The Aston Martin V12 Zagato is making a return a decade after its launch, courtesy of R-Reforged, and in issue 286 Richard Meaden got behind the wheel of one of two development cars to find out whether the reborn icon could be improved upon from its superb original form. To read the story in full pick up your copy in store or online now via Mags Direct.
This reimagining is in celebration of the Italian carrozzeria’s centenary, with Swiss engineering firm R‑Reforged tasked with recreating Milan’s V12 Zagato for 2021. Though it may seem a simple task, the job of recreating an existing car isn’t quite as straightforward as you might expect, but being the firm behind Ian Callum’s Vanquish 25 and having relations to AF Racing AG, a strategic partner in the Valkyrie hypercar programme, it has precedence when it comes to Aston Martin.
> Aston Martin V12 Speedster gets DBR1-inspired makeover
A total of 19 pairs are being sold in total comprising both the former coupe Coupé and a completely new Speedster. Conveniently, engineering and small-scale series production is taking place at a facility in Warwick, which allowed Dickie to get a first look at the model in its early stages.
The car pictured shares a lot with the original on the surface, but look closely and you’ll spot plenty of changes. Unlike the original, this car shares underpinnings with the sharpened V12 Vantage S, boasting an increase in power, a seven-speed automated manual and adaptive damping – R-Reforged is going to take things further still too, lifting output to over 600bhp.
Though its overall design remains largely untouched, elements such as the fixed rear wing have been replaced for an active item that can lower for a cleaner aesthetic, with all body panels also now constructed from carbonfibre as opposed to a combination of aluminum and carbon in the original.
So is the R-Reforged V12 Vantage everything the original was and more? To find out, pick up your copy of issue 286 which is available now in store or online at Mags Direct. Otherwise, subscribe now to have every issue delivered straight to your door.
Car pictures of the week: archive
Below are some of our favourite images from previous editions of evo car pictures of the week. Click on the pictures for the full galleries.
Gallery 1
Click below to see all the images of our first car pictures of the week gallery, here featuring the indomitable Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, mk1 Volkswagen Golf GTI, Ford Shelby Mustang GT350 and the stunning Porsche 911 re-imagined by Singer.
Gallery 2
Here we dig further back into the evo archives where we pull out some iconic images of the Ford GT slightly out of context in the European Alps, a TVR Sagaris in central London, the Audi RS2 as well as one of our most iconic twin tests between the Ferrari 599 GTO and Lexus LF-A.
Gallery 3
The previous-generation Bentley Continental GT seemed to get better with age, a notion mirrored by the Jaguar E-type when in modern ‘lightweight’ form. Both of these British icons, as well as the Aston Martin Vantage GT12 feature in gallery three.
Gallery 4
Fans might have cried fowl when Ferrari decided to turbocharge the Ferrari 488, but it’s not like Ferrari don’t have a history with turbocharged V8 engines. Here the 488 co-stars alongside the stunning F40, while elsewhere in this gallery we take a Porsche Cayman GTS to Japan for a stunning mountain blast.
Gallery 5
Italian twelve-cylinder supercars seem to be the main agenda in the fourth evo car pictures of the week gallery, here featuring four V12 Lambos and the stunning 599 SA Aperta limited edition alongside its 550 Barchetta predecessor.
Gallery 6
GT3s and GT-Rs are just the beginning for gallery number six, with the Noble M600, Aston Martin One-77 and a couple of McLaren flagships filling out our most amazing gallery yet.
Gallery 7
A gallery of new and old, here the McLaren 720S cemented its place as a truly great supercar alongside a daring night shoot with an Audi R8 LMX, pitch a Nissan GT-R and Audi Quattro against each other on Welsh mountain roads and drive the original ‘Hakosuka’ GT-R.
Gallery 8
Ford‘s RS200 in a moody dark garage is just one of many amazing shoots in our 8th gallery, click on the image for the full gallery
Gallery 9
Click on the image below for our ninth car pictures of the week gallery, including this hardcore lot!
Gallery 10
Our tenth gallery turned it up another notch, including the wettest shoot in history (apparently).
Gallery 11
The best hardcore Ferrari supercars and more feature in our 11th car pictures of the week gallery.