2004 Aston Martin DB7 Vantage Volante ‘Anniversary’ Edition

With just 55 Anniversary cars ever built, of which just 25 were Volantes like the one you see here, ‘GM53 AFU’ is a very rare car indeed, especially when you factor in that those numbers were also split between left-hand and right-hand drive models.

Built by the factory to celebrate ten years of the DB7, all were finished in Slate Blue Metallic with a two-tone interior that showcased the then-new colours of Caspian Blue and Arctic Blue as well as fluting to the seats that was unique to the model.

Other Anniversary-spec features include Touchtronic transmission, Graphite Grey brake callipers, a premium Becker audio system with satellite navigation, a colour-coded and matching steering wheel, and Parchment instrument dials, and the Volante cars also supplied with a leather hood cover and wind deflector.

Each car was also fitted with numbered sill plaques and the owners were given an individually numbered owner’s handbook in Arctic Blue as well as a specially produced quick reference user guide.

In fact, so great was the excitement around them that they even had their own full colour sales brochure.

Supplied by Lancaster Aston Martin of Sevenoaks, number 47 in the run was registered on a ‘53’ plate at the end of January 2004, making it one of the last to be recorded.

And while the V5 shows two former owners, they are actually one and the same; bought as a company car, the first owner loved it so much he bought it from his employer when the time came for them to let it go.

As for our seller, he’d previously owned an Aston Martin V8 Vantage, and he decided to stay with the brand when the time came to change. He fell in love with wonderful Anniversary Edition, and it’s been in his care since 2022.

Benefiting from having a recently replaced hood, no fewer than 25 stamps in its two service history booklets, and just 36,600 miles on the odometer, even our hard-to-please assessor is impressed, saying of it: “overall, it’s a very attractive car and definitely one of the better DB7s we’ve seen.”

The Slate Blue coachwork is in such good shape it’s hard to believe it’ll never see 21 again. With factory-tight shutlines, it’s clear its two owners have taken great care where they park it as the flanks are free of ripples and there’s not a dink or carpark scrape in sight.

The overall impression is of a meticulously maintained and much-loved car, an impression the nine-spoke alloy wheels reinforce. Largely free of scrapes, scuffs and other signs of careless parking, their design also allows you to appreciate the newly refurbished brake calipers that lurk behind.

And, if that weren’t enough, the tyres are matching Bridgestone Potenza. Date-stamped 2017 on the rear axle and 2015 on the front, while they do have decent tread on them the last MoT identified all four as being “damaged/cracking or perishing”, so you should budget to have them replaced.

The outer roof fabric is new, so there’s nothing there to worry about there, either. Of course, it rises and falls as it should too, and it is so well designed and seals so tightly that you could be in a coupé when it’s raised.

The Anniversary Edition leather hood cover is present too, and it gives the DB7 a wonderfully sleek profile when it is fitted.

The Volante really does offer the very best of all worlds, not least because there’s a proper glass rear screen with a heating element in it; this is a genuine all-season grand touring car.

As you’d expect, the light lenses, badges, and window glass are all good.

All of which means that exterior problems are few and minor: the nearside rear wheel has a few kerbing marks and there are a few light scratches to both sills.

The two-tone Caspian Blue and Arctic Blue leather interior is supported by some very nice walnut burr veneer; eschewing chrome in favour of black trim, the result is elegant and understated, like the car itself.

The high-backed leather seats are as supportive as they are comfortable, which is important given the DB7’s role as a grand routing car that’ll run with the best of ‘em on a mountain pass.

Heated and electrically adjustable, they’re also embossed with the Aston Martin logo and the word ‘Anniversary’, just in case you’d forgotten you were in the presence of greatness.

As for their condition, the front seats are only very gently creased. The rear seats are snug and given their limited legroom, their almost-untouched condition isn’t a surprise.

The door cards and dashboard are trimmed in leather, and these, like the hide of the seats, is still smooth and soft and free of damage.

The Parchment instruments, with their black lettering, are elegant and legible, which is important as the speedometer reads all the way up to 190mph…

The individually numbered sill plates also mark the car’s status, and the analogue clock brings a touch of Old World charm to an already very inviting cabin.

The fat-rimmed, leather-covered steering wheel is a joy to hold and contains the buttons to move the automatic gearbox up or down. Twin horn buttons too; if you can’t pass ‘em, blast ‘em, eh?

On a more mature note, the boot is a good size and plays host to the huge Aston Martin amplifier and Becker Silverstone CD-multichanger that link up to the Becker/Aston Martin headunit. A nifty and unobtrusive device, it also contains a rudimentary sat-nav system.

