Here’s video Inspiration: DB4 Zagato 2 VEV, Maxed Out at the Manx Classic
The Isle of Man, home of the world’s wildest motorcycle race, welcomed road racing cars to the Snaefell Mountain Course for the Merlin Manx Classic starting in 1989. This clip hails from the 1992 running, and highlights a DB4GT Zagato driven by the late gentleman racer Nick Cussons. This particular Zagato—famously known as 2 VEV—lived a short-yet-dramatic early racing career; initially raced by the legendary Jim Clark, it was also one of three cars rebuilt to lighter DP209 specification following the first of its three lifetime crashes. Fortunately, it was fixed up each time and continued to deliver the drama:
Cussons, shown above thrashing the Zagato to a first-place finish, had briefly owned 2 VEV during the early 1970s and later borrowed it for vintage racing events like the Manx Classic throughout the 1980s and 1990s. By this time, the value of a DB4 Zagato had exploded (which prompted Aston Martin to release a number of Sanction II and Sanction III continuation cars), so seeing this one booming around the Isle of Man con brio was a real treat.
The video is presented by the Duke Video YouTube Channel, which also features an overall 1992 highlight video of the race.
