Germany is proving to be quite the land of opportunity for Zagato of late. After penning the Bovensiepen GT, the signature double-bubble roof has now been applied to its first hypercar design. Called the Capricorn 01 Zagato, the carbon-tubbed, rear-wheel drive machine is powered by a supercharged V8, and features a dogleg five-speed manual. Just 19 will be built, priced at €2.95 million before taxes.

Although you may not have heard of the name, Capricorn’s motorsports and consulting arms are far-reaching. A specialist in lightweight materials and powertrain components, the Düsseldorf-based company has fingerprints on numerous F1 teams since 1995, alongside Porsche’s 919 programme and Peugeot’s Le Mans entries. It’s also competed in the WRC with Volkswagen and the Paris-Dakar with Peugeot Sport.

Beyond motorsports, Capricorn components have also been used on the likes of the Bugatti Chiron, the Porsche 918, McLaren P1 and Audi R8. It's safe to say they have previous.

Power comes from a 5.2-litre supercharged V8, developed in-house by Capricorn from a Ford-sourced unit familiar to Mustang owners. The specification however, won’t be: the engine produces ‘more than’ 887bhp and 737lb-ft. of torque, and revs to 9,000rpm. Capricorn’s engineers have re-engineered almost every major component, including the supercharger system, installing custom forged internals, dry-sump lubrication, new cooling architecture, and developed a bespoke ECU and mapping software. If the oddity of only using five forward gears raises eyebrows, Capricorn claims the 1,000Nm of torque is more than sufficient in making use of the long gearing.

Carbon features heavily in the 01’s construction, which extends beyond the tub and body panels to the subframes and crash structures, all said to be inspired by an LMP1 design. The claimed dry weight is 1,200kg, meaning the Zagato is good for 0-62mph in 2.9 seconds and a top speed of 224mph.

Despite all this, Capricorn claims the 01 isn’t about the numbers. According to Robertino Wild, the CEO of Capricorn Group, the goal was to create a hypercar that’s both accessible to drive and timeless to look at. That means a (relatively) modest power output and no enormous wings generating an excessive amount of downforce. Wild claims “This is a car that can also be enjoyed by regular, skilled drivers, not just racing drivers.”

Capricorn’s engineers worked alongside Zagato from the outset, using computational fluid dynamics to ensure that aerodynamic function was embedded within the design. A subtle rear airfoil is blended into the tail, while airflow management around the nose and flanks helps maintain cooling and balance at high speeds.

Not every element of excess has been scrubbed however, with gullwing doors adding some time-honoured supercar theatre. Norihiko Harada, Zagato’s Chief Designer said: “The design of the Capricorn 01 Zagato had to stand the test of time – the test of decades, not years. It should still look as good in 40- or 50-years’ time.”

Inside, the Zagato adheres to what its makers call a “less is more, but everything is of the highest quality” philosophy. The cabin is built around exposed carbon fibre, with titanium and aluminum switchgear and trim in Connolly leather or Alcantara depending on customer preference. Capricorn has made a conscious decision to keep the instrumentation analogue, with a central rev counter flanked by a speedometer and auxiliary gauges, while the steering wheel carries only essential controls. 

Like the limited number of forward gears, the driving position is also a curiosity. The seats are fixed, forming part of the safety cell, with adjustable padding in place of electric adjustment alongside four-point harnesses. In contrast to the seats, the position of the gearlever can be adjusted fore and aft to suit different drivers. Despite such focus, the cabin includes modest concessions to usability such as a 110-litre frunk and a hidden reversing camera.

In contrast to Wild's earlier claim, the 01 Zagato will require respect from behind the wheel; the only driver aid is ABS, so it's a good job the anti-lock is attached to Brembo carbon-ceramic discs with six-piston callipers. In a similar fashion to Gordon Murray's T.50, the electric power steering system decouples once up to speed. The suspension meanwhile, comprises double wishbone all-round, with pushrod Bilstein dampers offering Comfort, Sport, and Track modes. A four-wheel lift system is included to help the long front overhang negotiate the speed bumps of Monaco. The eye-catching 21-inch alloy wheels are manufactured in-house, with steamroller-spec 9.5-inch tyres at the front, and 12.5-inch rears. Carbon fibre wheels will also be available.

Production will commence in the first half of 2026, with all 19 cars being sold exclusively through the Belgian-based Louyet Group. The limited production run is a deliberate reference to 1919, Zagato’s founding year. Each car will be built in Germany, with European homologation extending to the UK, Switzerland, Japan, Mexico, Canada and selected Middle Eastern markets. A two-year warranty and four-year servicing plan are included in the asking price.

Capricorn plans to expand its footprint in 2026 with a new 18,000-square-metre production site at the Nürburgring, intended to support future limited-series projects. While the 01 Zagato marks the company’s first car under its own name, it also signals broader ambitions: to move from being a behind-the-scenes engineering supplier to a visible manufacturer capable of producing complete, low-volume vehicles for both itself and other brands.

The decision to build a manual hypercar places the 01 Zagato alongside recent offerings from GMA, Pagani, Hennessey, Koenigsegg and Garagisti & Co. Yet unlike many hypercar upstarts, Capricorn's motorsport and OEM experience, Zagato's involvement, plus a trading legacy stretching back to 1933 stand it in good stead to go the distance.