Skip to main content

If you want Aston Martin’s newest supercar, you’ll have to buy a classic first

How’s this for a package deal? The Aston Martin DBS GT Zagato is a special edition commemorating one of Aston’s all-time great cars — the DB4 GT Zagato of the 1960s. But to get the DBS GT, you have to buy the DB4 GT, which Aston is bringing back for a limited run. Just 19 pairs of cars — which Aston calls the DBZ Centenary Collection — will be built, priced at $7.3 million.

The DBS GT Zagato is based on the DBS Superleggera, but looks very different. That’s where the “Zagato” part comes in. Zagato is an Italian coach builder that has been working with Aston for decades. Zagato worked its magic on the DB4 GT in the 1960s, and it did the same with the new DBS GT. The “double bubble” roof (a Zagato trademark), round taillights, and 18-carat gold accents set the DBS GT apart from the Superleggera.

The interior features carbon fiber trim pieces, as well as some 3D-printed metal parts, which Aston claims are a world first. Buyers can choose carbon, aluminum, or gold-coated stainless steel. The latter requires 100 hours just to print, and is then hand polished and processed by craftspeople at the factory, according to Aston. The automaker believes 3D printing represents the next evolution of personalization, since it allows customers to commission one-off parts with a unique finish or shape.

The DBS GT Zagato uses the same 5.2-liter, twin-turbocharged V12 as the DBS Superleggera. But the Zagato boasts 760 horsepower (the same as a Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang), compared to 715 hp for the Superleggera. In both variants, power is sent to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission, which is mounted in the back of the car to improve weight distribution.

To get a DBS GT Zagato, you also have to buy a DB4 GT Zagato. Unveiled in 1960 to challenge Ferrari on the world’s racetracks, the Zagato was a lighter, more aerodynamic version of the Aston Martin DB4 GT. As with the original, the modern Zagato “continuation” model (Aston prefers not to call it a replica) will have hand-formed aluminum bodywork and a 4.7-liter inline-six engine making 390 hp. Just 19 original DB4 GT Zagatos were built, so the modern production run will double the number of cars in existence.

While the DBS GT Zagato will be street legal, the DB4 GT Zagato it’s sold with will be for track use only. Aston Martin can’t certify a new car built from a 1960s design for road use. That hasn’t stopped Aston from bringing back other old designs, though. It previously built a batch of 25 DB4 GT (non-Zagato) “continuation” cars, and plans to resurrect James Bond’s DB5 — complete with gadgets.

Editors' Recommendations

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Mercedes-Benz G580 first drive: old-school off-roader goes electric
2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 from three quarter view.

American car buyers mostly know Mercedes-Benz as a luxury brand. But for decades, the automaker has also produced the tough, rugged G-Class (also known as the Geländewagen or G-Wagen), an SUV not afraid to get its leather upholstery muddy. And now, this iconic Mercedes is going electric.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ Technology — the final name of the SUV previously known as the EQG — isn’t the first electric off-roader. The Rivian R1S and R1T and GMC Hummer EV have proven that electric powertrains and off-roading are a great combination. But the electric G-Wagen is different because it’s based on an internal-combustion model — and a very traditional one at that.

Read more
Honda believes hydrogen semi trucks will make the case for fuel cells
Honda hydrogen fuel-cell semi truck.

Honda remains committed to hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, but the market for those vehicles remains limited. So Honda is looking at other uses for fuel cells -- including commercial trucks.

To show how that could work, Honda converted a semi truck to fuel-cell power, replacing its diesel engine with three fuel-cell modules. Together, the three modules produce a combined 321 horsepower, and can propel the truck to a top speed of 70 mph. There's enough onboard hydrogen storage capacity for a 400-mile range with a full load, Honda claims.

Read more
Mercedes-Benz G580 vs Rivian R2: Is the much cheaper Rivian actually better?
2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 from three quarter view.

Mercedes-Benz has finally taken the wraps off of the new "Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ Technology." Yeah, it's a mouthful, but it's basically a new electric G-Wagon. It looks a lot like the G-Wagon you know and love, but with an electric powertrain and a battery. It's not the only electric SUV out there, however, and there are some great ones -- like the Rivian R2.

Both the Mercedes G580 and the Rivian R2 have a lot going for them, but they also approach the electric SUV slightly differently. Is one better than the other? I put the two head-to-head to find out.
Design
The approach that the two vehicles take to design is quite different -- and you might like one better than the other.

Read more