If you mention a “double bubble” in casual conversation, most people think of chewing gum or bathtubs – but car enthusiasts will instantly picture two curious bulges atop a sleek roofline. And not just any roof: the double-bubble roof is synonymous with Zagato, the legendary Italian coachbuilder. It’s one of the most striking and enduring design cues to emerge from post-WWII automotive design. In this in-depth feature, we’ll explore how this quirky-yet-genius roof was born, why it exists (hint: it’s not just for looks), how it became Zagato’s signature, and the iconic cars (old and new) that proudly wear these twin domes. Along the way, we’ll dive into Zagato’s design philosophy and see why the “double bubble” holds a special place in car culture. Buckle up – mind your head – and let’s pop the hood on this story.
Bubble Birth: Origins of the Twin-Dome Roof
In the late 1940s, Italy’s Ugo Zagato was already famous for crafting lightweight, aerodynamic car bodies – a skill honed from his earlier work in aviation. After World War II, Zagato experimented with a concept called the “Panoramica”: a domed roof with large curved windows that extended into the roofline. Patented in 1948, the Panoramica design did improve aerodynamics and visibility, but it also raised the roof height significantly. In racing and high-speed design, a taller roof means a bigger frontal area pushing against the wind, which was not ideal. Ugo Zagato needed a solution that would let him lower the roofline for better aerodynamics without decapitating the occupants – especially if those occupants wore helmets during races.
His ingenious answer was to indent the roof over each seat, creating two parallel bulges – hence the nickname “double bubble.” By the early 1950s, this design was ready to roll. The lowered roofline reduced drag, while the twin humps preserved headroom where it was needed most (above the driver’s and passenger’s heads). As a bonus, the twin curvature of the roof added extra rigidity to the lightweight aluminum panels Zagato favored. In other words, the “bubbles” weren’t just stylish – they made the roof stronger, allowing use of thinner metal and saving weight, a critical advantage for competitive sports cars.
The first applications of Zagato’s double-bubble roof came in the mid-1950s on competition-oriented models. Notably, a few of the Fiat 8V (Otto Vu) sports cars built from 1952–1954 received this treatment, instantly setting them apart. By 1956, Zagato had fully embraced the concept on a new wave of GT cars and racers. The design that would define Zagato for decades had officially taken shape. Little did Ugo Zagato know that his “roof with two bumps” would become as much a trademark of his brand as the lightning-bolt “Z” emblem itself.
Form and Function: Why Two Bubbles Are Better Than One
At first glance, the double-bubble roof can look like a stylist’s whimsy – a couple of camel humps on an otherwise sleek coupe. In truth, it’s a brilliant case of form following function. The primary goal was aerodynamic efficiency: a lower roofline means a smaller frontal area, which means less air resistance at speed. But a low roof traditionally came at the expense of interior headroom. Zagato’s trick was to lower the roof everywhere except where a person’s head would be. Those localized bulges over the seats gave occupants just enough clearance (even for a driver wearing a helmet on track day). It was a clever compromise that balanced speed with comfort – or at least tolerable discomfort – for the sake of winning races.
The advantages didn’t stop at aerodynamics and head clearance. Because the roof now had two stiff creases (the bubbles) instead of one broad flat expanse, the structure was more rigid. Think of an eggshell or a corrugated sheet – adding curvature increases strength. Zagato’s bubbles added torsional rigidity to the roof, which was especially important since Zagato used very thin aluminum to save weight. A stiffer, lighter roof was a win-win: it improved handling (by aiding chassis rigidity) and lowered the center of gravity, all while trimming precious kilograms off the car’s weight.
Even the aerodynamics benefited in subtle ways beyond just frontal area. Andrea Zagato (Ugo’s grandson and current CEO) notes that the double-bubble shape itself can help smooth the airflow over the roof and reduce drag coefficient. In an interview, Andrea explained that the bubbles “improve the CX and reduce the front impact of the car. Plus, you have an increase of the center section of the roof and an improvement of the inside room”. In plain English: the car slips through the air more easily, and you don’t bang your head inside. Practical, meet stylish.
