Spyker's British Owner Poised To Buy Zagato

COVENTRY, England — CPP Global Holdings, the British-based company that acquired Spyker Cars earlier this year, is negotiating the purchase of Italian coachbuilder Zagato, according to U.K. media reports.

CPP — originally Coventry Prototype Panels — is controlled by Russian billionaire Vladimir Antonov, who is also about to acquire a minority interest in Saab.

The deal for Zagato, if it goes through, would reunite two specialty brands that previously worked together in 2007 on the Spyker C12 Zagato, a limited-edition $650,000 model based on the C12 Spyder.

The British Web site PistonHeads.com quoted CPP as saying it "is in advanced stages of completing the acquisition of the Zagato automotive design studios. The acquisition process is expected to be completed over the next 4-6 months, pending approval by all interested parties. Further details will follow only when the acquisition is complete."

Zagato most recently collaborated with Aston Martin on the sensational new V12 Zagato supercar, which is being put into limited production next year, priced from $525,000.

Inside Line says: Looks like another Italian design house will soon fall into foreign hands.