Zagato is one of the premier design consultancy and engineering service providers in Italy, with their offices just outside Milan it has been responsible for some of the most iconic Italian car designs for the likes of Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Masserati and Aston Martin as well as one of concepts for Ford, BMW, Jaguar, Rolls Royce and MG.

The vintage car show on Como Lake was the perfect place to unveil this Trans-Alpine meeting of minds in a place that is unmistakeably Italian but which clearly wears its German/Austro influence proudly. The Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d’Este is one of the most prestigious events dedicated to the mythology of the vintage car and this year the BMW Zagato stole the show.

Combining iconic Zagato the curved roof and truncated rear portions of the BMW roadster flanks along with an unmistakeable BMW nose featuring hundreds of interlocking ‘Z’s, and the comfort of a German interior, the BMW Zagato features the glass-divided rear cabin of the Zagato, the tinted rear windows can be opened for easy access to the luggage compartment. It’s a one-off but fully operational and street-legal.

Everything about the car screams aerodynamic efficiency from the five-spoked 19’ alloy wheels to the double air intakes on the bonnet. The colour is a luscious red that is multi-layered 'rosso vivace' paintwork that varies from black to dark red depending on which way the light hit sit.

Defined as defined as a 'BMW seen through the eyes of Zagato', this is so much more than you usual concept car. Often concepts are mere imaginings, sculpted shells that are pleasing to the eye but in the end only husks with nothing of note under the bonnet. This is different and is beautiful down to the last detail. The car caused such a stir that it is clear there would be much demand for this car were it to go into production…. let’s hope so.

By Hugo Mc Cafferty