Of course, not every benefit is purely utilitarian – there’s an aesthetic and psychological bonus too. Those twin domes give the car an instantly racy, purpose-built appearance. They telegraph to onlookers that “this is no ordinary coupe – it’s likely a lightweight special by Zagato.” Over time, that connotation itself became part of the appeal (more on that soon). But originally, the double bubble wasn’t added to look cool; it looked cool because it was added for a good reason. As Andrea Zagato put it, “All these features have a purpose, and this comes back to the original approach that design should have a reason to exist… the achievement of the purpose is Good Design.” The double-bubble roof lives up to that credo, being a shining (or rather, gently curved) example of engineering-driven design that ended up iconic.
Zagato’s Signature Design Cue Takes Off
Once Zagato had proven the concept, the double-bubble roof quickly became inseparable from the company’s identity. In the golden era of 1950s Italian coachbuilding, each carrozzeria sought a distinctive touch: Touring had its Superleggera construction, Pininfarina had its graceful fins, and Zagato had the double bubble and chopped “Kamm” tails. Enthusiasts and rivals alike began to recognize that if a car had a bubbly roof, it was almost certainly a Zagato creation. In fact, the feature became so linked to the Milan-based firm that even Zagato’s modern marketing refers to it as “the most typical design cue of the Zagato stylistic language”.
By lowering a car’s roofline without cramping its occupants, Zagato gained an edge in crafting low-slung GTs and racers, and clients took notice. Through the late 1950s and 1960s, many of Zagato’s projects – especially the high-performance variants for Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Fiat, and even Aston Martin – sported the trademark roof bubbles. The term “double bubble” itself entered car enthusiast vocabulary, a catchy nickname that stuck over the decades. (Zagato cheekily once clarified, “The term ‘double bubble’ is not describing an extra large bubble gum…” – a humorous nod to how non-car folks might misunderstand it!)
How committed was Zagato to this signature roof? Consider that almost every Zagato coupé design since the mid-1950s has incorporated some form of the double bubble. The company even resisted trends that didn’t suit its functional design ethos. “Zagato is true to the rationalist credo, whereby volumes are privileged with respect to details, and surfaces tend to have no interruptions. Less is more and bellezza necessaria, or ‘essential beauty’, must be achieved,” Andrea Zagato told one interviewer. The double bubble fits that philosophy perfectly – it’s an essential shape, not a frivolous ornament. It’s there because it improves the car. Over time it also became a brand hallmark, the kind of thing collectors explicitly look for. To this day, if you see a sleek GT car with twin roof bulges at a car show, you can bet a crowd of Zagato fans will be swarming around it, grinning knowingly.
Legends of the Double Bubble: Notable Zagato Cars Through the Years
Zagato’s portfolio reads like a greatest-hits album for the double-bubble roof. Let’s tour some of the most famous (and sometimes quirky) cars that proudly feature this design. Each of these models not only exemplifies Zagato’s craftsmanship but also has a story or achievement tied to those two bumps on top:
Fiat 8V Zagato (1952–1955)
The Fiat Otto Vu was a limited-production sports car, and Zagato-bodied competition versions were among the first to wear the double bubble. By blistering the roof over each seat, Zagato made the already petite 8V even sleeker for racing. This gave the car a tiny frontal area – and a very peculiar look for its time. The later Zagato 8Vs from 1954–55 introduced the world to the phrase “double bubble” and proved its worth on the track.
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Maserati A6G/54 Zagato (1956)
A gorgeous Italian GT that received Zagato’s lightweight touch, the A6G/54 coupe is often cited as one of the most beautiful applications of the double-bubble roof. Only a handful were built by Zagato. Beneath the sensual curves, the twin domes on the roof signaled that this Maserati was not just about luxury – it had racing DNA. Indeed, the bulges were there to accommodate helmets, as some of these cars were entered in endurance races. Chassis #2155 is a one-off.
