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Zagato

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Zagato (surname).
Zagato Milano
Company typeSocietà a responsabilità limitata
IndustryAutomotive
FoundedMilan, Italy (1919)
FounderUgo Zagato
Headquarters
Rho
,
Italy
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Andrea Zagato, CEO
ServicesAutomotive design
Websitewww.zagato.it

Zagato is a coachbuilding company founded by Ugo Zagato in 1919. The design center of the company is located in Terrazzano, a village near Rho, Lombardy, Italy.

History

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The 1910s: Aeronautics

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Ugo Zagato was an Italian automotive designer and builder. He was born in Gavello, near Rovigo (June 25, 1890). He began his coach building career in 1919 when he left "Officine Aeronaut Aluminum Ti Che Pomilio" to set up his own business in Milan. He intended to transfer sophisticated construction techniques that combined lightness with strength from aeronautics to the automotive sector. Cars of the time were generally bulky and heavy; Ugo Zagato conceived them as lightweight structures with a frame in sheet aluminum similar to an aircraft fuselage.

The 1920s: Classic models

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During the 1920's, Zagato concentrated on racing cars. At the beginning of the decade, he was asked by Alfa Romeo to dress some Alfa Romeo G1, RL and RM. In 1925, Vittorio Jano, Alfa Romeo's Chief Engineer, asked him to create a body for the Alfa 6C 1500, the Alfa Romeo P2's heir. Zagato, using his Aeronautics culture, succeeded in creating a sleek and light body for the car, which scored a 2nd place OA at the 1927 Mille Miglia and won the 1928 edition. The 6C 1500 technical qualities were also improved on with the Alfa Romeo 6C 1750, which was introduced in 1927. It was bodied in several versions (Turismo, Sport or Granturismo, Super Sport or Gran Sport) and achieved overall victories in the 1929 Mille Miglia (Campari-Ramponi) and 1930 (Tazio Nuvolari, Achille Varzi, Giuseppe Campari and Pietro Ghersi filled the first four places). In 1929, Enzo Ferrari, who had started his career at Alfa Romeo, founded Scuderia Ferrari as the official team for race Alfas. Ugo Zagato was his exclusive partner in the thirties. In those years, Ansaldo, Bugatti, Diatto, Fiat, Isotta Fraschini, Lancia, Maserati, OM and Rolls-Royce were clients of Zagato.[1]

The 1930s: Aerodynamic models

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Elio and Ugo Zagato seen with 2 Zagato Alfa Romeo 6C 2300s (1937)

Zagato continued to build a variety of aerodynamic cars during these decades, adopting inclined windscreens, more aerodynamic headlights, and convex bootlids. He also favored perforated disc wheels that improved brake cooling. All Alfa Romeo 8Cs received coach-work from Zagato. In January 1932, Zagato-bodied cars also began to be built by Carrozzeria Brianza. Bianchi, Fiat, Isotta Fraschini, Lancia, Maserati, and OM all experimented with lightweight and aerodynamic Zagato bodies, especially for race cars. The list of victories includes eight Mille Miglia, four Targa Florio, four Le Mans, and four Spa Francorchamps OA victories. In the 30's, Zagato-bodied models started to compete and dominate in different class/categories. Thirty-six Zagato-bodied cars were at the start of the 1938 Mille Miglia, which was one third of the participants.[2]

The 1940s: Panoramic models

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Bristol 406 outside 16 Via Giorgina in Milano from 1945 to 1960

At the outbreak of the Second World War, Ugo Zagato left Milan and fled to Lake Maggiore. On 13 August 1943, an RAF bombing raid destroyed his coachworks on Corso Sempione road. He found new premises at Saronno alongside the Isotta Fraschini works, on behalf of which he constructed trucks, military vehicles, and a futuristic Monterosa. He returned to Milan at the end of the war and re-established his company at Via Giorgini 16, close to the Alfa Romeo historic home at Portello.

1949 Lancia Ardea Panoramica

He looked for more spacious and more comfortable car greenhouses, which were eventually crystallized in a new type-form characterized by airiness and visibility thanks to large, glazed areas made in plexiglass, this new material replaced the traditional heavy glass. This "Panoramic" body, as it was called, would mark the rebirth of his coachwork: Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Lancia, Maserati, and MG were "dressed" with this innovative body. In 1949, he built a Panoramic body for the Ferrari 166 Mille Miglia, belonging to Antonio Stagnoli; this was the first Ferrari coupé for a client ever. The Panoramic concept was an invention of Vieri Rapi, chief Zagato stylist at that time.[3][4]

The 1950s: Gran Turismo models

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Elio Zagato and Fiat 8V in 1955.

In 1947, as a gift for his graduation from Bocconi University of Milan, Elio Zagato, Ugo's first-born son, received an open-top sports car based on a Fiat 500 B chassis. This car represented the beginning of his career as a driver, earning 83 podium spots from 160 races. The birth of the Gran Turismo category, conceived in 1949 by Count Giovanni Lurani, journalist Giovanni Canestrini, and Elio himself revolutionized the world of automotive competition: the category comprised cars with sports coachwork and a production chassis or bodyshell. AC, Alfa Romeo, Abarth, Aston Martin, Bristol, Ferrari, Fiat, Fraser Nash, Maserati, Jaguar, Osca, Porsche, and Renault wore Zagato GT bodies. In 1955, Elio Zagato scored a victory in the International Gran Turismo Championship at the Avus circuit, driving a Fiat 8V GT Zagato.

