Motoring: Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato; Jaguar F-Pace; Rolls-Royce Black Badge

LUXURY sports car manufacturer Aston Martin has set the pulses racing once again by announcing a limited series production of its exhilarating Vanquish Zagato Coupe.

The production run will be limited to just 99 cars and each one is set to become an instant classic – with a price tag to match, although costings have not been revealed.

The cars, which will be built to order, will be manufactured at the company’s headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire. They are based on a concept unveiled earlier this year.

The Vanquish Zagato is the fifth car to emerge from a collaboration that stretches back over five decades, pairing Aston Martin’s acclaimed dynamic performance with Italian design house Zagato’s signature flair.

The first collaboration yielded the memorable DB4 GT Zagato racing car of 1960 – now valued at more than £10m. The series continued with the V8 Vantage Zagato, launched in 1986, the 2002 DB7 Vantage Zagato and the V12 Vantage Zagato revealed in 2011.

The GT car will blend Aston Martin’s 6.0 litre V12 powertrain – which has the capability of propelling the car from 0-60mph in 3.5 seconds – with some stunning design touches.

It will closely resemble the concept car exhibited at Villa d’Este in Lake Como earlier this year.

The new bodywork is entirely shaped from carbon-fibre, with the split lines on the body significantly reduced by the use of large one-piece panels.

Other design details will echo some of Aston’s recent specials including new lights with round tail light reflectors that evoke the classic Zagato rear view, the same ‘bladed’ LED technology as the Aston Martin Vulcan, while the wing mirrors are closely related to the units developed for the One-77.

The Vanquish Zagato’s sculptural rear end has a close relationship to the new DB11’s aerodynamic profile, complete with retractable spoiler and rear hatch for easy access to the luggage compartment.

The windscreen wraps around the bodywork like a visor, deliberately enhancing the car’s  aggressive stance, while the roof features the iconic ‘double-bubble’, its shallow radius dipping into the rear window glass to give the car an unmistakeable rear silhouette.

The roof’s distinctive appearance, a Zagato trademark since the early 1950s, is a legacy of the marque’s racing heritage and originally arose from the need to accommodate racing helmets with a minimum impact on the aerodynamic profile.

The bespoke interior of the Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Inside, the car embodies the traditions of Aston’s craftsmanship, but will include many bespoke touches. Herringbone carbon fibre is paired with shadow and anodized bronze and optional aniline leather to give the facia, vents and rotary dials a distinctive feel.

The Zagato characteristics will also be picked out by the unique ‘Z’ quilt pattern stitch used on the seat and door sections, as well as the trademark ‘Z’ embossed on headrests and stitched into the centre console.

Customer deliveries will begin in the first quarter of 2017.

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The line-up of JLR cars at the Goodwood Fesival of Speed THE new Jaguar F-Pace has taken the market by storm since its launch earlier this year and is already the company’s fastest-selling model ever.

New owners are having to wait around six months for delivery of their car and as with all commodities in short supply, prices are escalating.

Magnitude Finance, which specialises in funding luxury cars, says the F-Pace is the current ‘must-have’ car among sections of its high net worth client base.

It said demand was so high that speculators were already offering existing owners up to £13,000 more than the £65,275 list price – a 20% premium.

The finance company said just a handful of F-Pace First Edition vehicles were up for sale and all were advertised at £10,000 above the list price.

Tim Marlow, Head of Sales at Magnitude Finance, said: “Our clients are always among the first for all the latest new cars of interest whether that be supercars, luxury SUVs or limited run models.

“We arrange finance for them in advance so they can place orders early and it was no surprise the F-Pace was a popular choice given it’s a car that has never been seen on the road before and it gained so much interest at the Geneva Motor Show.

“One client told us he received an offer of £78,000, which is the highest we have heard of. He refused as he is a genuine car lover, had customised his car meticulously and wasn’t prepared to sell even for a substantial 20% premium.

“It shows how popular the F-Pace is, reinforced by there being a limited run of just 200 First Edition cars consigned for the UK.

“If this type of supply and demand continues it could be a shrewd investment.”

The situation is not without precedent.

The firm said it had seen the same situation with the Range Rover Evoque and Land Rover Discovery when they were launched – both models are still commanding high residual values.

