The DB9 Spyder Zagato Centennial was a special project of Zagato Atelier to celebrate Aston Martin’s 100th birthday. Together with the Aston Martin DBS Coupé Zagato, the car made the debut at Kensington Gardens in July 2013. Following their unveiling at Kensington Gardens, the DB9 Spyder traveled across the Atlantic to Pebble Beach, where it was shown on the concept lawn of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

The DB9 Spyder began life as a standard U.S.-specification 2013 Aston Martin DB9 Volante (with V12 AM11 engine with 510bhp and a six-speed paddleshift transmission). It was purchased new by an American collector and immediately shipped to Zagato’s facilities in Italy to be fitted with custom one-off coachwork. The body is finished in traditional Aston Martin Racing Green with Sahara Tan leather interior.

The DB9 Zagato Spyder shares the same styling treatment as the DBS Zagato, although the double-bouble roof is lost, replaced by a folding soft-top. The styling was intended to recall iconic Aston Martins from the 1970s and 1980s, such as the DBS, V8 Vantage, and V8 Virage. The snub nose penned by Zagato’s designers (under lead of Norihiko Harada, Zagato’s Chief Designer) gives it a character all its own and a more aggressive personality, while still retaining an air of elegance, as any Aston Martin should. Its front-end design carries through to the rear, where Zagato fitted unique taillights that mimic the design of the headlights, as well as a similarly squared-off tail.

The interior remained largely unchanged, with the exception of stainless steel trim and a green stripe, mimicking the exterior color, down the center of the front and rear seats.

A nice detail is that during the design and production phase, nobody in Aston Martin had seen the design until it was revealed at the centenary in Kensington Gardens. However, the idea was discussed beforehand with the CEO of Aston Martin, Ulrich Bez. A proof of great trust and strong ties between both iconic companies.