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Ferrari 250 GT Zagato (1956)
Even Ferrari couldn’t resist Zagato’s magic. In the mid-1950s, a few special Ferrari 250 GTs were sent to Zagato, resulting in at least three coupes with the signature roof treatment. One famous 250 GT Zagato (chassis 0515GT) was built for racing driver Claudio Zampolli. With its double-bubble roof and pared-down aluminum body, it was lighter and more aerodynamic than the standard 250 GT – a true gentleman’s racer. These cars are exceedingly rare; seeing the Cavallino Rampante (prancing horse) badge under bubble humps is a thrill that sends Ferrari and Zagato aficionados into a frenzy.
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Fiat-Abarth 750 GT (1956–1959)
Perhaps the car most associated with the nickname is this tiny giant-killer. Based on a humble Fiat 600, Zagato created a lightweight 750 cc GT car for Carlo Abarth that featured an extreme double-bubble roof and even bubbly humps over the engine decklid in back! The roof was so low and dramatically curved that the car itself earned the nickname “Double Bubble.” Despite its pint-size engine, it dominated its class in racing. Zagato built over 150 of these 750 GTs, proving that the design wasn’t just for exotic V12 cars – it worked for small production sports cars too. Today, the Abarth 750 GT “Double Bubble” is a highly collectible microcar, beloved for its cheeky looks and race pedigree.
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Alfa Romeo 1900C SS Zagato (1954–1957)
Alfa’s elegant 1900 Coupe got the Zagato treatment aimed at gentlemen racers. Out of a few dozen built, only six had the authentic double-bubble roof (the rest had a slightly more rounded roof). Those six are extra special today. Andrea Zagato himself has piloted a ’57 Alfa 1900C SS with the double bubbles in the Mille Miglia retrospective – a fitting choice, as this design cue is “the most typical” Zagato hallmark. With its lightweight body and twin roof domes, the 1900 Zagato was successful in competition and is a prize in any Alfa enthusiast’s collection.
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Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ (Sprint Zagato, 1960)
The Giulietta SZ was a small coupe that packed big innovation. While known primarily for introducing the chopped-off Kamm tail to Alfa’s lineup, it also featured a low roof with twin domes. The combination of the double-bubble roof and the abrupt Kamm tail gave the little Giulietta an almost spaceship-like profile – and very effective aerodynamics for racing. It was a championship winner in its class. The Giulietta SZ cemented the one-two punch of Zagato design cues (bubbles up top, spoilerless cut-off tail in back) that would heavily influence Zagato’s designs through the 1960s.
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Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato (1961)
No list of Zagato greats is complete without the Aston that started the enduring Anglo-Italian romance. Only 19 DB4 GT Zagatos were built, each with voluptuous bodywork by Zagato. Notably, the DB4 GT Zagato’s roof carried subtle double bumps – a nod to Zagato’s principles – though integrated so smoothly you might miss them at first glance. The car was lighter and faster than the standard Aston Martin, and it took on Ferrari’s best in GT racing. With its rarity, beauty, and performance, the DB4 GT Zagato is now a multimillion-dollar crown jewel. And yes, those who know where to look can spot the gentle double bubble on its roof, a feature carried through to later Aston-Zagato collaborations.
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Lancia Flaminia Sport Zagato (1961–1967)
Zagato reworked Lancia’s grand tourer with stunning results. The later Super Sport variant (1964–67) in particular featured a prominent double-bubble roof that flowed into a fastback rear. Only about 150 were made, making them highly sought-after. The twin roof bumps on the sleek Flaminia weren’t just for show – they emphasized the car’s low-slung stance and racing intentions (even if many Flaminia Sports were used more for stylish touring). Today, the Flaminia Super Sport Zagato is often exhibited to demonstrate the pinnacle of 1960s Italian design – with that rooftop profile drawing as much admiration as the car’s “innards.”
