Object number: AMHT-2014-240-28
Object Description: V8 Vantage Zagato Press Pack
Object Type: Marketing
If you weren’t aware, Aston Martin has been producing cars for over 100 years. With such a long production timescale, large variety of car models and various racing events in Aston Martin’s history, there is usually some sort of anniversary most years. Our current Object in Focus reflects this, as we highlight 40 years of the V8 Vantage Zagato with this Press pack.
Marketing plays a huge role in building up interest when a new car model is announced, often many months before the production car is available to purchase. In the case of the V8 Vantage Zagato, it was a year between the first announcements of the concept car and the availability of the production car. The 40th anniversary this year reflects the 1986 production car, but this Press pack dates from the initial 1985 announcement.
The pack is part of our Colin Thew collection and to be honest, it is not an item that particularly grabs your attention due to its muted colours of greys and browns. However, it has a very strong 1980s design vibe; it certainly made me think of the 1982 film ‘Tron’ with all those squares in the background!
The simple glossy card folder houses three items. Firstly, a three page press release from Aston Martin Lagonda and Italian design house Zagato Industrial Design, based in Milan. Titled “The Vantage Zagato – Aston Martin’s New 300kph Two-Seater” it has the embargo date “0001 Hours, Friday March 1, 1985”. It describes the second joint project between Aston Martin and the Italian designer Zagato; the first project being the highly sought after DB4GT Zagato in the 1960s.
The article announces that design sketches and information will be shown for the first time at the Geneva Motor show the following week (March 7th 1985). Deliveries of the production car would start in another 12 months, including being shown at the following year’s Geneva Motor show. The expected price before taxes would be £70,000 with a limited run of 50 cars at the rate of two produced per month. The chassis was to be built at Newport Pagnell before being shipped to Italy for the Zagato-designed aluminium body and luxurious interior.
The second item is a black and white glossy design drawing of the Vantage Zagato. The colour version of this was used in all the initial marketing items.
The third item is a two-sided sales flyer with front and rear drawings of the V8 Vantage Zagato, a written description about the car, brief specification and a reference to the previous DB4GT Zagato project.
In essence, the pack contains everything you would want to know to pique your interest, giving you a tantalising glimpse into the next exciting Aston Martin car. It’s certainly a far cry from car adverts these days where flashy cinematography and a catchy sound track seem to be a necessity for selling a car. If only the Spice Girls were around in 1985 with their song ‘Wannabe’. It would have made an excellent advert if it was altered slightly…. "I really, really, really wanna zig-a-zig-ah-to”!
Bryony Gray - Collections and Research Assistant