The 1960s: Fuoriserie models

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Ugo and Gianni Zagato
1970 Volvo GTZ

The steady higher demand for special bodies required a passage from a handcraft to an industrially based organization. Elio Zagato found a larger location at 30 Via Arese in Terrazzano (northwest of Milan), very close to Arese where Alfa Romeo as well would soon choose to establish its new plants. In 1960 Ugo Zagato was awarded the Compasso d'Oro for the design of the Abrath Zagato 1000 [it].[5][6]

In this period the mission of Zagato was to design special bodies to be assembled in series and fitted with mechanical parts and interiors supplied by major constructors. Under the partnership with Alfa Romeo the Giulia SZ, the TZ, TZ2, 2600 SZ, the 1750 4R and the Junior Zagato were born. In partnership with Lancia, Zagato continued the “Sport” series with the Lancia Appia Sport, the Flaminia Sport and Super Sport, the Flavia Sport and Supersport and the Fulvia Sport and Sport Spider. In addition to these some were realized for special customers owners of: Bristol, Fiat, Ford, Lamborghini, Honda, Osca, Rover and Volvo.[7]

The 1970s: Geometric models

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Zagato Zele electric microcars, made from 1972–76.

In response to the Oil Crisis[8] and in contrast to the irrational and anti-functionalist[9] trends of the era, Zagato also proposed the production of electric cars such as the Zagato Zele two-seater. In 1971 a new Ferrari Zagato, called 3Z, came to life thanks to an idea of Luigi Chinetti who financed the decidedly angular spider. In the same year, it was introduced at the Turin Motor Show and signaled the definitive departure from SZ, TZ and Lancia Flaminia and Appia's curvy volumes to embrace the squared volumes of Lancia Fulvia Sport and Alfa Romeo Junior Z. Chinetti himself made a further special order. At that time, Zagato started a new project for a different four-seater, mid-engine concept which became the Cadillac N.A.R.T. This would be a luxurious, sophisticated, high performance four-seater. The front wheel drive power train of a Cadillac Eldorado was relocated to create a mid-engine layout. Zagato was asked to build the prototype from the drawings and a clay model that was conceived in GM's studios. A Fiat, based on 132, and named Aster, was bodied as prototype as well as a Volvo GTZ. The Zagato facility in Terrazzano saw also the assembly of Lancia Beta Sport Spider that established Lancia's name in America and Australia and the Bristol 412 Targa, whose design was very similar to the Lancia's one.[10][11]

The 1980s: Limited Edition models

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During the early 1980s, Zagato introduced several Alfa Romeo concept cars, including the Fiat Chicane, the rear-engine Sprint 6, Zeta 6, Alfetta, Lancia Thema Station Wagon, and the Alfa Romeo 33 Tempo Libero, also available in a 4x4 hybrid version. At the same time, the growing demand for exclusive spiders and coupes led Zagato to produce limited, numbered editions. The Aston Martin Vantage (50 units) and Volante Zagato (33 units) were the highest expression of this economic and commercial climate. Furthermore, the Milanese coachbuilder bodied the Maserati Spyder and Maserati Karif. Furthermore, the Alfa Romeo SZ (1989) and roadster named RZ (1991) were assembled here for Alfa Romeo. Both cars were born by the first application of CAD process to automobile. The SZ was an experimental coupé that revisited Alfa Romeo's sporting image, a rear-wheel drive Alfa Romeo coupé, a symbol of sporting pedigree. It harks back to the philosophy of the extreme coupés that distinguishes the historic Alfa - Zagato relationship: the 1900 SSZ 1954, the Giulietta SZ 1960, the Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ and Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ2 and the 2600 SZ 1965, Junior Z and Alfa Romeo Zeta 6.[12]

The 1990s: V-Max models

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Zagato faced the need to keep up with the new demands of an evolving market: besides organizing, from 1993, a one-make race series for Alfa Romeo SZ and RZ so it turned (was no longer just a coachbuilder Atelier tied to the assembly of sports cars) into a Total Design Studio now working in the extended area of transportation design. The company styled and built not only prototypes and show cars on behalf of car manufacturers but also railways and industrial vehicles.

