Following a decades-long hiatus, Aston Martin rekindled its partnership with Italian coachbuilder Zagato in the early 2000s as then owner Ford Motor Co. sought to reinvigorate interest in the British brand and boost sales. With the DB7—already deemed one of the most beautiful cars of its day—used as a starting point, Zagato certainly had their work cut out for them in creating an even more alluring limited-production grand tourer in the spirit of the DB4 GT Zagato of the 1960s and the V8 Vantage Zagato of the 1980s. The Italian design house did not disappoint. The resulting DB7 Zagato coupe and DB AR1 roadster are two of the most attractive Aston Martins ever made. Although the coupes were only available in Asian and European markets, the roadster was produced specifically for the American market, hence the “AR1” designation, signifying “American Roadster 1.”

First shown at the 2003 Los Angeles Auto Show, the DB AR1 remained true to the design of its coupe sibling, albeit in an exciting fully open format. It offered time-honored Zagato design cues with a modern flair. Twin cowls behind the front seats echoed the “double bubble” roof of the coupe. Conceived with sunny climates in mind, the AR1 had no provision for a roof of any sort and was only equipped with a simple rain cover to protect the interior when parked.

Thanks to the 435-horsepower, 6.0-liter, V-12 engine borrowed from the contemporaneous Vanquish, the DB AR1 could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.9 seconds and reach a claimed top speed of 186 mph. The active sport exhaust system provided a distinctive note, heightening the excitement of driving in the open.

The DB AR1 Zagato roadster offered here is number 47 of 99 produced. It is finished in Aston Martin Racing Green with a Fawn Bridge of Weir leather interior and is equipped with the desirable six-speed manual transmission. Options include embroidered over-mats, power folding mirrors, aluminum gearlever knob and switches, satellite navigation system, and five-spoke polished wheels. A well-specified example showing only 2,533 miles on the odometer at cataloguing time, it includes factory manuals in a leather binder and a numbered car cover. A truly rare find melding the best British pedigree with stunning Italian design, this DB AR1 Zagato will be an exciting and exclusive addition to any collection.