The Wonderfully Strange Bentley GT by Zagato… was very much a love-it-or-hate-it design, but certainly a rare and exotic car from 2006.

A confusing set-up of how they were made and even more confusing, how much they cost.

Only 9 made worldwide and that includes two UK RHD cars.

So to order your new Zagato at the time was a case of owning one already or purchasing a new or used standard Continental GT, Speed, or Supersport, and then having it sent to Zagato to have the full conversion. Ordering was also based on, if more than 9 are required they’ll make them.

A lot of work went into the conversions with a total of 346 materials (BOM – bill of materials) being used, from design paperwork to panels and everything in between. The weight was reduced by about 100kg by using aluminum body panels, made by hand.

The interior remained fairly much the same, apart from ‘Z’ emblems on the seats and headlining. Of course, this featured the Zagato double-bubble roof that you’d expect. Even the Bentley front grill was altered and enlarged.

The panels were completed by Coventry Prototype Panels, later bought out by Envisage Bespoke of Coventry, and other contributions from DELVIS (Germany) who also designed the LED rear lights, which cost in the region of £50k a pair! The paintwork was supplied by PPG of Milan… quite a continental affair.

And here’s the one thing you weren’t expecting to hear, the only thing that remains the same externally… are the windscreen, the A-pillars, and the headlights!

One of the UK cars started life as a ‘standard’ red GT, sold by JCT600 in Leeds, Yorkshire. It was then delivered to Zagato to have the Z treatment. Being finished in the Zagato colour green with a lighter green top. This was finally registered in March 2008. This also was given the controversial rear arch ‘spacs’ that certainly divides opinion. This was the fourth car of the nine to be built. It’s been quite a seen and featured car in the UK and is used quite often.

The other UK car is one finished in a lighter green with a green interior. This was bought from new from Jack Barclay in London in 2006 and was sent to Zagato in 2009 to have the full conversion. This is noticeable by the Mulliner wheels and the more natural rear arches. This features the number plate MY06ZAG and is seen from time to time around the country.

So let’s see some of the other LHD cars that are out there…

So far we have:

Dark Green – Press car LHD.

Matt Grey – Monaco car LHD. 

Dark Green with Light green top line – RHD

Light Grey – RHD

Dark Blue with silver top line – LHD

Dark Green with Silver top line – Belgium LHD

More to come including the remaining cars…

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Do you know of any others… let me know

©howmanymade