Zagato Bentley

The Bentley Continental GT is undoubtedly a fine motor car but looks have never been, in my opinion, one of its strengths.
The chop top version slightly made ammends for this and was slightly better proportioned but was still slightly bulbous.

I know Bentleys are meant to big, comfortable and a joy to drive but this missed the spot, the spiritual predecessor to the GT was the R Type Continental of the 50s and this mangaed to pull of the big and comfortable look without sacrificing any of its gracefullness.

So, leap forward to 2008 and Zagato have had a go at a modifying the Continental GT.
I'm glad the coachbuilt era is attempting a comeback but surely their efforts have got to be beter than this? Its worse than the original.

But why Zagato?
They have struggled to create something beautiful since the 60s (Maseratis, Astons, Ferraris, Bristols, Lancias, Alfas)

They butchered a Testarossa to create the FZ93, a 348, a 575...
The DB7 Zagato certainly wasn't an improvement on the original.
Then there was the Alfa SZ, the Lancia Hyena and the Aston of the 80s.

I appreciate coach built cars are supposed to be unique and different, but ugly too?
So what is the point in all of this?

I hope mattymouse comes back from Geneva saying it looks better in the metal
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The good old days
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quite a dissapointing attempt IMO

 

its just looks too big to do that to it! its not ugly, but its not special either

 

no idea why anyone would buy a Continental GT over a DB9

 

Rear is visibly similar to the one off 575 Zagato did for Yoshiyuki Hayashi -

http://www.*************/Pics?v=y&s=c&id=3458&p=2006_Ferrari_575GTZ3.jpg

 

I also immediately thought of the 575GTZ when I saw the rear. Weren't there 3 575GTZ's made?

I'm not a big fan of modern Bentleys at all, but I do have a soft spot for Zagatos. Modern and classic.

 

Simon, according to autoblog and owners.ferrari -

"The new Ferrari GTZ was commissioned by Japanese car collector Yoshiyuki Hayashi (pictured), who specifically requested that Zagato make a unique 575 in the style of the famous 250 GTZ berlinetta. The aluminum-bodied car incorporates a host of styling cues from Zagato's classic custom sports cars of the '50s, including the two-tone color scheme of the 250GTZ."


Hayashi has great taste...amongst others he used to own the ex Neil Corner Mercedes W125GP (now with Bernie Ecclestone) and has a "thing" for pre-war Alfa P3's...entirely understandable!!!


Ed

 

There are possibly 5 in existance, definitely 4

127394 (the Hayashi car)
127928 (owned by Emilio Gnutti in Italy)
134936
136920
One more?????

There is one in the US on Arizona plates but I dont know if that is either of the above

Paul