO, which is now firmly established as the world's most expensive car at auction
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In its heyday, the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato was a fierce competitor on the racetrack, regularly beating the Ferrari 250 GTO, which is now firmly established as the world's most expensive car at auction
The Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato was the fastest production car in the world when it was released
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The Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato was the fastest production car in the world when it was released
The elegant Zagato lines made the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato the height of fashionable wheels in swinging sixties London
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The elegant Zagato lines made the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato the height of fashionable wheels in swinging sixties London
View gallery - 16 images

Aston Martin's DB4 GT Zagato Continuation model will make its public debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2019 this coming weekend. The limited edition (19 only, the same production number as the original 1960 model) will become one of the world's most expensive new cars when deliveries begin in the next few months, with a price tag of £6 million (US$7,633,000) plus taxes.

The DB4 GT Zagato is the latest continuation car created by Aston Martin, following on from the 25 DB4 GT Continuation models that sold in 2017 at £1.5 million each and precedes the 25 Aston Martin Goldfinger DB5 Continuation cars that will come to market in 2020 at £2.75 million apiece, complete with all the gadgetry that made it the most famous car in the world as co-star in the third James Bond film that was released in 1964.

Then there's the company's Heritage EV kit, which will swap into (and out of) a range of vintage Aston Martins, and which is expected to begin production later this year.

The Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato was the fastest production car in the world when it was released
The Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato was the fastest production car in the world when it was released

Just 19 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato cars were built in the original production run from 1960 to 1963. In 1988, four allocated but unused chassis numbers from the original run were used to create a further four cars, which are now known as "Sanction II" cars, being updated slightly with 4.2 liter engines and an increase in power from 314 hp (234 kW) to352 hp (262 kW).

In 2000, two further "Sanction III" cars were produced to "Sanction II" specifications, bringing the total number of Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagatos to 25. Those cars are now among the most valuable cars in the world with the most recent to reach auction selling for $14,300,000 (RM-Sotheby's, New York, December, 2015) and $13,323,861 (£10,081,500, Bonhams, Goodwood, July, 2018).

The 240 hp Aston Martin DB4 was introduced in 1958, and was subsequently timed during a road test by Autocar magazine at 141 mph (227 km/h), making it the fastest production car in the world. It was superceded as the top-of-the-range model by the 302 hp DB4 GT in 1959, which was timed at 152 mph (245 km/h) by Autosport magazine, making it the fastest production car in the world.

The original Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato was introduced to great fanfare at the London Motor Show in October 1960. The lightened 314 hp (234 kW) DB4 GT Zagato was subsequently timed in a magazine road test at 153.5 mph (247 km/h), giving Aston Martin a triple crown and undisputed credibility as a performance brand.

Aston Martin's DB4 GT Zagato Continuation will make its public debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2019 on June 14-16
Aston Martin's DB4 GT Zagato Continuation will make its public debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2019 on June 14-16

The new Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato Continuation model will be shown at Aston Martin's VIP hospitality facility alongside the famous Le Mans circuit this weekend, though the car sold out almost instantly when it was announced.

The DB4 GT Zagato Continuation model builds further upon the original, with a larger capacity 4.7-liter straight-six engine producing 390 hp, driving through a four-speed manual transmission and limited-slip diff. It will only be sold as a track car, and each car will be fitted with a full FIA-approved roll cage as standard. The video below has more.

Source: Aston Martin

Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato Continuation - Le Mans 2019

View gallery - 16 images
3 comments
3 comments
CAVUMark
Beautiful. I wonder what it would be like to be able to afford one.
toyhouse
Interesting. I wonder how they'd sell if made for the general public instead of multi-millionaire collectors only? One of the few cars of it's kind I lust after, ( forever to be in my dreams with those prices),. The only one I want no part of is the ev model. Apologies to the green crowd but that would almost be a kind of sacrilege. Part of the soul of a vintage aston is the exhaust note when they get on it. They sound like nothing else. A db4 that goes whoosh as it passes? - ugh. To each his/her own. Such a beautiful car. A work of art.
Buzzclick
It's more expensive than the DB5 Goldfinger re-issue also recently announced, but this car is a far better investment. Italians influenced the design of a number of Astons, but this one is the best. It still has twin plugs, Weber carbs and even more horsepower, but it's the style that brings it home.