The Porsche Macan crossover was still valued at 25% over the list price some two years after being launched.

“By using finance, clients have lots of options and is a financial strategy more and more high net worth individuals are using,” added Mr Marlow.

“In this instance, the client could enjoy a couple of years of ‘free motoring’ if the F-Pace’s residual value holds firm and then sell or swap for another car so not to lose out financially or keep hold of it and own outright.”

The F-Pace will be a prominent addition to JLR’s offering at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.

The company is using the motorsport event as a major marketing showcase and its presence at this weekend’s celebration will be its largest ever at the show.

In addition to the crossover, the company will also be showcasing its new F-Type SVR -Jaguar’s fastest F-Type ever and the new Range Rover Evoque Convertible, the world’s first luxury convertible SUV.

In total, 25 Jaguars and Land Rovers will be on display throughout the festival.

Jeremy Hicks, Jaguar Land Rover Marketing Director said: “This is our major automotive event of the year and that’s why we invest heavily in our presence at Goodwood. Our status as Britain’s number one automotive investor and manufacturer will be clear to see as soon as visitors walk on the stand and see our huge product offensive which sees us in the midst of 50 product actions over five years.

“No one else has the level of customer interaction we have. Visitors to Goodwood are our current and future customers, they are passionate and knowledgeable and it is the perfect place for us to engage them with our new products.”

Jaguar’s rich sports car heritage will be one of the themes of the show and therefore several cars from its special heritage collection will be on display.

These include the iconic XJ13, the first Jaguar to be fitted with a V12 engine, as well as the penultimate Long Nose D-type which raced at the 1956 Reims 12-hour and Le Mans 24-Hours, where it finished sixth.

JLR’s Special Vehicle Operations division will also be present, with its new range of bespoke paint finishes being shown off by a Range Rover Sport SVR in ‘Spectral Racing Red’.

Visitors will also be treated to a host of virtual reality experiences including a day in the life of Andy Murray as part of Jaguar’s #FeelWimbledon partnership. Guests who fancy themselves as an ultimate sailor will also have the virtual reality opportunity to work with Land Rover BAR, the British America’s Cup race team advised by Olympic champion Sir Ben Ainslie.

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The Rolls-Royce Wraith Black BadgeANOTHER manufacturer celebrating its rich heritage at Goodwood will be Rolls-Royce.

Its appearance at this year’s event will have a deliberate dark and edgy feel, with the manufacturer showcasing its special Wraith Black Badge and Ghost Black Badge models.

The Wraith is the most powerful Rolls-Royce in the world at 624hp (465kw), while the Black Badge version (pictured) adds to this with 70Nm more torque, tweaked air suspension and upgraded gearbox. The car offers an imposing presence, finished in Black Badge Black, with the interior in Black and Mugello Red contrast leather, and the facia in aerospace-grade aluminium-threaded carbon fibre composite surfacing.

The Rolls-Royce Course Car this year will be a Ghost Black Badge. The car is finished in Black Badge Black, with the interior in Black and Cobalto Blue contrast leather and the facia in aerospace-grade aluminium-threaded carbon fibre composite surfacing.

The Ghost Black Badge benefits from a power increase of 40hp (30kw) to 603hp (450kw) and torque increase of 60Nm compared to current Ghost, whilst upgrades to the 8-speed automatic transmission give the car an added sense of urgency in how it delivers its power.

Both cars were built specifically for the event and feature a Spirit of Ecstasy in high-gloss black vamp, Double R badges inverted to become silver on black and black starlight headliner. Surfaces that are traditionally chrome have turned dark, such as the front grille surround, boot lid finisher, lower air inlet finisher and exhaust pipes. The Black Badge ‘Unlimited’ infinity logo is embroidered on the upholstery and both cars are shod with 21” Carbon Alloy Composite Wheels.

The Black Badge models are at odds with the marque’s luxury saloon image but they evoke the brand’s sporting heritage and have been deliberately designed to be darker and more assertive, reflecting a new customer aesthetic.

The colour intensity is produced by multiple layers of paint and lacquer that are repeatedly hand polished. The result is the most exacting painting and polishing process ever used for a solid paint colour.

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