The 2020 Aston Martin DBS GT Zagato is a limited-edition grand tourer based on the 2019 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera. Part of the DBZ Centenary collection, the DBS GT Zagato is more than just a Superleggera modified by Italian coachbuilder Zagato. This grand tourer is sold as part of a package that includes the DB4 GT Zagato Continuation, a revival of the iconic car produced in the early 1960s.

Essentially a modern twin of the DB4 GT Zagato Continuation, the DBS GT Zagato boasts notable modifications inside and out, including carbon-fiber elements, bespoke features, and a beefed-up engine under the hood. The DBS GT Zagato celebrates a partnership spanning almost 60 years and follows in the footsteps of the Vanquish Zagato, based on the DBS' predecessor. Let's find out more about this limited-edition grand tourer in the review below.

2020 Aston Martin DBS GT Zagato

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2020 Aston Martin DBS GT Zagato
  • Engine/Motor: V12
  • Horsepower: 760
  • Torque: 664
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

- Unique exterior design - New grille - Carbon-fiber grille - Gold badges - Gold detailing - Visible carbon-fiber elements - Streamlined side skirts - Carbon-fiber roof - No rear window - Big diffuser - Round taillights - Bespoke wheels with gold details

ids=865610,865611

no_overlay=false

before_label=Aston Martin DBS GT Zagato

after_label=Aston Martin DBS Superleggera>


Just like the Vanquish-based Zagato before it, the DBS GT Zagato stands out through a sportier stance, unique detailing, and a massive grille up front. This grille is quite special, as it's made from 108 diamond-shaped carbon-fiber elements. It also occupies most of the bumper and the nose in a clear departure from the DBS Superleggera and even the usual Aston Martin designs. But this is more than just a huge opening slapped onto the face. When the car isn't moving, the carbon elements remain flush with the body. It looks like the car doesn't have an actual grille. In this setup it also seems as if the grille is actually the quilted leather seen in most Aston Martins. I can't decide if it's cool or not, but it's definitely unique.

Start the car and the 108 carbon pieces comes to life and open up to allow air into the engine. But unlike the concept car, they no longer have gold accents on the edges. But the badge on the nose is made from solid 18-carat gold, so you still get some chutzpah.

Zagato also redesigned the DBS' headlamps, making them bigger and more angular at the corners. This is a breath of fresh air compared to the current Aston Martin headlamps, which are small and rather dull. The front fascia is rounded off by a revised engine hood with a massive vent in the center. This feature is inspired by race cars from the 1960s, but while the DB4 GT has an outward bulge, the DBS has it the other way around, with the opening oriented towards the engine and the nose.

ids=865612,865613

no_overlay=false

before_label=Aston Martin DBS GT Zagato

after_label=Aston Martin DBS Superleggera>


The Zagato's profile is a notable departure from the standard DBS Superleggera. The side skirts are the first that catch the eye due to their streamlined design. While modern sports cars have protruding side skirts, Zagato took a vintage approach and went with a rounded-off design, as seen on vintage cars. This design also makes the DBS GT Zagato narrower in the lower area, just like the classic DB4 GT Zagato. The typical Aston Martin strake on the front fender now extends into the door, where it breaks downward at a 45-degree angle, and features gold trim for a striking contrast. The big "Z" badge on the front fender is made from solid gold, just like the emblem on the engine hood.

Zagato also redesigned the roof with a more aggressive slope toward the back. Another feature that sets this model apart is the carbon-fiber roof. The lightweight element also includes the upper C-pillars and the area where the rear window should be. It basically looks like a convertible with a soft-top as far as the shape goes, but it's fixed and as solid as they get. The interesting thing is that there's no rear window, so visibility isn't all that great.

Finally, the sides also reveals a set of unique five-spoke wheels in a two-tone, Satin Black and gold finish. The contrast between the gold spokes and the black details is spectacular, but the combination also works well against the bright red paint.

ids=865614,865615

no_overlay=false

before_label=Aston Martin DBS GT Zagato

after_label=Aston Martin DBS Superleggera>


The rear fascia is just as exotic. Zagato ditched the slim and long taillights and replaced the upper fascia with a carbon-fiber panels. This panel has a big dent in the center that runs the entire width of the rear end, making the area above look like a splitter. The spoiler on the deck lid is also gone, hence the splitter-like section of the carbon fascia. Instead of thin lights, Zagato went with a 3D design that combines horizontal poles in a round shape. The look is modern, organic, and high-tech, despite the fact that the round shape is pretty much a tribute to old Aston Martins. The carbon-fiber fascia includes the same 18-carat gold emblem as seen on the engine hood.

