Ugo Zagato is an innovator, a luminary, and designer that has impacted the automotive industry like very few others. He was an aeronautical engineer that in 1919 when he opened his business in Milan, he aimed at revolutionizing the car panorama.
He introduced strong lightweight structures in aluminum for cars, similar to the ones used in airplanes, reducing greatly the overall weight of vehicles. Also, thanks to his meticulous study of aerodynamics, he gave birth to some of the most peculiar and beautiful cars ever seen on the road.
His work, continued by his son Elio, made the studio an outlier in the car world that for over 100 years defied all the design canons, making the name Zagato a synonym of unorthodox beauty.
10 Bentley Continental GTZ
Only 9 units of this beautiful and unique version of the Bentley Continental were made. The 2006 GTZ shares the same engine of the original, which is a V12 that produces over 600 horsepower.
However, the body has been completely changed and mostly made of aluminum. The transformation from a Continental to a Zagato took about four months. This car is the first collaboration between the English builder and the Italian designer. A unique look that made an already fantastic car even better looking, a true masterpiece.
9 Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale
This is one of the many examples of the deep love that exists between Alfa Romeo and Zagato as through the years they have created some unique looking cars. This vehicle was first unveiled in 2010 and it was based on the Dodge Viper ACR.
It had a beefy 8.4 liter V10 that produced 640 horsepower. This car was built for the 100th year anniversary of Alfa Romeo and it was called the TZ3 as a follow up to the stunning TZ1 and TZ2 built by Zagato in the sixties. This car is very rare as only 9 units were made.
8 Maserati Mostro
The term Mostro means monster, but by looking at the jaw-dropping design, it probably refers to the fact that under the hood there is a beastly V8 that produces more than 450 horsepower. This car was built as an homage to the 1957 Maserati 450 S Coupe Mostro.
The most glaring feature is the long-pronounced nose typically used by race cars in the 1950s. The car was unveiled at Italy's Annual Concorso d'Eleganza (beauty contest) at Villa d'Este. Only five examples have been built of this peculiar beauty.
7 Alfa Romeo SZ
As we said, there are two things that Zagato loves, one is working with Alfa Romeo and the other is creating unorthodox designs. This car is a model that, when first shown at the Geneva Motor Show in 1987, left everyone stunned for its unique looks. It was powered by a 3.o- liter V6 that produced 207 horsepower with a maximum speed of 152 mph.
The car did not have a lot of success because it cost way more than E30 BMW M3 but was considerably slower. Nevertheless, due to its unique look, the Alfa has become a true collectible item in the past few years.
6 Aston Martin DB4 Zagato
The fantastic GT was in production from 1960 to 1963 but only 20 units of the Zagato version were built. This is considered one of the most iconic cars that Zagato ever produced.
The beautiful lightweight body was supported by a 3.7 liter straight 6-cylinder that produced 314 horsepower and had a top speed of 154 mph, making it a feisty sports car. The car was so widely appreciated that last year the Italian design studio decided to build another 19 examples in order to celebrate its 100th anniversary.
5 Spyker C12
This spaceship of a car built in 2008 is certainly one of the most oddly-looking cars produced by the designer. It was powered by a massive 6.0-liter V12 that generated over 500 horsepower and pushed the car to a top speed of 193 mph and had an acceleration from 0 to 62 mph in 3.8 seconds.
The C12 had an aluminum body with F1 design components such as air scoops and mirrors. However, the most striking aspect of this car was the double-bubble roof with a huge fin in the middle.
4 BMW Zagato Coupe Z4
The Z4 by Zagato shared the same turbocharged 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine of the original, however, after modification, it produced 65 more horsepower bringing the grand total to a beefy 400 bhp.
The coupe had the typical Zagato trademark, which was the double-bubble roof present on the vast majority of his models. The car which was based on the popular E89 was entirely built by hand by the Italian designing team. BMW also offered a roadster version of the Zagato Z4 which was also another incredible masterpiece.
3 Ferrari 250 GT Zagato
The original 250 is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful cars ever produced. Therefore, to completely redo it could be seen as a huge risk; however, Zagato was able to create a fantastic beauty. The lightweight aluminum panels combined with the amazing V12 engine built by Ferrari made the GTZ unbeatable on track.
Only 10 of these beautiful cars were made, therefore the 250 GT Zagato is a rare masterpiece to see on the roads. The Italian designer truly outdid itself with this icon. As usual, another Ferrari that combines rare beauty with incredible power.
2 Lamborghini 5-95 Zagato
The 5-95 was created to celebrate the 95th anniversary of the Zagato Studio and it is one of the most stunning Lamborghini ever produced. The 5-95 derived from the great Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera that had a fine 5.2-liter V10 that produced 562 horsepower and could fly from 0 to 62 mph in just 3 seconds and reached a top speed of 202 mph.
This instant classic was truly one of a kind that was commissioned by Swiss collector Albert Spiess. One of the most peculiar characteristics of this beautifully dressed Gallardo was the presence of a front spoiler.
1 Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato
This car is a slam dunk by the British automaker and the Italian designer as it is a truly elegant beast. It is powered by a godly 5.9-liter naturally aspirated V12 that produces 592 horsepower and reaches a top speed of 200 mph and dashes from 0 to 62 mph in just 3.5 seconds.
Only 99 units were built of this incredible supercar. The Vanquish is entirely made of carbon fiber with a roof panel that runs the entire length of the vehicle, giving a very distinctive look to the car. It is such an unorthodox beauty that it is almost impossible to look away as its lines are magnificent.