The Capricorn 01 Zagato checks off all the best boxes: massive power, rear-wheel drive, manual transmission, extreme exclusivity, and, best of all, it’s road legal in Canada

Capricorn, a German supplier of automotive, aerospace and medical components, partnered with Milan-based coachbuilder Zagato to create the Capricorn 01 Zagato hypercar.

The price tag is steep: 2.95 million euros ($4.8 million Canadian).

But Canadians with deep pockets can technically buy it. The company said the car’s European homologation includes the European Union, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Japan, Mexico, the Middle East and Canada.

Keep in mind, there will be some logistics to work through if you want the car in Canada.

The car will be sold exclusively through Belgian high-end automotive retailer Louyet Group, and all vehicle service and maintenance will be done at Capricorn’s facility in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Also, only 19 of these cars will be built.

Production is set to commence in the first half of 2026.

“The Capricorn 01 Zagato offers collectors an exceptionally rare opportunity. Along with its exceptional focus on driving, the car also offers a once-in-a-decade opportunity to be part of the story of a new hypercar brand right at the beginning,” said Joachim Sas, head of Capricorn sales at Louyet Group, in a news release.

The number 19 was chosen as a tribute to the Zagato brand, which was founded on April 19, 1919.

Abut the car

The 01 Zagato is the world’s first hypercar with a Zagato-designed body. It’s also the first car wearing the Capricorn name (the company styles itself as capricorn).

The car’s chassis and body consist of an all-carbon fibre monocoque and subframes.

The lightweight mid-engine sports car is powered by a Ford-sourced 5.2-litre supercharged V8 engine. The company said it modified the Ford engine through its in-house engineering expertise. The upgraded engine can spin up to 9,000 rpm.

The engine is said to produce more than 900 PS (887 hp), though the final figure is subject to final homologation results, and 1,000 Nm (737 lb.-ft.) of torque.

The car weighs less than 1,200 kilograms (2,645 pounds).

The driver controls the gear via a gated dogleg five-speed (yes, five not six) manual transmission.

“This choice provides a more emotional, immersive, mechanical shifting experience that allows the driver to really feel and fully experience the rev changes, and the muscular nature of the engine working through its broad powerband. It is a decision that deliberately prioritizes driver engagement and passion over the need for more gears,” said Capricorn founder and CEO Robertino Wild, in the release.

Performance figures

Capricorn provided some performance figures for the 01 Zagato.

Some performance figures include:

• Zero to 100 km/h – less than 3 seconds
• Top speed – 360 km/h (223 mph)

“The Capricorn 01 Zagato produces more than 900 PS, so it has significant horsepower, but the key factor is that this is married with an ultra-lightweight engineering approach. As a result, the Capricorn 01 Zagato is a ‘pure, analog driver’s hypercar,’” Wild said.

“It is not about chasing ever-escalating extreme horsepower numbers or, indeed, bragging rights. Instead, we have focused on achieving a perfect power-to-weight ratio and delivering an engaging, uncompromising driving experience. The car is designed for the joy of driving, not for setting records.”

What’s next for Capricorn

The company said the 01 Zagato is only the start.

The company plans to expand its Nürburgring production capability by opening a new plant, the company’s third, giving it 18,000 square meters of space.

Capricorn said future projects will be able to deliver 100 to 200 cars per year.

Besides a plan to build its own cars, the company said it is open to taking on limited-series contracts with other automakers to build fully bespoke hypercars for private clients.

More information is available on the company’s website.

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