Skip to main content

Zagato revives ‘il Mostro’ with custom Maserati sports car debuting at Ville D’Este

Zagato has always been about style. The Italian coach-builder has been working with Europe’s most high-end automakers for years, and now it’s ready to reveal a new model for Maserati that honors a special car from the 1950’s.

The 1957 Maserati 450 S was given the name “il Mostro” because it made huge power for the time. In fact, the model remained the most powerful front-engined racecar in the world until the 1990s. Stirling Moss would go on to race the Zagato-designed car at Le Mans as well.

Zagato’s tribute has been aptly named “Maserati Mostro,” and will debut at this summer’s Concorso d’Eleganza Villa D’Este (I must have checked the spelling of that event seven times). Fortunately, we don’t have to wait until then to see what the Italian design firm has come up with.

The body is built on a carbon moncoque chassis and uses a front-mounted dry-sump Maserati V8. The engine is placed between the axles for best-possible weight distribution and powers a six-speed semi-automatic rear transaxle.

In terms of styling, the Mostro has a seemingly endless bonnet, shooting-brake-esque greenhouse, and a massive rear wing. Zagato claims the Mostro was designed for the track, and its lightweight construction helps the argument. Street homologation is in the works, but only five examples will be built, all of which have been claimed.

While the Mostro’s price tag remains a mystery, the Italian design house has stated that, “None of Zagato’s atelier cars exceed 1 million. As collectible cars, the value of a Zagato typically overcomes the purchasing price within a few years.” Basically, they’re calling their shot: that the Mostro will be an appreciating asset.

That makes sense based on how the typical Zagato buyer would treat this car. Personally, I’d ring out that Maserati V8 just as hard as any other model – but maybe that’s why Zagato never sends me invitations to purchase upcoming projects…yea, let’s go with that.

Miles Branman
Miles Branman doesn't need sustenance; he needs cars. While the gearhead gene wasn't strong in his own family, Miles…
I tried an e-bike for the first time and now I’m hooked
It’s not about being a 'bike person', it’s about finding small upgrades to everyday life
A woman sitting on the Aventon Pace 4

Before this year, I’d never even touched an e-bike before, and the thought of riding one was never on my radar. With life already in constant motion thanks to two toddlers, biking wasn’t something I ever considered adding to the mix.

I’d always assumed e-bikes were for hardcore commuters or serious cyclists, not someone like me. I wasn’t looking for a big lifestyle change. I just wanted a quicker way to get to the park so we’d have more time to play before dinner.

Read more
This week in EV tech: Audi exemplifies auto industry’s EV holding pattern
Close-up of 2025 Audi SQ5 grille, headlight, and badge.

The road to the future runs through the present, and it’s not a straight line. This week, we’re focusing on how Audi is negotiating the twists and turns on the way to an electrified future. EVs are here to stay at Audi, but a gasoline crossover SUV is still the automaker’s bestselling model, and it’s not ready to risk those sales just yet. That’s why the 2025 Audi Q5 received a top-to-bottom overhaul for this model year, bringing its tech features and styling up to date without altering the what has proven to be a very popular package. By maintaining parallel lineups of electric and internal-combustion cars, Audi hopes to give customers more choices. But that doesn’t completely level the playing field. The new Q5 may have yesterday’s powertrain, but Audi isn’t holding back on tech. It features the same electrical architecture, operating system, and three-screen dashboard display as the latest Audi EVs, like the Q6 e-tron. So aside from a little engine noise, there’s little difference in what you can see and interact with from the driver’s seat. It’s not just the infotainment systems. The Q5 and Q6 e-tron are close in size, with similar space for passengers across their two rows of seats. The Q6 e-tron has a bit more cargo space, but not as much as you’d think given the lack of a bulky engine, transmission, and driveshafts. The two SUVs also have similar styling but, having now driven both, we can say that the Q5 is the more pleasant of the two.

More than a difference of powertrain tech

Read more
Take a peek inside the factory making tomorrow’s ride
A Zoox robotaxi.

Amazon-owned Zoox has opened its first facility producing fully autonomous robotaxis. 

A video (above) released by the California-based company offers a peek inside the factory, which, when it reaches full capacity, could roll out as many as 10,000 autonomous vehicles per year.

Read more