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Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato expected to fetch over $16M

Classic car collectors will want to head to New York on December 10. That's where RM Sotheby's will be holding its Driven by Disruption sale, with some of the most desirable pieces of automotive history on the docket. And arguably the most tempting of them is the 1962 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato pictured here. The start of a long and distinguished partnership between Aston Martin and Zagato, the DB4 GT is considered by many (ourselves included) to be one of the most beautiful automobiles ever made. You can judge for yourself after looking over the images in the gallery above. Only 19 were originally made, of which this, the 14th example, was the only one delivered new to Australia. After undergoing a complete restoration in 2002, chassis number DB4GT/0186/R won first-in-class awards at both Pebble Beach and Villa d'Este. RM hasn't published pre-sale estimates for how much it expects to get for this one, but in correspondence with Autoblog, a spokesperson for the auction house revealed that "it is expected to fetch in excess of $16 million USD when it crosses the podium in December." That would eclipse by order of magnitude the prices fetched at auction for previous examples in recent years, which (according to the records at Sports Car Market) have traded hands for around $2.5 million. Of course, the Aston isn't the only classic automobile consigned for the event. With two months still to go before the auction takes place, RM has confirmed a 1955 Siata 208S Spider that's expected to fetch upwards of $1.5 million, a '53 Ferrari 250 Europa (~$4 million), and a '38 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante (>$2 million). Fans of more modern and rare equipment, however, may be more enticed by the Lamborghini Concept S previously announced for the auction, expected to go for as much as $3 million.

One-off Aston Martin DB9 Spyder Zagato Centennial up for grabs

There's a long and proud history of Aston Martins coachbuilt by Zagato, and while we wouldn't call them commonplace, most of them were put in serial production, however limited. But not this one. This one-of-a-kind DB9 Spyder was handbuilt by Zagato (along with a similarly styled DBS coupe) to celebrate Aston's centenary. Rather than remain in the private collections of either company, though, it was built in England, fitted with its customer bodywork (over the course of a year) in Italy, showcased back in England and then again at Pebble Beach before being delivered to its owner, who has kept it in California ever since. But now he's putting it up for auction. Equipped with a 6.0-liter V12, carbon-ceramic brakes and of course that unique coachwork, the DB9 Spyder Centennial edition has been consigned to RM Sotheby's for its sale in Monterey this coming August, two years after it was first shown there. It's anticipated to fetch between $380,000 and $450,000, which would be about double what Aston charges for a new DB9 Volante, but strikes us as a pretty solid investment considering just how rare this particular Anglo-Italian bird really is. Of course the Aston Zagato isn't the only notable vehicle RM has in store for Pebble this year. It's also highlighting a 1968 Maserati Ghibli Spyder that's billed as the first of its kind ever made, a US-spec Ferrari Daytona prototype, an early Lamborghini Countach and a rare 1973 Nissan Skyline GT-R. In short, RM's Monterey auction is already shaping up to be a notable one, and we're still a few months out with new consignments being added all the time.

Has Aston Martin abandoned plans for a Lagonda SUV?

Aston Martin may possibly (hopefully?) axe plans for a Lagonda-badged SUV, according to a new report from the blokes at Piston Heads. If this is true, it'd serve as proof that the auto gods are good, and want us to be happy. The report is based on statements made by Director of Design Marek Reichman. "We still have plans for the brand. There might be some surprises in the marque's re-establishment into the market place, but as a very unique coachbuilt experience. And that's probably what's most befitting of the brand," Reichman told PH when asked about the Lagonda SUV, which debuted way back in 2009. "That was a different time [when the Lagonda debuted]," Reichman continued. "It was [Dr. Ulrich Bez's] time. And now we're in a very, very different time, with a different plan and with a different projection of what that brand should become." Considering the spy shots we've already seen (inset), PH's conclusion that the Lagonda brand would be reborn as an ultra-exclusive sedan doesn't seem far off. As for the rumors that AM would look to Mercedes-Benz for its SUV architecture, well, it's not looking so good any more. What do you think? Should Aston Martin launch a sedan above the Rapide? What would you expect in terms of price and performance? Let us know in Comments.