Continuations – When Will It Stop?

Anders Bilidt
Random Thoughts

Should we always want more of a good thing? More, more, more… It seems to be the norm of the general society in which we live. But personally, I’m not entirely convinced.

Aston Martin have very recently announced that they will be producing a ‘Continuation’ of the ultra-rare and legendary DB4GT Zagato. Between 1960 and ’62 only a mere 19 examples of the original DB4GT’s were clothed by the often controversial but at other times masterly Ugo Zagato. Now, to celebrate 100 years of Carrozzeria Zagato, Aston Martin Works intend to build another 19 examples. These replica’s – uhmmm… sorry, continuations (because that sounds much more posh and legit), will only be available as a package deal called The DBZ Centenary Collection, comprising one of these DB4GT Zagato’s and a brand-new, yet-to-be-launched DBS GT Zagato. The price you ask? A staggering £6m will secure you a set! Should you require the full PR-blurb, feel free to indulge here: Aston Martin DBZ Centenary Collection

So what are we – the genuine grass-root enthusiasts – to make of this? Well for starters, we certainly shouldn’t pretend that we’re the least bit surprised, as there’s really nothing sensationally new about this phenomenon. While enthusiasts have been creating replica’s – with mixed results – in their garden shed for an eternity, these factory-backed ‘continuations’ first appeared in the late-eighties. Yes that’s right, that was the last time the classic car market was at a frenzy high and on the verge of collapsing. Thought-provoking, isn’t it?

Well also back then, Aston Martin got in on the action as they too wanted a bite of the booming classic car market. The Sanction II Zagato was created by Aston Martin by asking an ex-Zagato employee to reskin four ordinary DB4GT’s to exactly replicate the original Zagato article. As these four cars rapidly found new homes on the then so buoyant market, another two cars were constructed as Sanction III cars. But well before that – as early as the mid-eighties – Alfa Romeo had seen an opportunity and thus created a number of continuations of their super sexy 1967 Tipo 33 Stradale, which was originally only produced in a mere 18 examples. And of course if we head Stateside, good ol’ Carroll Shelby has been sanctioning continuations of his Shelby Cobra’s for what seems to be forever.

And now it’s all taking off again! In 2014/2015 Jaguar Classic built the six “missing” Lightweight E-types which they supposedly had wanted to build in period, but just never got around to as they choose to stop the program in period after only 12 Lightweights had been completed. Now we can all sleep again knowing they put that misdoing right. Then the Jaguar XK-SS Continuation was introduced in 2016 as Jaguar decided it was time to build those nine unfinished XK-SS’s which were destroyed in the fire at Browns Lane in 1957. Their latest Continuation introduced only earlier this year is of course the fabulous D-type of which they’re building 25 examples in order to complete the originally intended 100 cars. But hang on a moment – didn’t those 25 D-types which were never built instead morph into the 16 original Jaguar XK-SS’s and of course the nine chassis lost in the factory fire? So, if they’re now building the 25 “missing” D-types, does that then make the 16 original XK-SS’s fakes? I mean, if Jaguar insist that those last 25 D-types need to exist, then the very basis for the XK-SS ever seeing the light of day back in 1957 has just been invalidated. Or have I simply managed to confuse myself here…?

In the meantime over at Aston Martin, their latest Zagato Continuation is also just the tip of the iceberg. In late 2016 they announced that they were going to create all of 25 brand-new DB4GT Lightweights – a legend of a race car which was originally only produced in eight examples. Yes, eight originals and 25 continuations. That’s more than three times the amount of cars originally built! And only a month before announcing the arrival of The DBZ Centenary Collection, they found it prudent to commit to building 25 Continuations of the Goldfinger DB5 as well – complete with all the Bond gadgets. But this is where I apparently start confusing myself again, because how can they possibly build a continuation of a car which they never really built in the first place? It was a movie prop! Not a production car. So surely they’re not going to try to sell us that they had originally intended to produce 25 more of these for the public in period, and are now merely putting right what they failed to fulfil back in the day?

So tell me – am I just being overly cynical now? Bear in mind that these hugely expensive continuations won’t even have a type approval, so their new owners will never be able to enjoy them out on public roads. Instead they’re being sold as trackday toys for the rich. But really, if you had a small fortune burning a hole in your pocket and wanted to go fast around a track somewhere, wouldn’t you be rather be buying the latest high-tech toy from Porsche, Ferrari, McLaren, Pagoni or similar? To my mind, that means that these continuations are nothing but a crude commercial exercise from their manufacturers – happily sacrificing heritage for money! – and are being bought as an equally crude investment by their first new owners – hoping to flip them on a buoyant classic car market. Is there really nothing which is sacred any longer?

Or have I utterly missed the point? Admitted, I too thoroughly love the originals that these continuations are based on. So should we all be celebrating the fact that there are now more, more, more of them in the world? Is all of this a good thing? Dear ViaRETRO reader, tell us what you think?

 

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Anders Bilidt
My passion for Bavarian classics is profound. But all classics are charming. My fantasies range from Imps over quirky Panhards to my dream Montreal. But then there’s also my nerdtastic lust for classics from the Country of the Rising Sun… I appreciate originality, but most importantly, regardless of origin, year or value, classics are meant to be driven. My keeper is a 1973 BMW 2002 - the first car I ever bought.

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3 Responses

  1. Totally with you on this, Anders – it’s a cynical cashing in on, and exploitation of, a famous history. It’s also a devaluation of that history, has nothing to do with the classic car enthusiast, and everything to do with the high-end “investor”. Personally, I hope they see their “investments” lose money, as ultimately these continuations are just very expensive fakes, reproductions made by the descendents of the original artists, no more, no less. There, I feel better now.

  2. No, you havent missed the point Mr Bilidt, and for the most part I agree with you and the esteemable Mr Wawryk. The Jaguar example -and the attendant math – is especially telling/interesting.
    One point tho; had I [personally] serious with a capital S money, I would not want the latest whizbang boomzowie wundercompute…er, I mean, wundercar from Mclaren et al, as they hold no fascination. Just dont care. I would much rather have something like a ‘continuation’ Aston or Cobra or something to flog. BUT! The point is/would be that such was a replica – not the real thing – and was being enjoyed as the originals were intended, without beating on a historically significant piece. It is very doubtful that the current lot will ever be treated as such; all are being bought undoubtedly as ‘investments’. And such is a shame and the manufacturers should be ashamed of sullying their history and that of those that made it.

  3. Gents, nice to know I don’t stand all alone with my point of view. :-)

    I can only imagine how annoying this must be for the lucky few who actually own the real article! Imagine pulling up outside your favourite café in your Zagato DB4GT, and then some bloke comes up to you all excited, meaning to compliment you, and says something along the lines of: “WOW! Is that a real Zagato Continuation?”…
    How do you answer that?? Maybe with a simple: “Piss off!“.

    And let’s just have a look at your options. The Aston continuations are ludicrously expensive. Making the Jag continuations look almost cheap when compared. So you can get a continuation D-type for a clean one million pounds.
    But if I really had that kind of cash available for buying a classic car, I could find a whole lot of real and authentic classic cars which are available within that budget. And might I add, with all of these real and authentic classic cars, you can even drive them and enjoy them out on public roads. Seems a no-brainer to me…

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