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Aston Martin V8 Vantage Zagato (1985)
After a lull in collaboration, Zagato and Aston Martin reunited in the 1980s to create a limited-series V8 Vantage Zagato. This wedge-shaped 1980s exotic might have been controversial for its styling, but it proudly featured Zagato’s trademark double-bubble roof to make the connection to its 1960s forebear unmistakable. Underneath, the Zagato-bodied car was lighter and more aerodynamic than the stock V8 Vantage – proving Zagato still prioritized function. Only 51 coupes were built, making them rare beasts. Initially polarizing in looks, the V8 Zagato has aged into a cult classic – and enthusiasts now appreciate touches like the bubbles on its roof that hearken back to the DB4 GT Zagato. As one reviewer quipped, the roof bumps on the V8 were “so small that you hardly notice it” – but for Zagato fans, that subtlety is part of the appeal.
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Aston Martin DB7 Zagato (2003)
Fast forward to the 2000s, and the partnership with Aston was rekindled again. The DB7 Zagato coupe was introduced as a limited edition in 2003, and it brought back the double-bubble roof in a big way for modern times. The unique steel body of the DB7 Zagato had the signature twin-roof contour clearly sculpted, accentuated by a dramatic rear window between the bubbles. Only 99 were made, and all the key Zagato cues were present – especially that roofline. This car demonstrated that even in the 21st century, when computer-aided design ruled, Zagato stuck to its traditional styling language. The double bubbles were not only aesthetic callbacks but continued to provide a slight aerodynamic benefit. On the DB7’s sister car – the open-top DB AR1 – twin headrest fairings behind the seats echoed the look, “echoing the design cues of the ‘double bubble’ roof design from the coupe”. Clearly, Zagato wasn’t about to abandon its trademark.
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Aston Martin V12 Zagato (2011)
Unveiled at the Villa d’Este Concours in 2011, the V12 Zagato was a modern homage to the DB4 GT Zagato’s 50th anniversary. It combined Aston’s V12 Vantage underpinnings with a bespoke Zagato body – complete with an unabashed double-bubble roof that dominates the car’s silhouette. This car’s roof bubbles were not subtle; they were intentionally prominent, almost celebratory in their display. The V12 Zagato went on to win the Design Award for Concepts and Prototypes at Villa d’Este that year, and later, a limited production run hit the streets. Each one was hand-crafted with aluminum and carbon fiber, and the roof’s twin domes were actually formed from five separate pieces of metal joined seamlessly. In the V12 Zagato, the double bubble wasn’t just an aerodynamic aid – it was a badge of honor, connecting a 21st-century supercar to Zagato’s post-war legacy.
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Aston Martin DBS GT Zagato (2019)
Zagato’s recent collaborations have kept the tradition alive. The 2019 DBS GT Zagato – built to commemorate Zagato’s 100th anniversary – naturally came with a modern interpretation of the double bubble. In these cars, the bubbles are sleek, elongated, and smoothly integrated, showing how the design has evolved with contemporary aesthetics. Yet, any enthusiast can instantly spot them and say, “Ah, a Zagato!” Modern CAD and manufacturing techniques allow complex shapes, but Zagato chooses to include these classic curves, proving some design elements are truly timeless.
___explore moreThose are just a few highlights. From tiny Fiats to V12 Astons, the double bubble has graced cars of all sizes and purposes – as long as they were touched by Zagato. What they all share is a blending of form and function that the twin-roof bumps symbolize. And while we’ve focused on coupes (since, naturally, roadsters have no roof to bubble), Zagato has found clever ways to reference the concept even on convertibles – via dual humps on tonneau covers or headrest fairings. The company simply can’t resist its own hallmark, and neither can we
Beauty with Purpose: Zagato’s Design Philosophy in the Bubble
It’s clear that the double bubble is more than just an isolated design quirk – it’s a window into Zagato’s whole design philosophy. Since its founding in 1919, Zagato has preached functionalism in car design. Ugo Zagato’s pioneering use of aircraft-style construction and aerodynamic focus in the 1920s and ’30s brought a new mindset to coachbuilding. Post-war, that ethos continued: every curve should earn its keep by serving a purpose. The double-bubble roof exemplifies this ideal. It looks the way it does because it works.
