Following a decades-long hiatus, Aston Martin rekindled its partnership with Italian coachbuilder Zagato in the early 2000s as then-owner Ford Motor Company sought to reinvigorate interest in the British brand and boost sales.

Using the already stunning DB7 as a starting point, Zagato had quite the challenge in creating an even more alluring limited-production grand tourer.

The Italian design house did not disappoint with the resulting DB7 Zagato coupe and DB AR1 roadster now widely considered two of the most attractive Aston Martins ever made.

Although the coupes were only available in Asian and European markets, the roadster was produced specifically for the American market, hence the “AR1” designation, signifying “American Roadster 1.” First shown at the 2003 Los Angeles Auto Show, the DB AR1 remained true to the design of its coupe sibling, albeit in an exciting fully open format, namely with twin cowls behind the front seats echoing the “double bubble” roof of the coupe.

The r...