Limited to just five examples to ensure rarity and value, the track-only cars are already sold, with two staying in Europe, two off to Japan, and one headed for the Persian Gulf. Zagato delivered the first car at Villa d’Este this weekend. All five cars are scheduled for delivery from December.
ABOVE: il Mostro Nuovo features a steeply raked “wraparound” windshield, inspired by the road-going version of the original.
With the growing trend of retro, this design is ‘based’ on the original il Mostro from the 1950s. This was a 400-horsepower Maserati 450 S sports-racing car draped in aerodynamic aluminum bodywork initially designed by aeronautical engineer Frank Costin and fabricated in aluminum by Zagato. Il Mostro was commissioned by Stirling Moss, arguably the most talented Grand Prix driver to never win a world championship. Moss shared il Mostro at the 1957 Le Mans with Franco American Harry Schell, who was born to wealthy American parents living in France.
ABOVE: Stirling Moss departs for a practice run in the original il Mostro. It was Moss’s idea to ask famed aerodynamicist Frank Costin to design this body, which was then built by Zagato. Unfortunately, Zagato’s understanding of aerodynamics at that time was limited and the resulting berlinetta was not a success. The car was later converted for road use, the design proving much more harmonious. Photo by Peter Coltrin, courtesy of the Klemantaski Collection.
Zagato’s 2015 il Mostro Nuovo is a taut, sleek and cohesive interpretation of the ungainly 1957 original. il Mostro Nuovo is more than a Zagato reskin or elaboration of an existing road-legal production vehicle. The tale is trickier than that, but all the more satisfying. Il Mostro Nuovo has a carbon-fibre and steel tube structure underneath, and properly sorted suspension. Engineered and developed by a small racing operation in Belgium, the underpinnings of il Mostro Nuovo have been proven competent in European motorsports events. Though as much an art piece as a real track car, the five lucky owners will find il Mostro Nuovo a delight to drive.