This rare Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Shooting Brake is peak wagon
Automotive enthusiasts, journalists especially, are so in love with long-roof cars it’s practically a cliché at this point. Add it to the list: Miatas are fun, rotary engines sound amazing, E-types are gorgeous, Azteks are ugly, and wagons are cool. That last one, though, is totally legit.
Wagons offer the driving dynamics of a car and the utility of a crossover with long-roof style. We know, you get it, we’ve beaten the “wagons are awesome drum” enough, but have you seen the 2019 Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Shooting Brake? Tell me that’s not jewel of a design.
Aston Martin has a long history with Zagato, dating back to 1960 to the DB4GT Zagato, of which only 25 were produced. Aston also collaborated on the DB7 Zagato with its funky roof, scalloped rear glass, and oddly satisfying tailgate/decklid.
Their latest British/Italian alliance, based this time on the Vanquish, has resulted in coupé, Volante, and Roadster variations, but of course our favorite is the shooting brake.
What’s not to love? It’s got a 6.0-liter V-12 packing 580 horsepower, carbon-ceramic brakes, a custom-tuned exhaust, and the body is made entirely out of carbon fiber. Like any great grand tourer, there’s enough room in the back to hold a week’s worth of luggage for your long-distance road trip needs.
The taillights, similar to those used on the other three variants in the Vanquish Zagato line, are some of the most striking in modern memory, sprouting from the quarter panels and mimicking afterburners better than any jet-age creation from Detroit. Only 99 were built, and with the level of customization offered by Aston Martin, odds are that each one is unique.
This example, in Red Lava with black interior, was delivered to its first owner later in 2018 but is available at RM’s Villa Erba auction on May 25 with no reserve. If you ask me, it’s the perfect vehicle for a lengthy Alpine tour. Any Italian-bound bidder would be lucky to take it home.