Andrea Zagato has often emphasized consistency and purpose in the company’s design language. Key Zagato elements – be it the double bubble roof, the rounded Kamm tail, or panoramic wraparound glass – all have roots in functionality. “It’s easy to say the ‘double-bubble’ roof, it’s easy to say the Kamm tail… All these features have a purpose,” Andrea explains, reiterating that they follow the original approach that design should have a reason to exist. In Zagato’s world, ornamentation for ornament’s sake is avoided; instead, they find beauty in necessità – necessity. The term “bellezza necessaria” (essential beauty) is often invoked by the firm, meaning a design is beautiful because it is inherently functional and devoid of excess.
The double bubble’s beauty is indeed necessaria. It wasn’t strictly needed in a utilitarian sense (one could always make a boxy car tall enough for a helmet), but it was necessary for Zagato to achieve their goals of lightness, speed, and style. Over time, as regulations and technologies changed, one could argue the double bubble became more stylistic – modern cars are spacious enough and strong enough that you could omit the bubbles and still be fine. Yet, Zagato continues to incorporate them, which raises an interesting point about tradition versus function. Is it still “functional” if it’s partly done for brand heritage? Arguably yes: the function now is as much about branding and consistency as it is about aerodynamics. Zagato designs a double bubble today because a Zagato wouldn’t feel complete without it. The consistency is the function – it ties a new creation to a century of history, pleasing collectors and maintaining the house style.
Humorously, one might say Zagato is stubborn about their bubbles. They’ll add those gentle bumps even if no one’s wearing a helmet and there’s plenty of headroom to spare in a modern GT. But that stubbornness is cherished in the car world. It’s the same reason Porsche keeps round headlights or why Jeep insists a grille must have seven slots – it’s identity. And unlike some purely cosmetic brand identifiers, the double bubble started with a practical bang. It’s the ultimate Easter egg for engineers: every time a designer sketches those twin domes, they know they’re echoing an old solution to a real problem. It’s a salute to Ugo Zagato’s mantra that goals define the form. As long as Zagato exists, you can bet their roofs will not be flat!
Cultural Impact: An Icon among Enthusiasts and Collectors
Beyond the drawing boards and wind tunnels, the double bubble roof has had a lasting cultural impact in automotive circles. Among enthusiasts, spotting a double-bubble roof at a car event is like finding a hidden gem. It immediately signals, “Come look closer, this car has a story.” The design is so distinctive that even casual observers sense there’s something different about the car – “Does that roof have…bumps?” – which opens the door for the enlightened car geek to excitedly explain, “Yes! Let me tell you about Zagato…”
Over the years, cars with double-bubble roofs have become coveted collectibles. The exclusivity of Zagato-bodied models (often limited production or one-offs) combined with their motorsport pedigree makes them hot tickets at auctions. Many of the examples we listed – the Alfa SZ, the DB4 GT Zagato, the Lancia Flaminia Zagato – routinely fetch top dollar. Collectors prize them not just for rarity, but for the design itself. Owning a Zagato with a double bubble roof is like owning a piece of automotive art that also has a great backstory. It’s a conversation piece, a centerpiece, and a crown jewel all in one. When Zagato turned 100 in 2019, celebrations around the world highlighted these design icons – from a gathering of 33 Zagato-bodied cars in Japan to special centenary models. The consistent theme: those twin roof humps tying the decades together, instantly recognizable.
Enthusiast clubs and concours judges certainly recognize the double bubble as well. If you roll onto the lawn at Pebble Beach or Villa d’Este in a car flaunting the Zagato bubbles, you’ll likely get a nod of respect (and maybe an extra point for originality!). It’s a bit like a secret handshake across generations of car design. The fact that Zagato has kept using the double bubble on modern creations means the feature spans from 1950s classics right up to brand-new supercars. This continuity strengthens its cultural weight – it’s not a forgotten relic; it’s a living tradition.