Down below, the license place recess was moved a tad higher into the fascia, while the diffuser grew bigger and now sits at a 45-degree angle to the ground. The tailpipes were also reshaped to match the new angle of the diffuser. They're also bigger than usual, so the entire lower bumper now looks like it’s been taken off a race car.

The DBS GT Zagato shown here is finished in Supernova Red, but owners can opt for other colors as well. Aston Martin has yet to announce specific color options, but you should be able to choose for a very extensive palette.

Interior

- Unique center stack - Unique center console - Unique door panels - Exclusive Z quilting on the seats - Leather upholstery - Carbon fiber steering wheel - Two-tone color options - New 3D-printed technology

ids=865614,865615

no_overlay=false

before_label=Aston Martin DBS GT Zagato

after_label=Aston Martin DBS Superleggera>


The interior of the DBS GT Zagato is surprising to say the least. That's because it's significantly different than the car it is based on. While previous Zagato models had standard interiors with a few unique features, the DBS GT Zagato comes with a reconfigured center console. The center stack is much shorter in the Zagato, with the A/C vents and the infotainment display at the top integrated into a separate area. At the bottom of the center stack, Zagato added a control unit with buttons and knobs for the air conditioning. The main buttons are finished in anodized gold.

The center console was also redesigned from scratch. The engine start button and the touch controls for the transmission are displaced like an upside-down V, with more touch buttons for the media system and the radio placed on the left side, closer to the driver. The entire console is surrounded by honeycomb detailing in anodized gold. This is a unique feature as well, but it makes the cabin look a bit cheesy, especially when combined with the red upholstery.

While the center stack and console are unique to this model, the instrument cluster hood and the steering wheel are taken from the standard DBS Superleggera. Only three changes are noticeable here: the carbon-fiber shift paddles, the carbon-fiber top and bottom of the steering wheel, and the two-tone upholstery.

The door panels, on the other hand, have a new design with some sort of C-shaped center section. They also have a two-tone upholstery with red armrests, black background, and red upper and lower sections.

The bright leather color you here is Caithness Spicy Red and every surface in this hue is high-quality leather. The seats are also wrapped in this material, but feature unique Z-shaped quilting. Of course, Aston Martin offers a wide palette of upholstery colors for this model, including bespoke choices from the Q division.

But the main highlight here lies in the bespoke center console, which was made from configurable, 3D-printed carbon and metal. This is a first for the automotive industry and likely previews the future of automobile personalization. Customers will be able to choose from three 3D-printed materials, including carbon, aluminum, or gold PVD (physical vapor deposition). The latter requires almost 100 hours of print time with additional polishing and post-processing by skilled craftsmen to achieve a perfect finish. Quite fancy!

Drivetrain

- Twin-turbo 5.2-liter V-12 - 760 horsepower - 664 pound-feet of torque - More powerful than the standard model - 0 to 62 mph in 3.3 seconds - Top speed of 211 mph - Eight-speed automatic gearbox - Mechanical limited-slip differential - Sporty chassis - Enhanced braking system

The DBS GT Zagato comes with the same twin-turbo, 5.2-liter V-12 engine as the regular DBS Superleggera under the hood. However, Aston Martin re-tweaked the unit to increase output to a whopping 760 horsepower. That's a notable 45-horsepower increase from the regular Superleggera. Aston Martin didn't release a torque figure, but it's safe to say that it remains similar to the standard model, rated at 664 pound-feet of torque.

Sadly, Aston Martin had nothing to say about performance either. But given the extra power, the DBS GT Zagato should be a tad quicker than the Superleggera. The latter hits 62 mph in 3.4 seconds, so the Zagato should get there in 3.3 clicks. With a bit of luck and if the aerodynamics don't get in the way, the DBS GT Zagato could even reach 62 mph in 3.2 seconds. Top speed should remain unchanged at 211 mph.

How does it compare to other high-performance GTs on the market? Well, we can rule out the Bentley Continental GT without a Speed or Supersports version available, but we have the Ferrari 812 Superfast as a benchmark. Powered by a 6.5-liter V-12 engine, the Ferrari is a slightly more powerful choice, as it comes with 789 horses on tap. That's an extra 29 horsepower. However, at 530 pound-feet of torque, the 812 Superfast falls behind the DBS GT Zagato by a whopping 134 pound-feet. But this isn't a big issue for the Italian grand tourer, because it's notably quicker to 62 mph. Specifically, it needs three seconds flat to hit that speed, which makes it at least two tenths quicker than the Aston Martin. Its top speed is identical at 211 mph.

