Aston Martin DB7 Zagato Chassis Number 001 Looking for New, Caring Owner

utch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Han Solo and Chewbacca. Milk and cookies. Few things go together as good as the mentioned duos, the same applying to the wonderful world of the auto industry. Among plenty of hits and misses, two iconic companies prevailed as buddies: Aston Martin and Zagato.

Their latest get-together saw the creation of the Vanquish Zagato and Vanquish Zagato Volante. More than a decade ago, however, AM rang up the Italian design house and said, “Hey, could you make the DB7 prettier than it already is?” And on the other end, Zagato replied, "Certo, ci piacerebbe!”

Though that conversation is nothing but a product of my imagination, Zagato and Aston Martin joined hands to make 100 units of the DB7 Zagato from 2002 to 2003. Of those, 99 were sold to the public at a simply ridiculous price tag. The European brother of the U.S.-only DB AR1 was, nevertheless, an instant hit. Those who bought the DB7 Zagato didn’t really care about the Jaguar-derived platform, nor did they found the Ford switchgear uncanny.

Though old and not impressive specs-wise, the 2003 Aston Martin DB7 Zagato remains a beautiful styling exercise and a testament to the Aston Martin-Zagato decades-long symbiosis. And this example here, chassis 001 of 099, is the one to have if you’re in the market for such a bewitching grand tourer. Slated to go under the hammer next year at a posh auction in Paris, RM Sotheby’s underlines that the first-ever DB7 Zagato is a one-owner car.

With only 17,832 kilometers (11,080 miles) on the clock, it’s also a low-mileage car. Expected to fetch an estimated £350,000 for all the right reasons, chassis 001 presents itself in Nero Black paintwork over Claret Red leather. Heck, even the owner's guide comes with a stainless steel plaque that reads “001 of 099.” But beyond the exclusivity, jaw-dropping styling, and the double-bubble roof, this is nothing more than a DB7 GT with nicer clothes.

Tipping the scales at 1,740 kg (3,836 lbs), the DB7 Zagato is animated by a naturally aspirated 5.9-liter V12 with 440 bhp available at the tap of the loud pedal. Drive is sent to the rear axle via a manual transmission. 100 km/h (62 mph) is doable in 5.1 seconds, on to a top speed of 305 km/h (190 mph).

To put those figures into a more contemporary perspective, the V8 Vantage Smirrors the DB7 Zagato’s top speed even though it possesses fewer ponies and torques, while the sprint to 100 km/h (62 mph) takes only 4.8 seconds to complete. Oh, how times have changed over at Aston Martin.