Zagato: suddenly you find yourself face to face with Italian works of art

After visiting the Alfa Romeo Museum in Italy, we decided to drive on without a goal. Two kilometers away, a racetrack loomed. No familiar name like Monza or Imola, no announced event. Curiosity won out over expectation. No harm done, right? So we drove our Lancia Ypsilon through the gate.

Silence before the Zagato storm

At first, there seemed little to experience. A deserted paddock, some people in the distance, mostly concrete and silence. We were already turning toward the exit when a white shadow shot past the guardrail in our rear view mirror. It was a split second, barely placeable. Still, we turned back. What followed was a chance encounter with some of Italy’s rarest cars. An exclusive gathering of Zagato models, who had made the track their domain for an afternoon.

The white ghost: Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale

In the distance, we heard a V10 (!) coming full throttle up the straight. The car that pulled us back into the yard turned out to be an Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale. A rare sight, of which only nine were built. Zagato’s ode to the iconic TZ1 and TZ2 of the 1960s, but with an American soul. Under the skin, this car is based on a Dodge Viper ACR-X with 8.4-liter V10. Earlier this day we saw the most beautiful and elegant Alfa Romeo’s in the museum and hidden gems during an exclusive look in the basement. But this TZ3 Stradale, we didn’t see it in these places. In fact, it was the first time we saw this car in the flesh.

With open mouths, we stood along the guardrail watching, impressed by this Italian beauty AND the sound. Then a few other cars came around the corner.

Zagato does things just a little differently than usual

The Zagato party makes a pit stop to cool off the cars for a while. A good time to take a closer look. What works of art are here in front of our noses? A lot is said with the word artwork, because a Zagato model is a creation.

Zagato is not a car manufacturer in the traditional sense. It is a carrozzeria, an Italian coachbuilder, founded in 1919 in Milan. What they do goes beyond simply dressing up an existing car. Zagato designs and builds completely new bodies, often based on existing chassis from brands such as Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Porsche or Ferrari. Always by hand, always in small numbers, and always with a keen eye for elegance, form and lightweight construction. They are not cars with an extra spoiler or set of rims, as many a tuner does. They are creations re-created, with respect for the original, but with a soul of their own. Beautiful what those Italians do.

Quattro stagioni, four different flavors from Zagato

First our eye fell on a blue-gray GT with the flair of the 1960s, but with a modern edge. It turned out to be the IsoRivolta GTZ. Also never seen in real life. This creation is an ode to the forgotten Italian brand Iso Rivolta, built by Zagato on the basis of a Corvette C7 Z06. So, a car with 660 hp of American V8 power, but wrapped in an Italian bespoke suit.

The lines are almost artistic. The hood is endlessly long, the back round like a sculpture. Only nineteen of them were built. This was one of them. Next to this beauty is the Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale, which as described also features American engineering under the skin. Zagato built nine examples.

We also see some British influences. An Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Speedster. A Vanquish Volante is already a beautiful GT. Add to that the design influences of Zagato as well as two ‘speedster humps’ and you really have something unique. This Speedster has only been built twenty-eight times. Especially the rear of this ‘Italian’ beauty speaks volumes. The taillights are works of art in themselves.

The black car in the back is strikingly older than its three modern companions. A Porsche, judging from its broad outlines and logo. However, the shape does not match what we know of a 911 or 356. But then look closer. This is the Porsche 356 B Zagato Coupe, based on a lost design from 1959. Only a sketch of this car existed, an elegant drawing of a coupe based on the Porsch 356 Carrera. However, Porsche never built that car. Thereupon, Zagato decided to bring the idea to life after all.

Always look beyond your nose

The day began with a planned dive into Alfa Romeo’s rich history. But it was the spontaneous turn onto the unfamiliar track that led to an encounter with these extraordinary creations on wheels. The four Zagato models we unexpectedly encountered gave the day a golden edge.

And the best part? We almost missed it. Like a phantom in the rear view mirror.