Beyond the engine, the DBS GT Zagato is pretty much a Superleggera under the skin. It features a similar eight-speed automatic transmission and it can be set up in three dynamic modes. The GT mode provides that comfortable grand tourer ride with smooth shifts, while the Sport setting gives it more grunt. The Sport Plus mode is the most aggressive setup, enabling the quickest off-the-line sprints and a race-inspired exhaust note.

The suspension system includes forged double wishbones in the front and a sophisticated multi-link system in the rear. It also comes with a mechanical limited-slip differential with Dynamic Stability Control and Dynamic Torque Vectoring. By braking individual wheels, this setup significantly improves the car’s cornering capabilities. The grand tourer also features traction control and positive torque control features.

Stopping power comes from standard carbon-ceramic discs that measure 16.1 inches up front and 14.2 inches to the rear. These are paired with six-piston and four-pot calipers, respectively. Electronic Brake Distribution, Emergency Brake Assist, Traction Control, Hydraulic Brake Assist, and Positive Torque Control all comes standard. The DBS GT Zagato rides on custom-made Pirelli tires with extra grip for fast acceleration and efficient braking.

Pricing

Pricing for the DBS GT Zagato is more than just a big number. That's because this limited-edition model is part of a two-car deal. Specifically, it's sold only alongside the DB4 GT Zagato Continuation. Aston Martin is building only 19 units of each model and sells them in pairs. For how much? Well, the combo costs a whopping £6 million, which converts to around $7.3 million as of October 2019. This figure doesn't include local taxes, so expect pricing to increase to at least £7 million, or at least $8.5 million, when these are added.

So what's the deal with the DB4 GT Zagato Continuation series you ask? Aston Martin is simply building a batch of cars identical to this iconic vehicles. It features the same design inside and out, mild improvements under the skin, and a 4.7-liter engine instead of the original 3.7-liter straight-six mill. This isn't the first time when Aston Martin is doing a continuation series for this car. It did it for the first time in the late 1980s and again for the second time in the 2000s.

The original DB4 GT Zagato was built from 1960 to 1963 in just 19 units. It was essentially a lighter and more aerodynamic version of the DB4 GT built by Ercole Spada at the Zagato factory in Italy. Four of these cars were developed specifically for racing and some were driven at the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans.

One of the most iconic cars every built by Aston Martin, the original DB4 GT Zagato is awfully expensive nowadays, with most examples sold for anywhere between £5 million to £10 million ($6.1 million to $12.2 million) at public auctions. So the Continuation series is essentially a bit more affordable. Of the £6 million that Aston Martin wants for the bundle, it's believed that £4 million ($4.9 million) would be the pricing for the DB4 GT Zagato Continuation. This leaves the DBS GT Zagato with a £2 million ($2.4 million) sticker. That's incredibly expensive, even for a bespoke, modern grand tourer.

Competition

Ferrari Monza SP

While the Ferrari 812 Superfast is technically a good competitor for the DBS GT Zagato, the latter is way too exclusive and expensive for the Italian grand tourer. For a more accurate competitor we need to look at the Ferrari Monza SP, a series of two limited-edition versions, the SP1 and SP2, based on the 812 Superfast. These modern speedsters are tributes to classic Ferrari race cars like the 750 Monza, 250 Testarossa, and 166 MM, so they fit the theme.

The main difference between the SP1 and SP2 is that one is a single seater, while the other one includes a passenger seat. These feature the same 6.5-liter V-12 as the 812 Superfast, but tuned to deliver 799 horsepower. That's an extra 39 horses compared to the DBS GT Zagato. Torque remains the same at 530 pound-feet, which is 134 less than the British grand tourer. However, the Monza SP needs only 2.9 seconds to hit 62 mph since its lighter than the 812 Superfast. Top speed is inferior to the DBS GT Zagato at 186 mph, this shouldn't be an issue with collectors. Ferrari says it will make less than 500 units, so it's not as exclusive as the DBS GT Zagato. Pricing starts from £1.6 million (almost $2 million as of October 2019), notably less than the Aston Martin. But the Monza SP isn't paired with a vintage car.

Read our full story on the Ferrari Monza SP.

Final Thoughts

Like most Zagato-built Aston Martins from the modern era, the DBS GT Zagato is one spectacular car. It's notably different than the base car design-wise, it features loads of bespoke features, and it has a more powerful engine. Basically all you could want in an exclusive, limited-edition, high-performance grand tourer. Making things that much better, it's sold alongside a continuation series of the iconic DB4 GT Zagato. But this is also bad news, as pricing for the package goes through the roof. On the other hand, these cars aren't aimed at the average Joe and Aston Martin won't have problems finding 19 wealthy owners. With so many cool Aston Martins rolled out by Zagato in recent years, maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea for the Brits to buy the Italian firm and turn it into a bespoke division to compete against Ferrari.