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Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Zagato’s greatest cars repeatedly made familiar platforms lighter, lower, and more competition-minded while giving them a distinct visual identity. This ranking weighs design influence, racing significance, technical ingenuity, rarity, and Zagato’s contribution; many of these cars were collaborations in which Zagato designed or built the body rather than engineering the entire car.
There is no official Zagato ranking. The choices below span prewar racing cars, postwar GTs, compact sports cars, and a modern limited-production model.
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How We Ranked the Greatest Zagato Cars
We considered historical influence and design originality, how substantially Zagato’s body changed the donor car’s character, competition relevance, rarity, and representation across different eras. Rarity supports a case but does not determine it. Production figures can vary between sources, particularly for hand-built cars.
10 Greatest Cars Designed by Zagato
1. Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato (1960)
The DB4 GT Zagato is a persuasive choice for the top spot: it combines a recognizable design with genuine competition intent and exceptional rarity. Aston Martin describes the DB4 GT as a shorter-chassis, lighter road-and-track derivative; Zagato’s lightweight two-seat body gave it a more purposeful character. The body was designed by Ercole Spada, then a young Zagato designer. Aston Martin records only 19 original DB4 GT Zagatos.
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The result is a prestigious grand tourer made visibly leaner and more focused without losing its road-car identity. The car’s competition ambition and lasting design influence make it a defining Zagato collaboration.
2. Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Sport Zagato (late 1920s and early 1930s)
The 6C 1750 helped establish the Zagato legend. The firm’s history links its Alfa Romeo 6C 1500 and 6C 1750 work with Vittorio Jano to lightweight bodies and major Mille Miglia success; Alfa Romeo describes the 6C 1750 as both a racing legend and a luxury icon.
It shows the early Zagato formula at its clearest: compact, light coachwork intended to help a capable Alfa Romeo perform. Zagato supplied the body, while the underlying car and its mechanical development belonged to Alfa Romeo.
3. Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ (1960–1963)
The Giulietta SZ, or Sprint Zagato, turned the Giulietta Sprint Veloce into a compact competition car. Alfa Romeo’s history traces its origin to Zagato repairing and rebodying a crashed Sprint Veloce. Zagato identifies the SZ as the first major production application of the truncated-tail, or coda tronca, design later developed in the TZ and Junior Zagato.
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Its importance lies in both its competition-minded form and its influence on later aerodynamic design. The SZ is not the same car as the Giulia TZ: they are related in design thinking, but distinct models.
4. Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ and TZ2 (1963–1967)
The TZ and TZ2 share an entry because they are successive versions of a core idea: Alfa Romeo mechanicals, a tubular structure, Zagato lightweight bodywork, and competition-focused aerodynamics. Treccani identifies both as major Zagato masterpieces, and Zagato connects their truncated-tail principles to the earlier Giulietta SZ.
These are among the ranking’s most technically serious racing cars, but they should be understood as collaborations involving Alfa Romeo, Autodelta, and Zagato rather than as Zagato-only engineering projects.
5. Fiat 8V Zagato (1952–1954)
The Fiat 8V Zagato paired an ambitious Fiat V8 sports car with predominantly Zagato bodywork, helping Fiat reach beyond its mass-market image. Zagato’s history calls it a prestigious project and records Elio Zagato’s 1955 AVUS victory in a Fiat 8V. A Zagato-bodied 8V also received a class win at the 2016 Villa d’Este event.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesIt is an important bridge between race-bred coachbuilding and the postwar European GT. The car’s story belongs to both Fiat and Zagato: the V8 and platform were Fiat’s, while Zagato shaped the body.
Rank #2
6. Lancia Flaminia Sport and Super Sport Zagato (1958–1967)
The Flaminia Sport and Super Sport put Zagato’s compact, athletic bodywork on a refined Lancia base. The Zagato register records several versions, including 2.5-liter Sport, Sport 3C, 2.8-liter Sport, and Super Sport models. It reports total production of roughly 599 cars while noting that published figures vary.
