Opportunities like this one don’t come along often. Pendine Historic Cars, a specialist classic car dealer based at Bicester Heritage, are now offering for sale a 1986 Aston Martin V8 Zagato. The car is extremely rare, offers high performance and even has apposite timing as this is the Zagato brand’s centenary year. The car is worthy of the world’s finest collections and represents an unmissable opportunity for either Aston collectors or those looking to mark the Zagato anniversary. Its asking price is £530,000.
This chassis 20011 for sale is one of only three prototypes—as well as one of only two in right-hand drive—built ahead of the original production run of around 50 Aston Martin V8 Zagato coupés, all of which were pre-sold before production even got underway. And this particular prototype was commissioned with a unique and high specification by Aston Martin enthusiast Wensley Hayden-Baillie, a close friend of former Aston Martin Lagonda chairman Victor Gauntlett.
Furthermore, the car is topical as the Zagato coachbuilder’s 100th birthday this year will be marked by a number of activities including Aston Martin’s production of 19 DB4 GT Zagato Continuation models as part of the DBZ Centenary Collection. And as well as the car being rare in itself, this also is a rare opportunity to buy it, as it comes to market from a private collection for the first time in 20 years—and this current owner is only its third since new. The car also in recent years has been meticulously restored, and therefore is presented in beautiful condition; finished in Gladiator Red.
“Chassis 20011 is a well-known Aston Martin and is surely one of the finest examples of all of the V8 Zagatos built,” said Pendine Historic Cars founder James Mitchell. “According to the current owner, who has raced and driven more V8 Zagatos than most, it drives unlike the other cars and is visceral by comparison. This is a special car which seriously deserves recognition for its place in the marque’s genesis.”
The factory quoted the car’s 0-60mph time at under five seconds and a top speed of around 190mph, making it Aston Martin’s fastest ever at the time. And as with all cars commissioned by Wensley Hayden-Baillie, this car has an exceptionally high specification and consequently is one of only four known to have been built with the 432bhp motor, and one of just two with an integral roll bar. While between 2009 and 2013 the car was subjected to a painstaking restoration by Pebble Beach-winning specialist Auto Restorations, which took place in New Zealand and was overseen by the current custodian.
Today the car is listed by Aston Martin Heritage Trust as a significant car and in recognition of its status was invited to the highly-prestigious Concorso Eleganza Villa d’Este at Lake Como in 2016, one of only 52 cars annually, worldwide, to receive such an invitation. This was followed by an invitation to the inaugural City of London Concours in 2017. It comes with all its original manuals, delivery and warranty documents, copies of the fascinating factory memos about this special build, as well as has an unbroken and extensive history file along with the original service vouchers book and handbook. Interested parties can contact James Mitchell at Pendine Historic Cars directly at james@pendine.com or on +44 1869 357126.
Images courtesy of Pendine Historic Cars
