Aston Martin unveiled their DB4 GT Zagato masterpiece at the 1960 London Motor Show with plans to build 25 models. Amazingly low demand meant the Italian coachbuilders stopped production after the 20th unit, which makes the hand sculpted classic one of the rarest, most valuable cars of all time. To mark the 50th anniversary of the original Zagato, UK-based Evanta Motor Company has recreated arguably the most beautiful GT car of all time, fusing its stunning classic lines with modern tech.

A 2001 Vantage V12 DB7 was used as the donor car, whose bodywork was removed and wheel-base sliced by 23cm before fitting a one-piece Zagato body shell hand-formed from glass-fiber with a carbon-fiber & Kevlar weave hood. While enjoying the astonishingly beautiful styling of the $7 million original, all the best bits of a modern supercar are on hand: an ECU-driven V12 engine under the hood, ABS, tiptronic gearbox, and a/c, while a full race roll cage lies hidden within the luxurious Oxblood red leather interior. The central locking system has also been converted to open doors remotely (hence the exclusion of door handles).

The body is finished in correct Aston Martin Solent silver, and the car sits on 16-inch dished wires wrapped in race tires. In terms of its performance, although the car hasn't been tested, the DB7's 0-62mph time of 4.9 seconds should be dramatically slashed given 500kg has been shed from the original 1,622kg. Handling has improved thanks to additional structural support, and bespoke AVO shocks and upgraded brakes have been added. Over the weekend, the car went under the hammer at the Monaco Historics weekend sale by London auction house Coys who sold it for €142,940.

However don't despair as Evanta is ready and waiting for another challenge, so if you have a brand new DB9 and want it chopped and changed into a classic Zagato, you know where to go. Photos courtesy of Richard Pardon.