The latest model to emerge fully into daylight from the collaborative efforts of automaker Aston Martin and coachbuilder and designer Zagato is the 2018 Vanquish Shooting Brake. The model variation was teasingly revealed this past August at Pebble Beach, the last sibling to appear in the Zagato Vanquish line that began to trickle into the car-enthusiast collective consciousness back in 2016. And this week Aston allowed the world a somewhat closer look at this particularly marvelous design.

The Vanquish Shooting Brake is in fact the second shooting brake to result from the longstanding collaboration between Aston and Zagato. The first was a shooting brake version of Aston’s Virage, a one-off that appeared in 2014; it was a revival of sorts of Aston’s own take on the design that saw production in the 1990’s, but somewhat less extravagant of line. That car’s design language was absolutely striking, however, with Zagato’s history of design embodied in the fleet lines and 1930’s aero-evocative fascia.

This time around the result is as arresting, but this is certainly the most blazingly beautiful Vanquish variation to arise from the Aston/Zagato meeting of minds. The lines are long indeed—shooting-brake long—but the graceful design concludes its statement at just the right moment, trailing away into regrettable absence. A shooting brake, executed well, is an incredibly romantic design.

The car receives the same naturally aspirated V12 as its brethren. And it takes advantage of that splendid roofline with panoramic glass, promising the most appealing of starlit rides for passengers. A romantic car if ever there was one.

Unsurprisingly, less than 100 will be built. Unsurprisingly, all have been pre-sold.

Authentic romance is mercurial.