Aston Martin DBSZ- an Australian creation

When talk is of design landmarks in the automotive world, the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato inevitably rates a mention. It was this Anglo-Italian masterpiece that provided the inspiration for the DBSZ Concept- the product of a Melbourne man’s infatuation with all things Aston.

Aston appeal
Paul Sabine is a well-known figure in the Australian classic car world, through his historic racing exploits and his company, Brooklands Classic Cars. Brooklands specialises in Aston Martin sales and for Paul these classic performance machines are not just a way of life, they are a passion.

His earliest memories are of his grandmother wheeling his pram to the kerb outside so he could watch the cars go by. “Apparently the cars shut me up!” he jokes. From this roadside vantage point, the first words that formed in Paul’s mind were car brands. It is from here that his lifelong leaning towards interesting machinery took hold.

By the time he was 14, he knew Astons would represent the peak of his auto pyramid: “That was when I saw my first DB4. It was the best thing I had ever seen.” At 16, whilst admiring a DB4 with a friend, its generous owner asked the boys if they would like to go for a ride. “Purely by chance, that man became my first boss after I left school, so I had the privilege of looking after the DB4, washing it and driving it around. It was a wonderful experience for a young guy.”

The chance viewing of a red DB4 GT Zagato in Toorak Road a couple of years later sowed the seed of his ultimate vision, one that has now sprouted in the form of the DBSZ Concept. “It made even the DB4 look sedate!” Paul recalls.

Passion into work
Unable to afford his own Aston, Paul’s first car was a BRG MGA 1600, with the registration HLM-020 (if anyone knows its whereabouts please contact the Brooklands number below.) Membership in the MG Car club ensued, followed by the Mercedes car club of Victoria. Later in the seventies he was able to buy his first Aston, a Burgundy DB4 (later owned by rocker Billy Thorpe) that he still comes across on occasion today. Membership of the Aston Martin Owners Club (AMOC) was a natural progression and Paul rose through its ranks to become the Australian representative on the UK AMOC’s committee of management. By 1979 he decided to turn his passion into a job, founding Tickford Sales in 1979, specialising in Astons and other classic vehicles. After a stint as auction director at Shannons, where as auction director he oversaw the first Australian Grand Prix auction in Melbourne, he returned to specialising in Aston Martins when Brooklands Classic Cars was established in 1996.

Obviously the David Brown cars are in Sabine’s blood, as he lists a genuine DB4 GT he once owned as his favourite ever road car. But what other machines have touched him? “I had a fantastic Porsche 356C, and I had a lovely red XK150 coupe that was a pleasure to drive. I have always come back to the Astons though. The Zagato DB4 was for me the ultimate sports car.”

Turning back the clock- DB4 GT Zagato background
The original Aston Martin DB4 was introduced at the 1958 London Motor Show, a sleek coupe designed by Touring of Italy and constructed to their “Superleggera” (Lightweight) specification. Powered by a Tadek Marek designed straight 6 of 3670cc, it produced 240bhp on twin SU carburettors. In itself a work of elegance, the DB4 provided a wonderful base from which the Aston engineers could weave their magic to create an altogether more sporting variant.

By taking five inches out of the wheelbase, using thinner gauge bodywork and tuning the big six the DB4GT was born, designed to compete with Ferrari’s 250GT SWB on road and track with 302bhp being generated on triple Weber carburettors and dual plug ignition. Aston had the engine further tuned to 314bhp, and then gave the platform to Zagato who set about clothing the chassis in still-lighter, more aerodynamic bodywork. The body design was left to young artisan Ercole Spada, in what was his first project for Zagato. What the 23 year old created with his team is seen by many as defining shape in automotive aesthetics. Eventually 19 cars were built, each subtly different and the world market reflects this mix of rarity and aesthetic appeal- one needs around USD $3 million to have a chance at acquiring an original these days.

Dare to dream
Since that day on Toorak Road Paul had the dream to create his own version of the DB4 GT Zagato, but he wanted it done properly. “Properly meant having the contacts, client interest and skills required to give the project the credibility it deserved”. A scan of worldwide classic websites can reveal several attempts at re-creating the magic of the Zagato originals and even average replicas can trade for several hundred thousand dollars. Sabine saw that a locally built, properly finished Zagato silhouette could be created that undercut the foreign versions in price but not workmanship. By 2004 he had all the elements in place, coming to a different conclusion than most of his competitors.

