Description
1955 Pegaso Z-102 Berlinetta - Touring Superleggera Series II
In the 1950s, Europe and the rest of the world were in a period of reconstruction. The difficult war years were quietly behind us and industry was reviving. This also happened in Spain at Pegaso. Pegaso's parent company ENASA bought in 1946 the factories where Hispano Suiza had based its production until 1938 and started production of their first vehicles there.
In the early years, Pegaso specialised mainly in the production of trucks and buses. Business was good and Pegaso established itself as the leader of the truck market in Spain. But 'the sky was the limit' so it was decided to build a truly world-class sports car with the support of Francisco Franco's regime (then head of state of Spain). As a kind of prestige project that would benefit both Pegaso and the Spanish state. Nothing could be further from the truth, Pegaso came to market with the most exceptional sports car in years; the Z-102.
Under the direction of the extremely talented engineer Wilfredo Ricart, an ex-Alfa Romeo chief engineer and former colleague of Enzo Ferrari, who had returned to his homeland, Pegaso built a true technological masterpiece. The Z-102 was equipped with a V8 engine of a calibre that was almost unseen in production cars. Dual camshafts per cylinder bank (32 valves), desmodromic valve system, gear distribution, dry-sump lubrication... all designed and built in their own factory. Only the Weber carburettors and Bosch flow distributor system were not of their own manufacture. The use of a transaxle gearbox and the central placement of the engine block allowed the Z-102 to maintain a perfect 50/ 50 weight distribution.
Collaborations with various coachbuilders ensured diversity in Pegaso's supercar offerings. ENASA had its own workshop where they built coachbuilds but work was also done with Spain's Serra, France's Saoutchik and famed Italian Touring. The model we present to you is one of only 10 Series 2 Touring Superleggera models.
The Pegaso Z-102 was a car of superlatives. The formidable Spanish competitor to Ferrari. Especially due to the brand's rock-solid build quality and solidity. Its finish and exclusivity naturally also translated into selling price. Let it be clear that the Z-102 was a car reserved for the happy few; heads of state, royals, wealthy industrialists,... Due to the limited clientele, sales in the mid-1950s were somewhat sluggish; only 84 cars were built. In 1959, after Ricart's retirement, Pegaso took the decision to cease passenger car production because the 'publicity stunt' had cost more than enough money. It turned out that ex-CEO Ricart was more concerned with technical innovation than economic realities. The investments made amounted to multiples higher than the profits Pegaso once made from their sports cars.
This rare Touring Superleggera version was originally fitted with the largest 3. 2L variant of the V8 engine. To this day, the car still carries its original bodywork, chassis, engine and powertrain. The first owner was a personal acquaintance of General Franco and was delivered by Spanish dealer Urra SAE of Pamplona. In 1960, he sold the car to Alejandro Espino of Palencia. He participated in the 1961 RACE Rally (Spanish equivalent of the Mille Miglia). In 1962, the car also appeared at the start of the San Antolin Rally and the Rally de la Toja.
After disappearing from the radar for several years, the car appeared at the Auto Retro fair in Barcelona in 1993. The then owner Aguilera Novo from Pamplona made his car available there. He himself did not drive his Z-102 much. In 2007, he sold the car to Mr Douglas Blain. Mr Blain is better known as the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Car Magazine, and the publisher of The Automobile magazine from the UK. He bought the car in a sort of sorry-state. The car had been somewhat irreverently painted a bright red colour in previous years. The rest was the car was still in complete original condition. So Mr Blain quickly decided to have the paintwork painted back to the original 'Petrol Blue' still found on the dashboard.
Shortly after taking the paintwork in hand, he also decided to refresh the car on a technical level. The engine and driveline were completely overhauled with exceptional attention paid to the complex suspension and steering. Thereafter, Mr Blain enjoyed his Z-102 for several more years and took occasional drives in both 'The English countryside' and continental Europe.
In 2019, Mr Blain sold The Z-102 to a Belgian collector.
This stunning work of art is a perfect addition to any collection and gives access to the world's most prestigious events. For example, this car has been exhibited at Goodwood Cartier Style & Luxe, Heveningham Concours, Rétromobile Paris, Autoworld Brussels, Zoute Grand Prix,...
More information and +50 pictures on our website
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