Aston Martin V12 Zagato road car (2012) first pictures

Aston Martin showed the new V12 Zagato in race-car spec at the Villa d'Este concours in summer 2011 - but today it's shown the first pictures of the £330,000 roadgoing V12.

Yes. It's expensively rebodied with a little help by coachbuilders at Zagato. Just 150 will be built, from sumer 2012.

It's designed to celebrate the golden anniversary of the DB4 GT Zagato, oft cited as one of the world's most beautiful/desirable cars (delete according to your taste).

And that £330,000 is a starting price. Add in local taxes - a stiff 20% VAT in the UK, for starters - and you'll end up paying nearer £400,000. Yikes.

Well, it's pretty damn stunning, we have to admit. And we're the first to sniff a brand-stretching, money-spinning commercial opportunity.

Aston will take the V12 Vantage and replace its already voluptuous bodywork with a bespoke aluminium and carbonfibre shell.

The 'regular' 6.0-litre V12 remains, cranking out 510bhp and 420lb ft of torque.

A pair of Zagatos will be shown at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show: the race car, nicknamed Zig after its successful finish at the 24-hour Nurburgring race, and Zag, the car originally shown at Villa d'Este and now half-converted to road car spec.

The official renderings here show what the £400k roadgoing V12 Zagato will look like when sales commence in summer 2012.

By Tim Pollard