Yes, this is a half-million pound Aston Martin V8 Zagato

There are cheaper ways to celebrate Zagato’s 100th birthday than with Aston Martin’s £6million DBZ Centenary Collection. This is one of them - one of just three prototypes of the Aston Martin V8 Zagato Coupe, now for sale at a British dealer for some £530,000...

Chassis 20011 was built before the main run of 52 Zagato Coupes, and specified by a friend of the company’s then-chairman, the brilliantly-named Victor Gauntlett. Finished in Gladiator Red over black leather, it was one of four cars equipped with the 432bhp V8 (proper production cars had a little less power), and one of two with the integrated roll-bar.

After a four-year restoration carried out by specialists in New Zealand, overseen by the third (and current) owner, 20011 was shown at Villa d’Este in 2016 and at the City of London Concours in 2017. It’s thought to be among the “finest” V8 Zagatos ever built. Hence the price, which includes all the original manuals and documents as well as factory memos about the build.

At the time, the V8 Zagato was the ultimate Aston - the company’s fastest-ever road car, with a top speed of over 180mph and a 0-60mph time in less than five seconds. A French car magazine reportedly tested these figures out on a motorway, while the local gendarmes were at lunch…

A fine example of Eighties excess? Or an Aston best forgotten? Argue below.