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There are some names in the automotive world which ignite a feeling of passion and wonder. One of those, is Zagato. The legendary Italian coachbuilders have been designing and crafting dreams since their earliest days back in 1919, but their latest project not only pays tribute to the past but also the future with the AGTZ alongside their partner La Squadra.
The name La Squadra may not be known to many, but its one that you should pay attention to. Created in Katowice, Poland in 2013 they specialise in distributing brands such as Ferrari, Pagani, Koenigsegg, Bugatti and Alpine to true enthusiasts and collectors to fulfill the automotive dreams with stunning pieces of kinetic, mechanical art – such as the AGTZ.
Celebrating the fabled Alpine A220 racecar, which famously began as an elegant and flowing long-tail design before having 300mm removed from its length to give a more muscular short-tail design, the AGTZ has a unique and innovative way of paying homage to both iterations of this famous endurance racer.
The AGTZ, has a removable twin-tail design. The long-tail extension, which gives the car a longer more harmonious design, can be removed to reveal a small, more defined short-tail look depending on what one of the lucky 19 owners feels like. Unlike other manufacturers who offer a ‘long-tail’ specification, the AGTZ grows over 450mm in length with the rear extension in place, this also changes the aerodynamics of the low-slung sports racer for the road as it greatly reduces the car aerodynamic drag coefficient and allow for a higher top speed while maintaining a better high-speed stability.
Firstly, lets take a look back at the car that this modern wonder is based on. The fabled Alpine A220.
The A220 set its sets on winning Le Mans in 1966, although the programme can be traced back to 1963 with the simple, elegant but problematic M63 project. The A220 was specifically designed and engineered to take the fight to teams like Chaparral, Ferrari and Ford in the twilight years of the 4 to 7 litre category of prototype racing. But, its long and impactful bodywork would make that car stand the test of time and would help to cement its place in endurance racing history.
But it didn’t stop there, after the long-tail design was retired the engineers and designs began to test the aerodynamic capabilities of the car as a ‘short-tail’ variant. The longer car, was excellent at high-speed circuits but at more punchy, dynamic tracks the car became a bit of a handful (at the same time, Porsche would have the same idea with their legendary 917). So, sacrificing the high-speed car the team would begin shortening the bodywork to create a car with better aerodynamics for handling and the race wins began to follow.
To honour this engineering challenge and triumph, the team at La Squadra and Zagato teamed up to create a modern day love letter to that beautiful race car culminating in the AGTZ.
In the span of just 12 months, the Zagato team took this bold, modernist designs from the drawing board to the crystal blue waters which lap the shore of Lake Como. In February, the automotive world were blessed with the unveiling of the scale model of the car which set the internet ablaze with wonder and speculation. With deliveries of the 19 cars due to begin in October of 2024, the car has received huge positive feedback from the automotive world after its static unveiling in Italy where more details of the cars have been revealed.
Each of the 19 cars will spend around 15 weeks at the Zagato studios to begin their 1000 hour build process. A team of artisan craftspeople will painstakingly transform the base car into the AGTZ in the customers design specification, making each one of these cars a truly handbuilt masterpiece with the vast array of options open to clients of La Squadra, who will handle the maintenance and sales of each of the cars. Price begin at around ยฃ550,000 before tax, but for something as bespoke, exclusive and passion-fueled its a small price to pay for those lucky 19 owners.
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