Skip advert
Advertisement

Aston Martin V12 Zagato double-bubble roof - Art of Speed

We discuss the origins of the iconic double-bubble roof

Aston Martin V12 Zagato double-bubble roof

Is there an example of form following function in automotive design that turned out quite as well as the double-bubble roof; in the sense that, if you didn’t know the reason for it, you’d have to believe it was the result of pure artistic licence? I seriously doubt it.

That the idea originated from the pen of Ugo Zagato provides some perspective. Zagato founded the coachbuilding business that bears his name in Milan in 1919 and swiftly established a reputation for using light, strong bodywork structures in aluminium, a continuation of the methods he’d acquired over four years at aircraft construction specialist Officine Aeronautiche Pomilio. But perhaps his most significant carry-over was the streamlined look and performance benefits conferred by sound aerodynamic design. By applying this to both road-going and racing aluminium-bodied Alfa Romeos, Ferraris, Fiats, Lancias and Maseratis through the inter-war years, Zagato’s name became synonymous with high performance and racing success.

Advertisement - Article continues below

> 600bhp Aston Martin V12 Vantage Zagato R-Reforged nears production

It wasn’t until the early 1950s, though, that in the quest for even greater aerodynamic efficiency, Zagato created its most enduring and recognisable design cue: the double-bubble roof. It was a radical concept specifically aimed at extracting an advantage on the racetrack, while the form-follows-function logic was simplicity itself: reducing the roof height and frontal area of a car helps it slice through the air better. But the lower roofline inevitably compromises headroom and comfort for both drivers and passengers, especially if crash helmets are worn.

Zagato’s solution was to start with the lower roof and elegantly ease out the space directly above the occupants’ heads, thus creating the double-bubble, and the treatment had the added benefit of actually strengthening the thin aluminium roof panel. It worked and it looked great, featuring on a host of Zagato-bodied competition Fiats, various privately commissioned one-off Maseratis and ACs, the gorgeous Alfa Romeo 1900 C Super Sprint Zagato and Lancia Appia GTE Zagato, and even some long-wheelbase Ferrari 250 GTs.

Zagato’s long-standing association with Aston Martin has given the double-bubble free expression in more recent times, but perhaps the biggest compliment to Ugo’s brilliant idea comes via the Peugeot RCZ, which has made it a common but no less beautiful sight on our roads.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Used Aston Martin V12 Vantage (2009 - 2018) review – manual V12 for less than a Cayman
Aston Martin V12 Vantage front
Reviews

Used Aston Martin V12 Vantage (2009 - 2018) review – manual V12 for less than a Cayman

Aston’s biggest engine in its smallest offering was a hot rod recipe for an intoxicating blend of sports car, supercar and GT, that neither Porsche no…
25 Feb 2025
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Best used sports cars – proper performance cars for less than a new Golf GTI
Cheap sports cars
Best cars

Best used sports cars – proper performance cars for less than a new Golf GTI

With the sun shining and fuel prices palatable, now is the time to indulge your used sports car desires
1 Jul 2025
Can Lotus survive its latest crisis?
Lotus factory
Opinion

Can Lotus survive its latest crisis?

Lotus’s latest troubles are grabbing headlines, but the writing’s been on the wall for some time.
28 Jun 2025
New 2026 Ferrari Amalfi revealed – physical buttons return in the 631bhp Roma replacement
Ferrari Amalfi front
News

New 2026 Ferrari Amalfi revealed – physical buttons return in the 631bhp Roma replacement

The Ferrari Amalfi picks up where the Roma left off, as a more capable, debugged super GT that’s finally brought back buttons
1 Jul 2025