Interestingly, the term “double bubble” itself has become so iconic that even outside of Zagato, people use it to describe any two-bump roof. (We won’t detail imitators here – Zagato would prefer we didn’t – but suffice to say the influence has seeped beyond the house of Z.) Within the company, they guard the pedigree; outside, it’s inspired others. However, true connoisseurs know that an authentic double bubble must come from Zagato’s lineage. It’s a badge of honor for any car wearing it.
Finally, there’s the fun factor. Let’s face it: part of the double bubble’s charm is that it has a fun, almost whimsical side. Cars are often described as having “personality,” and those Zagato domes give a car a certain cheeky character – as if it’s wearing a bespoke hat. That blend of serious purpose (racing, aero, etc.) with a dash of Italian flair (because it looks cool too) makes the double bubble roof a beloved feature. It’s technical enough to impress the nerds, but funky enough to make anyone smile. In an automotive world where many designs converge toward the same wind-tunnel shape, seeing a double-bubble roof is refreshing and memorable.
The Double Bubble Today: Evolution and Legacy
From its inception as a clever post-war hack to its modern status as an automotive art form, the double-bubble roof has certainly stood the test of time. What started as an innovation in the 1950s is now a celebrated Zagato signature in the 2020s. Over the years the execution has evolved – early bubbles were often very pronounced due to the tiny coupes they sat on, while newer ones are sometimes longer and shallower to suit contemporary proportions – but the concept remains intact. Zagato’s designers have shown great skill in adapting the motif to different eras and marques. Whether it’s adorning the flowing lines of a classic Alfa or the angular carbon-fiber flanks of a modern hypercar, the double bubble somehow always looks right. It’s a testament to the purity of the idea.
Today, Andrea Zagato and the team use the double bubble as a bridge between the past and future. When a new project is undertaken – say, a one-off anniversary model or a collaboration with a luxury brand – including that roofline is a way to instantly infuse “Zagato-ness” into the car. It’s like a chef adding a secret family spice to a new recipe. The result is a consistency of character: you could line up a 1957 Zagato Alfa and a 2025 Zagato special, and despite the decades between them, you’d recognize common DNA in their roof contours. It’s a rolling legacy.
What is the future of the double bubble? If history is any guide, Zagato will carry it forward proudly. As car design moves into electric platforms and perhaps even autonomous pods, one could imagine Zagato still finding a way to incorporate two bubbles for style and strength (maybe housing sensors or glass panels in tomorrow’s context!). The cultural cachet is strong enough that it’s hard to envision Zagato ever abandoning it. In a way, the double bubble has transcended its original purpose; it’s now a symbol – of ingenuity, of continuity, and of that uniquely Italian blend of art and engineering.
The Zagato double-bubble roof is a shining example of how a simple idea – put a bump where a head needs space – can ripple out to influence an entire design philosophy and captivate car lovers for generations. It originated to solve a practical problem, grew into a stylistic fingerprint, and today stands as an automotive icon. Friendly, funny, and professional in equal measure, those two bubbles have winked at us from countless classic photographs and modern showroom floors, reminding us that sometimes the oddest ideas yield the most brilliant results. So next time you see a car with what looks like two little hills on its roof, you’ll know you’re in the presence of Zagato’s legacy. And you might just tip your hat (or helmet) to Ugo Zagato, the man who dared to double up on a good idea and, in doing so, gave the automotive world something truly special.
Sources:
- Hemmings – Mark J. McCourt, “Speed Bumps: Zagato’s Double Bubble Roof”
- Zagato Cars (koopmann) – “Double bubble, not invented by Wrigleys…”
- Petrolicious – Alex Sobran, “Celebrate 100 Years of Zagato”
- Classic Driver – J. Boardman, “Andrea Zagato reflects on 100 years of design”
- GTspirit – “Zagato and Scuderia Sports at Mille Miglia 2012”
- Interview, Andrea Zagato – Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car (2012)
- Aston Martin – DB7 Zagato Press Release
- Classic Trader – Aston Martin V8 Zagato review
- Sports Car Digest – “A Visual History of the Double Bubble Roof”
