Exploring Aston Martin’s Most Polarising Supercar: The 1980s V8 Vantage Zagato

The Aston Martin V8 Vantage Zagato remains one of the marque’s most distinctive and debated creations. Bold, uncompromising and produced in extremely limited numbers, it stood apart from its contemporaries and helped define a fascinating moment in Aston Martin history.

The 1980s Aston Martin V8 Vantage Zagato is one of the most polarising and misunderstood supercars ever built. While history often focuses on its great period rivals, including the Ferrari 288 GTO and Porsche 959, Aston Martin’s ultra-rare challenger held its own in the dawning era of the modern supercar.

In our latest video presentation, Nicholas Mee & Co explores the remarkable story behind this unforgettable model. From its original concept and ambitious engineering brief to the intense build challenges and final delivery, the film offers a detailed look at how the V8 Vantage Zagato came to life.

Featuring exclusive period photography, rare insight and commentary from former Aston Martin Director, Kingsley Riding-Felce, the video reveals the story from the perspective of those who were there at the model’s inception.

The celebrated Zagato design studio took Aston Martin’s most powerful engine of the era and created a body and chassis package that was more efficient, more dramatic and significantly lighter. The result was a bold performance car that challenged convention and continues to divide opinion today.

Its styling may have been controversial, but the V8 Vantage Zagato’s significance is beyond dispute. Rare, purposeful and unmistakably Aston Martin, it remains one of the most intriguing models of the period — a car that deserves to be better understood.

Watch the full Nicholas Mee & Co video to discover the story behind this remarkable Aston Martin and the people who helped bring it to life.