“I had always pictured my Zagato interpretation being formed on a DBS platform for a couple of reasons. One, the cost of a DBS donor car was substantially less than using a DB4-5-6 base. Those savings could then be passed on to the client. Secondly, the DBS platform is wider and has more advanced suspension design and 4 wheel disc brakes. So the handling and braking are improved even over the original Zagato,” Paul explains.

In consultation with long-time associates Dune bodyworks, Paul had the ability to interpret his vision into computer images via the CAD facilities at Dune, who were also charged with the task of turning the concept into reality. The ‘father and sons’ team at Dune, led by Henk Von Duin are well known in the industry for their expertise and skill in creating automotive masterpieces from scratch and once the measurements were taken and imaging created, momentum began to build.

A keenly interested client, who once made a passing comment on how wonderful Zagato Aston’s were, saw the potential of the project and agreed to become a partner in the exercise. Paul finally had all the tools required to focus his mind’s eye and make the dream a reality.

Black Silk- the DBSZ Concept
All involved are clearly very proud of the first example of the DBSZ, paintwork gleaming like black silk, offset perfectly by the satiny chrome of the Borrani wire wheels. “We prefer to call it a silhouette of the DB4 GT Zagato, rather than a replica because it is our own interpretation of the ultimate Aston,” Paul says as we drink in the curves. “The boys at Dune Bodyworks took a quarter-scale model and formed a full sized foam buck from which to shape the aluminium body panels. The DBS chassis did not need much modification, save for the sill sections which were re-profiled to suit the bodywork.”

Ah, that bodywork. Full of sublimely crafted angles, the profile dips and curves sensuously. Intricate details like the uniquely shaped windscreen and its one-piece framework blend with traditional Zagato inspired lightweight features such as the plexiglass side and rear screens. As a result the DBSZ is over 200kg lighter than a standard DBS. Its overall stance is more aggressive than the Zagato, but still it exudes the latent elegance that is a staple of all vehicles Aston Martin.

Mechanically, this first machine stays close to tradition. It is powered by the DBS’s 4 litre version of the Marek designed inline six, but to Vantage specification. This means triple 45mm Webers just like the original, along with DB4 GT specification pistons and camshafts to further enhance performance levels. This crisp revving and snarly motor makes 300bhp plus and is mated to a smooth five-speed manual gearbox. As good fortune would have it a couple of passenger laps around the Albert Park GP circuit (as part of the “exotic marques” parade) confirm that the DBSZ easily outperforms a standard DB-series Aston. And the noise it makes, cultured yet potent, can only be that of a classic twin-cam six on Webers. Clients can specify even more performance, with the option of specifying a DBSV8 base vehicle and its meaning 5.3 litres of Aston V8 complete with quad carbs or fuel injection. Either engine can be combined with manual or automatic transmission.

Aston ambience
The interior blends together modern touches with a traditional character that high end British sportscars are famous for. Smiths gauges are glanced between the elegant spokes of a wood rimmed wheel and cosseting sports leather seats fit snugly. Enhancing comfort, power steering and air-conditioning are provided as standard. On the road the driving experience delivers on its promise, though according to Paul “It is a little hard to remain inconspicuous on the road!” This last point is well illustrated as we head out to the streets to take pictures, the exhaust crackle distracting passers by before they have to double take as they take in the effortless style of the bodywork. If the attention the DBSZ attracts is anything to go by, Sabine’s dream is becoming infectious on the world stage as DBSZ number 2, finished in a wonderfully natural shade of Green is currently doing thr rounds in England after receiving a wonderful reception at the 2008 Goodwood revival. “Given the quality of work and the final price, we feel the DBSZ is as good as any other similar vehicle in the world. This was reinforced by our trip to the UK. Now back home we are currently working on extending further the overseas marketing strategy, which will open the car up to a much wider audience.”

Future lines
If these photos haven’t sufficiently fired your imagination, interested clients can now order their own DBSZ via Brooklands Classic Cars, built right here in Victoria. A six-cylinder manual example with air-con and power steering will be priced at around $380,000 depending on the cost of the donor car. The client has their choice of exterior colours, along with interior seats and trim. Automatic transmission and genuine Borrani wheels are optional extras. The choice to derive a DBSZ from DBS V8 mechanicals is also available at additional cost.

For any more information on the DBSZ, or to book a viewing, please contact Paul Sabine at Brooklands on +61 9584 4909, or email sales@brooklands.com

© 2010 lautista.com.au.