1960 Aston Martin DB4GT

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Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato
Aston Martin and Zagato have a long, storied history stretching all the way back to the DB4 GT Zagato of 1960. It was unveiled at the London Motor Show as a re-bodied, more powerful version of the DB4 GT, with a chassis made in England and then sent off to Italy for the hand-made coachwork to be fitted. Only 19 examples of the car were originally built, but much like the Bizzarrini 5300 GT, the draw of nostalgia became too great, and Aston Martin Works announced another 19 continuation cars would be made in 2019.
The continuations feature even more mechanical upgrades compared to the original car, with around 400 horsepower as opposed to the '60s car's 300 horsepower. Period cars had a 3.7L six-cylinder engine, while the continuations boast a 4.7L replica six-cylinder, built to the design of the original. Their rarity and status as one of the best-looking British cars ever made mean that original cars fetch eye-watering sums on the rare occasion they come up for auction –- at a 2021 RM Sotheby's sale, a one-of-six left-hand drive example sold for $9.52 million.
WHEN THE SULTAN OF BRUNEI AND HIS BROTHER PRINCE JEFFRI WERE BUYING ANY AND
EVERYTHING THEY WANTED, THEIR AUTOMOTIVE COLLECTION WAS GROUPING TOGETHER
THE BEST CARS FROM EVERY PERFORMANCE BRAND. THIS INCLUDED SEVERAL CUSTOM BUILT
ASTON MARTINS INCLUDING A VANTAGE SPECIAL SERIES I. TAKING ALMOST ALL OF IT'S
CUES FROM THE CLASSIC DB4 ZAGATO, THESE MODERN INTERPRETATIONS WERE SKETCHED
OUT SPECIFICALLY FOR THE SULTAN MIMICKING THE 1961 RACE CAR WHICH WAS SENT TO
TURIN AND BODIED BY SPECIALIST COACHBUILDER ZAGATO. OF THE ORIGINAL 19 BUILT,
EACH SHARE THE TITLE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE ASTON MARTIN.
WE, THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT, STARTED OUT TRYING TO FORM A MORE PERFECT
UNION BY COMBINING THE PAST WITH THE PRESENT (AS DID THE SULTAN OF BRUNEI). IT
WAS A SIMPLE, YET AMBITIOUS PREMISE. TAKE THE ELEGANCE AND TIMELESS STYLING OF A
1960 ASTON MARTIN DB4GT ZAGATO, MERGE IT WITH THE POWER & ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
OF A PRESENT DAY ASTON THUS CREATING THE ABSOLUTE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS. THIS CAR
WOULD HAVE THE LOOK OF ONE OF THE RAREST & HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER CARS IN THE WORLD
ALONG WITH THE DRIVABILITY OF SOME OF THE TOP RATED SPORTS CARS AVAILABLE TODAY.
PLANNING WAS METICULOUS AND THOROUGH. FIRST, WE HAD TO BUILD A COMPLETE NEW
ALUMINUM BODY, INCLUDING THE ZAGATO COACHWORK. THE FRAME WAS SENT TO WORLD
RENOWNED COACHBUILDER, CLIVE SMART, AT THE SHAPECRAFT FACILITY IN NEWPORT PAGNELL,
ENGLAND. THERE, THE ASTON BODY WAS METICULOUSLY CRAFTED OUT OF NOTHING MORE THAN
PREMIUM ALUMINUM AND THE SKILL OF THE ARTIST'S HANDS MANIPULATING THEIR ENGLISH
WHEELS. STATESIDE, PLANS WERE ENGINEERED TO ACCOMMODATE A SUPERCHARGED DB7 WITH
A 5 SPEED GETRAG TRANSMISSION FROM AN ALFRED DUNHILL EDITION. THEN ANOTHER SLOW
BOAT BACK TO THE U.S.A. WHERE ASSEMBLY OF THE ENGINE, ELECTRONICS, UPHOLSTERY,
EXHAUST, SUSPENSION, ETC. BEGAN. WHEN IT WAS ALL COMPLETE AND THE LAST LITTLE
BIT OF PERFECTION HAD BEEN LAVISHED ON IT - WE DECIDED TO MARKET THE CAR.
THAT IN AND OF ITSELF WAS NOT EASY AS, AFTER ALL, WE HAD CREATED THIS CAR OUT OF NOTHING.
HOWEVER, AS UNCOMFORTABLE A NOTION AS SELLING MAY HAVE BEEN, IT WAS NOTHING COMPARED
TO WHAT WAS JUST AROUND THE CORNER. AFTER WE UNVEILED OUR CREATION THROUGH SEVERAL
WEBSITES AND eBAY, WE WERE BLINDSIDED BY SOMETHING TOTALLY UNEXPECTED. SOMEONE FROM
HALFWAY AROUND THE WORLD WAS CLAIMING TO HAVE ANOTHER ASTON WITH OUR SAME V.I.N.
PLATE. WE WERE DUMBFOUNDED AND DEVASTATED AS WE HAD NEARLY 40 YEARS OF TITLE AND
OWNERSHIP HISTORY. WE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO CEASE MARKETING UNTIL WE COULD UNRAVEL
THE TRUTH. TO THIS DAY WE HAVE NEVER SEEN A SINGLE PICTURE OF THIS "OTHER" CAR OR ONE
SHRED OF EVIDENCE THAT OURS IS NOT THE GENUINE ARTICLE. BUT IN THE INTERESTS OF
FAIRNESS TO A POTENTIAL BUYER, REPUTATIONS, EXORBITANT INTERNATIONAL LITIGATION
COST AND W