Short-wheelbase Lancia chassis and distinctive aluminum bodies gave these two-seat GTs a sporting character without erasing their grand-touring roots. They show how Zagato could make a luxurious platform look lower and more purposeful.
7. Lancia Fulvia Sport Zagato (1965–1972)
With 6,970 cars reported in Zagato’s historical overview, the Fulvia Sport was the firm’s most commercially successful creation. Designed by Ercole Spada, it combined a front-wheel-drive Lancia platform with a lightweight, low-slung sports body and unusual practical details.
Its place here is a reminder that “greatest” need not mean rarest or most expensive. The Fulvia Sport carried Zagato’s design language into a production car that reached a broader audience.
8. Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Zagato (1931–1934)
The 8C 2300 represents the prewar Alfa Romeo competition era, and Zagato’s production history lists several bodies for the model, including Le Mans, Spider Corto, Torpedo Lungo, and Spider Monza forms. It extended the Alfa Romeo–Zagato relationship from six-cylinder cars into the celebrated supercharged straight-eight era.
Not every 8C 2300 wore a Zagato body: the model was also clothed by other coachbuilders. This entry refers specifically to Zagato-bodied examples and their place in the broader Alfa Romeo collaboration.
9. Abarth 750 GT Zagato (1956–1959)
The Abarth 750 GT Zagato translates the firm’s lightweight, aerodynamic approach into a small sports car. Its modest scale is part of its appeal: the design puts the emphasis on low weight and performance-minded packaging rather than a large engine or imposing dimensions.
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10. Aston Martin V12 Zagato (2011–2012)
The V12 Zagato is the strongest modern choice in this ranking because it deliberately revived the relationship established by the DB4 GT Zagato. Zagato records the Corsa version’s 2011 debut and two competition examples; Aston Martin subsequently announced a 99-car carbon-fiber Stradale production run.
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Based on Aston Martin V12 Vantage mechanicals, it brought recognizable Zagato cues into a contemporary materials and production context. Its history is distinct from the DB4 GT Zagato’s, and its place here reflects continuity of design language rather than an equivalent historical impact.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Other Notable Zagato Designs
Other credible candidates include the Alfa Romeo 1900 SSZ, 2600 SZ, and Junior Zagato; the Lancia Appia Sport and Flavia Sport; the Ferrari 550 GTZ; and the Aston Martin DB7 Zagato and Vanquish Zagato. The Junior Zagato is notable for its compact wedge-like form and 1969–1975 production history, while the Ferrari 550 GTZ is notable for its three-car production run.
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The Ferrari 575 GTZ is often discussed by enthusiasts, but the research available for this ranking provides stronger primary-source support for the Ferrari 550 GTZ. It is therefore not included in the ten.
Why Zagato’s Best Cars Still Matter
The DB4 GT Zagato, 6C 1750, Giulietta SZ, and Giulia TZ/TZ2 most clearly capture the range of the firm’s legacy: a race-minded coachbuilder could change the character of a car through light, purposeful bodywork. Across eras, Zagato’s contribution was often one part of a wider collaboration, but its design identity remained distinctive.
That history is why the cars are best judged not just by rarity or appearance, but by how their bodies served the donor car and helped define its place in automotive design.
FAQ
What is Zagato best known for?
Zagato is known for lightweight, aerodynamic coachwork and distinctive forms such as the double-bubble roof and truncated tail. Founded in Milan by Ugo Zagato in 1919, the firm has worked with manufacturers including Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Lancia, Fiat, Abarth, Ferrari, Maserati, and Lamborghini.
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Did Zagato engineer the whole car?
Not always. Zagato often designed or built the body for a manufacturer’s chassis and mechanical package. Cars such as the Alfa Romeo TZ also involved other partners, including Alfa Romeo and Autodelta.
What does the double-bubble roof mean?
The double-bubble is a Zagato-associated roof form with two raised areas over the occupants. It became one of the firm’s recognizable design signatures and appeared on cars including the Abarth 750 Zagato.
How many original Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagatos were built?
Aston Martin records production of 19 original DB4 GT Zagatos.
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