Zagato apply their expertise to the debut machine from a new hypercar brand, capricorn

The capricorn 01 Zagato is a new multi-million-pound hypercar, demonstrating that some archetypes show no sign of going away, even if they become ever more rarefied and bespoke. The headline here is that this is the first ‘hypercar’ (to use the contemporary lexicon) designed by Zagato, despite the famed Italian carrozzeria having had long collaborations with the likes of Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Aston Martin and Maserati.

The newly minted capricorn Group (the lower case ‘c’ is intentional) intends to put that wrong to rights with this new car, with its timeless mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout. The powerplant is a 5.2-litre supercharged V8, the bodywork is all carbon fibre, and the transmission is manual.

Having ticked all those crucial boxes, the last piece of the jigsaw is the styling, and here Zagato, led by Chief Designer Norihiko Harada, has come up with a dramatic, cab-forward design that has shades of the Ford GT and Bugatti Chiron in the intersecting door and air vent detailing, while the side profile is uncannily similar to Ferrari’s 296 and the Maserati MC20.

Overall, however, Harada and his team have conjured up something with a more timeless, exotic vibe that even these high-profile machines. Zagato’s famous curves are in evidence, especially the ‘double bubble’ roof, which is echoed by the pronounced rear haunches. Low level carbon fibre sills and splitters are more tasteful and restrained than the current industry norm and even at the front, the aggression of the low stance is offset by elegantly faired-in headlights and pronounced front wheel arches flanking a low bonnet.

The car will be built in Germany by capricorn, a long-standing supplier to high-end auto manufacturers and aerospace industries, with a particular expertise in carbon fibre production and precision forging. This will be the first car to bear the capricorn name, with deliveries expected to start in 2026.

It’s certainly not a volume proposition. With a pre-tax sticker price of €2.95 million, the company is proposing to make just 19 coupes (no word of a spider or droptop, but it would be smart to conclude one is in the works). The significance of the number is a tribute to the 19 April 1919, the date Zagato was founded. The only dealer will be the Belgian supercar specialist Louyet Group.

All that carbon and an absence of any batteries should make the 01 Zagato a lightweight affair, with a target weight of less than 1,200kg. The Ford-sourced V8 should be good for around 900PS, giving the car a superb power-to-weight ratio. However, both Zagato and capricorn are happy to be chasing driver entertainment rather than class-leading statistics.

‘Until now, though, Zagato has never designed a hypercar,’ says Zagato President, Andrea Michele Zagato, adding that the combination of ‘Italian design flair with German engineering discipline’ should result in bringing a ‘unique and highly collectible proposition to the market.’ The clean lines are partly down to the aerodynamic qualities of the form and an internal airflow management system, that creates downforce without comically large spoilers.

This minimal approach also extends to the cabin aesthetic. With no screens in the way of the driver’s eyeline, the focus is on traditional dials and switchgear milled from titanium and aluminium, while other materials include Connolly leather and Alcantara. As a performance flagship, the 01 Zagato will certain give the currently niche capricorn name a high-profile debut. Future plans will include a new factory near Germany’s Nürburgring circuit with increased capacity.

Robertino Wild, CEO and founder of capricorn's automotive venture, describes the car as being ‘designed for the joy of driving, not for setting records.’ ‘While the car sits at the cutting edge of technology, in many ways it represents a return to traditional pure driving values,’ he continues, adding that ‘this project is not a one-off; it is the beginning of a new lineage of capricorn branded high-end cars.’

Car.capricorngroup.net, Zagato.it, @Zagato1919