Zagato insists that his firm will embrace new technology, rather than fear it. He cites artificial intelligence and 3D stamping as beneficial for its small-scale projects, explaining: “You don’t have to invest thousands of euros in moulds or tooling, because you can quickly build the parts to create one-off and few-off cars. We’re already building many one-offs with 3D stamping.”
“We’re living through a technological challenge created by the war between EVs and ICE cars,” he continues. “If electric motors win, the standardisation in the industry will be maximised. I can see a time when you won’t be keen to own a mass-production car; you will rent, use, share. Design may become the main element of differentiation.
“People are looking for uniqueness and personal expression. This is bringing us to the point that coachbuilding could be truly back soon. I believe restomods are an intermediate step.”
This brings us to the £550,000-plus AGTZ Twin Tail (a collaboration between Zagato and La Squadra, a Polish dealer of collector’s cars), which clothes today’s Alpine A110 in a dramatic skin paying homage to the A220 endurance racer of the ’60s. Two bodystyles are replicated by one car, thanks to an innovatively removable longtail.
Its modern core means it doesn’t fit the true description of a restomod, says Zagato: “It’s a typical coachbuilding job, using inspiration from the past and telling the iconic story of the A220.
“This is a modernisation of the concept. We have airbags and contemporary safety systems on board. We’ve integrated modern technology with timeless design. This is the difference between us and a restomod.”
Old and new together
Another Italian coachbuilder is making a successful business case for true restomods, though.
Last summer, Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera unveiled its Veloce12, which takes an old Ferrari 550 Maranello and endows it with freshened engine, chassis and brake components beneath a reimagined body.