Unveiling the Cadillac NART Zagato: A Tale of Ambition and Design

Ambitious Engineering - In the world of automotive legends, certain names instantly evoke prestige, passion, and innovation. One such name is Luigi Chinetti—best known for bringing Ferrari to North America and founding the revered North American Racing Team (NART). But beyond his successes with Ferrari and racing glory, Chinetti harbored a dream that had little to do with importing exotic cars or winning on the track. He wanted to build something entirely his own—a car that would represent his vision from the ground up.

The Cadillac NART Zagato is a sports car designed by Luigi Chinetti Jr. and built in 1970 under the independent NART brand, in collaboration with GM and Zagato. (Picture from: MotorTrend)

By the late 1960s, that dream began to take shape. With years of experience in the luxury car scene and a strong presence in the American market, Chinetti saw a unique opportunity to step beyond Ferrari. In 1968, driven by this personal ambition, he began crafting a new car with the help of his own son, who designed the concept. It wasn’t just going to be another high-performance vehicle; it was going to be a bold statement.

To maintain a sports car’s performance despite its size, Zagato used extensive aluminum in the bodywork, achieving a sleek, futuristic design that kept the weight low and made it a true showstopper. (Picture from: MotorTrend)

To bring this dream to life, Chinetti turned to two powerhouse collaborators: General Motors (GM), a dominant force in American automotive manufacturing, and Zagato, a renowned Italian coachbuilder famous for sculpting some of Europe’s most beautiful and aerodynamic cars. The collaboration aimed to combine American muscle with Italian finesse—and the result was the one-off sports car known today as the Cadillac NART Zagato.

Inside the cabin of the 1970 NART Zagato, the dashboard and steering column, which features a classic three-spoke steering wheel, were sourced directly from Cadillac’s own lineup, blending familiar American luxury with the car’s unique design. (Picture from: Autoevolution)

This car wasn’t built from scratch in the traditional sense. Its core came from the Cadillac Eldorado, but everything from its drivetrain to its structure was reimagined. Most notably, the original front-wheel-drive V8 setup was relocated to the rear—an ambitious engineering feat in itself. The powerful 472 cubic-inch engine, which originally produced 375 horsepower, was upgraded to churn out an estimated 400 horsepower. This bold move showed just how serious Chinetti was about performance.

The 1970 NART Zagato's cabin boasts a luxurious four-seater layout, with each seat meticulously covered in genuine leather, accented by striking red stripes along the edges, enhancing both comfort and visual appeal. (Picture from: MotorTrend)

Design elements were a clever blend of various GM vehicles. The taillights, for instance, were taken from a Pontiac GTO, while the dashboard, steering column, and braking system came from Cadillac’s own lineup. To counterbalance the car’s size and ensure it performed like a proper sports car, Zagato used aluminum extensively in its bodywork, keeping the weight impressively low. The sleek, futuristic design made it a true showstopper.

The 1970 NART Zagato is essentially a heavily modified Cadillac built on a chassis that originally started as a Cadillac Eldorado, with the 472 cu-in V-8 and FWD transaxle repositioned to the rear. (Picture from: MotorTrend)

In 1971, the Cadillac NART Zagato made its official debut at the Turin Motor Show. Chinetti hoped it would be the beginning of a new chapter in his automotive journey. Orders were ready to be taken, and two additional designs were already in the pipeline. But then, unexpectedly, GM pulled out of the project. The economic downturn of the early ’70s, coupled with delays during development, led the American giant to withdraw its support—leaving the project hanging by a thread.

The Cadillac NART Zagato wasn’t built entirely from scratch, as it was based on a Cadillac Eldorado but extensively reengineered from its drivetrain to its overall structure. (Picture from: MotorTrend)

With GM gone, Chinetti’s ambitious plan fell apart. No further units were produced, and the only existing prototype remained within the Chinetti family for years. It wasn’t until 1987 that the car changed hands, sold to a collector in Illinois who gave it a complete restoration. After that, the car seemingly vanished—until it resurfaced on eBay in 2008, listed from Brussels, Belgium for just $25,000. How it got there remains a mystery.

The Cadillac NART Zagato might never have become the production icon Chinetti envisioned, but it stands today as a remarkable testament to a moment when creativity, passion, and collaboration tried to break the mold. It’s a story not just about a car, but about daring to dream beyond the limits—even when the odds say otherwise.*** [EKA [15072021] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MOTORTREND | AUTOEVOLUTION | CARROZZIERI-ITALIANI ]

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