The 1987 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Zagato Coup is one of the most fascinating collaborations between a British sports-car manufacturer and an Italian coach-builder.

It blends Aston Martin engineering with the distinctive styling of the Milanese design house Zagato, creating one of the most controversial yet collectible Aston Martins of the 1980s.Origins of the CarThe project was born during the mid-1980s when Aston Martin wanted a dramatic limited-edition version of its V8 flagship.

The company partnered with Zagato, the Italian coach-builder that had already created the legendary DB4 GT Zagato in the 1960s.The goal was simple:Produce a lighter, faster, more exclusive V8 VantageCreate a modern interpretation of the DB4 GT ZagatoBuild it in very small numbers for collectorsThe car debuted at the 1986 Geneva Motor Show, immediately drawing attention even before customers had seen the final production model.Remarkably, all production cars were effectively sold before they were built.Desig...