The Aston Martin V8 Vantage Zagato coupé was first exhibited at the 1986 Geneva Motor Show.

The first three completed cars were on the Aston Martin stand and demand for orders was high.

Around 50 production cars were available to order, and just 28 of these were constructed with right-hand-drive steering and a manual gearbox.

Despite the retail price rising from £70,000 to £87,000 when still new, the 50 buyers were not deterred and paid their £15,000 deposits by August 1985.

The body design was undertaken by famed Milan-based coachbuilder Zagato and drew inspiration from the 1960s Aston Martin Zagato DB4, while adding a modern tone representative of the 1980s.

The production process played a factor in the relatively high price of the V8 Vantage Zagato, with the complete rolling chassis sent from Newport Pagnell to Zagato in Milan, where the bodies were constructed, fitted, and painted.

While at Zagato, the interiors were fitted, before the completed cars were sent back to England...