In 1991 and 1993, the Design Zagato division introduced two Ferrari V-Max models based on the 348 (348 Zagato Elaborazione) and the Testarossa (FZ93). In 1992, as a tribute to the Lancia Delta Integrale victories, the Hyena concept was created and a small series of 25 cars were built. Zagato built the Raptor and the Lamborghini Canto concept, both powered by a Lamborghini V12 at the request of Mike Kimberley, Lamborghini's CEO. Voted "Best Concept" at the 1996 Geneva Motor Show, the Raptor was produced in less than 4 months, thanks to the use of integrated technology applied to the CAD/CAM/CAE system that allowed the intermediate styling buck phase[clarification needed] to be eliminated. In 1998, Zagato was commissioned by Fiat to design and produce three V-Max prototypes with low fuel consumption (3 litres/100 kilometres). The Fiat Ecobasic, developed in collaboration with Centro Stile Fiat, was judged to be the best research V-Max concept.[13]

The 2000s: Custom-built models

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The finished Ottovu Diatto concept car at the Zagato Design Studio showroom

Special projects created for Aston Martin, Bentley, Ferrari, Maserati, Spyker, Diatto, and Alfa Romeo consolidate the brand's business in making custom-built models, which are almost exclusively coupés with two doors and two seats.[14]

The 2010s: Centennial models

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The Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa, a race model with a carbon fiber mono-shell chassis, tubular frame and lightweight aluminum body, and the TZ3 Stradale, a street-legal model based on the Viper ACR chassis with a carbon fiber body, were notable developments. Due to the joint venture between the Fiat and the Chrysler groups the TZ3 Stradale became the first American Alfa Romeo. After Fiat 500 coupé Zagato and AC 378 GTZ, Zagato consolidated its special relationship with Aston Martin by designing the Centennial V-Max models (as a tribute to AML 100 years), the Vanquish Family and, for the "Cento" years from Zagato foundation, the Pair and the Twins collections. Also Porsche liaison has been revamped with the family of Zagato Carreras as well as Lamborghini, Maserati and BMW connection with the 575, the Mostro and the BMW Twins collections. Since 2017 Zagato has been a partner in the resurrection of the Italian luxury sport brand Iso Rivolta. Zagato also designed non-automobile projects such as an automated guided electric commuter train for Masdar City in Abu Dhabi.[citation needed]

In 2019, Zagato marked 100 years since its founding.[15]

The 2020s: Own models

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Since the 2020s, Zagato has deepened its commitment to its own car production, a movement started in 2015 with the Mostro; in 2022, it released a barchetta version of the Mostro, limited to 5 units,[16] and in 2024 announced the AGTZ Twin Tail, based on the Alpine A110,[17] limited to 19 units.[18]

Timeline

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1928 Alfa Romeo 6C 1500 Sport Spyder Zagato
1955 Fiat 8V Zagato
1966 Alfa Romeo 2600 Zagato
1967 Lancia Fulvia Sport Zagato
1990 Alfa Romeo SZ (Sprint Zagato)
2003 Aston Martin DB7 Zagato Coupe and Roadster
Spyker C12 Zagato
2012 Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale
2024 Zagato AGTZ Twin Tail

Notable designers

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  • Ugo Zagato
  • Vieri Rapi (1947–1950)
  • Ercole Spada (1960–1969; 1992)
  • Giuseppe Mittino (1970–1987)
  • Marco Pedracini (1990–1998)
  • Norihiko Harada (1996–present)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Zagato. Masterpieces of styles - L. Greggio 2017
  2. ^ Enciclopedia dei carrozzieri italiani - A. Sannia 2017
  3. ^ "The Fiat 1400, as interpreted by coachbuilders". hemmings.com. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  4. ^ "The Panoramica by Zagato". carrozzieri-italiani.com. 12 November 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  5. ^ "ABARTH ZAGATO 1000". ADI Design Museum. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  6. ^ "Zagato's Fiat-Abarth 1000 Record Monza". italianways.com. Archived from the original on 2020-10-31. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  7. ^ Zagato Milano 1919-2014 - AA.VV. 2014
  8. ^ "Oil Embargo, 1973–1974". Office of the Historian. 1976.
  9. ^ "Arguments for and against functionalism - Vacchablogga". vaccha.com. Retrieved 2024-03-12.
  10. ^ Enciclopedia dei carrozzieri italiani - A. Sannia 2017
  11. ^ "1980 Bristol 412 Targa Convertible Registration no. KLD 94V Chassis no. 7863198Z". cars.bonhams.com. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  12. ^ Zagato. Masterpieces of styles - L. Greggio 2017
  13. ^ Zagato Cento 1919-2019 - AA.VV. 2019
  14. ^ Zagato Milano 1919-2014 - AA.VV. 2014
  15. ^ Zagato Cento 1919-2019 - AA.VV. 2019
  16. ^ "Zagato Mostro Barchetta: Elegancia racing con base Maserati". Car and Driver (in Spanish). 2022.
  17. ^ "Supersamochód ze sprytnym "patentem". To projekt włoskiego Zagato i polskiego dilera" (in Polish). Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  18. ^ "Polski dealer z Katowic i Zagato pokazali sensacyjny supersamochód. Ma dwie długości" (in Polish). Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  19. ^ "1967 ZAGATO LANCIA FLAVIA SUPER SPORT PROTOTIPO". archivioprototipi.it (in Italian). Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  20. ^ "Car For Sale: Rare 2007 Ferarri 599 GTZ Nibbio Zagato". topspeed.com. 5 December 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  21. ^ "Aston Martin DBS GT Zagato Centenary teased". evo.co.uk. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
  22. ^ "Zagato presents the GTZ: the car which marks the rebirth of IsoRivolta brand". zagato.it. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
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