Pegaso Z-103 (1955 – 1958) Review

Moving up a gear from the impressive Z-102, Pegaso’s new Z-103 was claimed by its maker to be one of the most advanced performance car ever made. However, the technology used in the car was a retrograde step compared from its predecessor. The Z-103 used the same steel bodywork construction methods as the Z-102, but was lighter through intelligent weight reduction – and that made it faster but scarier car to drive, with a very unstable back end and severely limited grip.

The V8 engine put masses of power (as much as 400bhp was rumoured in tuned cars) but it was simple overhead valve unit compared with the Z-102's complex but fascinating quad camshaft set-up. Despite the immense power output and Formula 1-style production technology, these Pegasos enjoyed successful competition – and by the late 1950s, Don Wilfredo Ricart began to concentrate on the firm's core output of trucks and buses. In eight years, Pegaso had built just over 100 sports cars and proved that he could build a suitable alternative to Ferrari – but at what cost?