Hundreds of retro cars turn up on the market every week, but when something as iconic as this 1990 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Zagato pops up, you’re going to stop and take notice. It hails from an era when Fox-Body Mustangs were in their heyday, and the likes of the Ferrari F40 and and Porsche 959 represented the pinnacle of road-going performance.
Officially unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in 1986, only 52 Coupé units of the V8 Vantage Zagato were built between 1986 and 1990. All 52 cars were sold out before official deliveries began, despite an eye-watering original price tag of £87,000 – that's roughly £330,000 (US$445,000) in today's money.
What makes this particular example so impressive is that it has barely 600 miles (965 km) on the odometer. Nearly half of that distance (roughly 250 miles/(402 km) was accumulated only recently during a comprehensive recommissioning process to ensure the car is fully operational on modern roads.
Under the bulging hood, Aston Martin powered the Zagato with its famed 5.3-liter “X-pack” V8, producing 432 hp and 410 lb.ft (555.8 Nm) of torque, mated to a five-speed manual transmission. Combine that muscle with a 771-lb (350-kg) weight reduction over the standard V8 Vantage, and you get a top speed of 186 mph (300 km/h).
Its overall length was reduced by over 12 inches (304 mm) compared to the standard V8 Vantage thanks to a shortened chassis. The rear seats were eliminated, and lightweight aluminum bodywork was utilized throughout.
Aston Martin specialist Nicholas Mee & Company recently woke the car from a near 40-year slumber to return it to road-going condition. Restoration experts meticulously inspected and overhauled the mechanical and electrical systems, servicing components to original factory specifications.
A few modern enhancements were introduced during the process, including a sports exhaust to unleash the V8's voice, upgraded suspension, fresh Michelin Pilot Sport tires, and an updated air conditioning system. Everything else, including the original two-tone leather interior, Speedline Aero alloy wheels, and striking Gladiator Red paint, remains period-correct.
"It seemed so far ahead of its time; it was unlike anything else on the road," dealer Nicholas Mee noted, adding that a properly recommissioned example can drive even better than many modern GTs. While we still see occasional collaborations between Aston Martin and Zagato today, few possess the bold, aggressive wedge-era styling of this 1980s icon.
There’s no denying the Aston Martin V8 Vantage Zagato is one of the rarest cars you could own today. Standard-mileage examples often fetch anywhere between $400,000 and $600,000 on the market. And considering a Ferrari 288 GTO (built in a comparatively high 272 units) in good condition is valued at about $6.7 million by the likes of Hagerty, a 600-mile time-capsule Zagato is bound to command a massive premium.
With only 52 of these rolling off the production floor, who knows what this car might fetch? And if you were lucky enough to end up getting it, the car would come with Nicholas Mee & Company's 12-month guarantee, which includes a complete workshop inspection report and free first service.
Source: Nicholas Mee
