The DB4 Zagato might be a priceless piece of automotive art, but, believe it or not, is not the rarest Aston Martin ever built, even though there were 19 of them carefully crafted by the Italian coachbuilder – which is 18 more than the one-off DB9 Zagato.
Still, that doesn’t make it less valuable. In fact, thanks to its rarity, popularity and design the DB4 Zagato is the most expensive Aston Martin, as this exact unit is expected to fetch £10m ($15,439,500) at the RM Sotheby’s “Driven by Disruption” auction.
Designed by Ercole Spada, it is a lighter and improved DB4 GT, boasting a 318 hp, 3.7-litre straight-six powerplant with an increased compression ratio. Moreover, its specific Italian style cues, complemented by the unquestionable British elegance, makes this model one of the greatest designs in automotive history. In fact, it is considered by many to be Zagato’s finest creation.
The car that goes under the hammer is the 14th one built. It was delivered from new to Australia and raced there with great success. Yes, the DB4 Zagato was a great GT, but it also served as a gentleman’s racer, so you probably won’t find one without some track usage.
It remained Down Under most of its life before being sold to its current owner in England, who had the car restored by British specialist Richard Williams and by Zagato’s own facilities. As you can imagine, the car is in pristine state, being as original as a 54-year old, incredibly rare car can be and having won many accolades, including 1st in Class at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and at the Villa d’Este Concorso d’Eeleganza.