The DBS Coupé Zagato Centennial was a special project of Zagato Atelier to celebrate Aston Martin’s 100th birthday. Together with the DB9 Spyder Zagato Centennial, the car made the debut at Kensington Gardens in July 2013. The DBS Zagato was also featured at the Geneva Motor Show in 2014.

The story tells that a Japanese collector has been drawn to Zagato with the demand to build a very unique DBS. Zagato took the assignment and Norihiko Harada, Zagato’s Chief Designer, worked half a year to give the DBS a complete metamorphosis. The challenge was to bring a sporty styling together with a Mediterranean feel.

The design of the DBS Zagato is not compatible with the other Aston Martins, however 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 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 DBS Zagato features a double-bubble roof profile with a stunning curved, one-piece polished aluminium strip that begins at the car’s beltline,  across the top of the rear window and back down to the other side. At the rear, the car is neatly finished by new light clusters, an aggressive rear diffuser and curious trapezoidal exhaust pipes.

Both interior and mechanical are identical to the standard DBS with its 6.0 V12 with 510 hp strong engine, fitted with 20 inch wheels with ceramic brakes. The experience seems to be different, as the DBS Zagato is more focused on comfortably driving than a standard DBS. The project has cost the customer 1.4 million euros.

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.