The boot also plays host to the hazard warning triangle and an umbrella, further proof of the care with which it, and its accoutrements, have been looked after.

As for flaws, we’ve picked up two very small tears on the headlining on either side of the rear window, a couple of marks on both door cards, a sticky button on the Becker headunit, and some light wear to the carpet in the driver’s footwell.

The DB7 has an incredible service history with no fewer than 25 stamps spread across its two booklets:

• 23.01.2004 and 90 miles – pre-delivery inspection by Lancaster Sevenoaks
• 04.05.2004 and 1,081 miles – service by Lancaster Sevenoaks
• 29.07.2004 and 1,569 miles – service by Lancaster Sevenoaks
• 04.04.2005 and 3,848 miles – service by Lancaster Sevenoaks
• 20.10.2005 and 5,634 miles – service by Lancaster Sevenoaks
• 26.04.2006 and 7,293 miles – service by Lancaster Sevenoaks
• 23.10.2007 and 11,204 miles – service by Lancaster Sevenoaks
• 15.05.2008 and 12,401 miles – service by Lancaster Sevenoaks
• 22.10.2008 and 13,572 miles – service by Lancaster Sevenoaks including new rear trailing arms
• 07.04.2009 and 14,687 miles – service by Lancaster Sevenoaks
• 28.09.2009 and 15,739 miles – service by Lancaster Sevenoaks
• 15.03.2010 and 16,544 miles – service by Lancaster Sevenoaks
• 13.09.2010 and 17,932 miles – service by Lancaster Sevenoaks including new brake pads and discs
• 05.08.2011 and 19,940 miles – service by Lancaster Sevenoaks
• 08.11.2012 and 23,950 miles – service by Lancaster Sevenoaks
• 06.01.2014 and 26,530 miles – service by Lancaster Sevenoaks including new radius arm bushes and front springs
• 12.01.2015 and 29,046 miles – service by Lancaster Sevenoaks
• 12.01.2016 and 31,163 miles – service by Lancaster Sevenoaks
• 09.11.2016 and 31,958 miles – service by Pugsley & Lewis including new rear brake discs and pads
• 19.10.2017 and 33,274 miles – service by Lancaster Sevenoaks
• 23.10.2018 and 34,192 miles – service by Lancaster Sevenoaks
• 28.10.2021 and 34,364 miles – service by Chiltern Aston Centre
• 01.12.2022 and 34,461 miles – service by Chiltern Aston Centre
• 16.11.2023 and 35,547 miles – service by Hofmann’s of Henley
• 24.01.2025 and 36,589 miles – service by Hofmann’s of Henley

This last service also included fresh brake fluid, having the parking brakes rebuilt, all brake calipers refurbished and refitted with new brake hoses, and new locking wheelnuts fitted

In addition, the following additional work has been carried out since the seller bought the car:

• 25.07.2023 – both front springs replaced by Hofmann’s of Henley
• 12.10.2023 – driver's door handle replaced by Hofmann’s of Henley
• 23.11.2023 – new front brake discs and pads by Hofmann’s of Henley
• 05.06.2024 – new outer roof fabric and roof seal plus the window seals adjusted
• 26.07.2024 – air-conditioning condenser replaced, and the system recharged by Hofmann’s of Henley
• 01.09.2024 – new battery fitted by the AA

Pugsley & Lewis also carried out some rust repairs in 2016. Please see the photos on file for details.

As you can see, all that hard work has paid off because the V12 engine fires into life with a distinctly sporty note. It then settles into an immediate idle with good oil pressure and a healthy charge to the battery.

Of course, it revs beautifully – the red-line starts at a smidgeon under 6,500rpm – and both the engine and exhaust notes are perfectly judged.

The engine bay is in a good condition, and we can’t see many owners feeling the need to prettify it further if they can live with the cracked plastic trim near the cap for the coolant.

As for the underside, it looks to have been neatly undersealed following the repairs in 2016, and no MoT tester has ever mentioned structural corrosion since that January’s test.

The DB7’s MoT certificate is valid until January 2026 and the recent Vehicle History Check is clear.

The Aston has also retained its leather-covered, individually numbered handbook, two keys and key fobs, and neatly organized invoices to back up the work we listed above.

With a guide price of between £40,000 and £50,000, we’re reminded (again!) of just how cheap Aston Martin DB7s are now – and we surely can’t be alone in wondering how long this can go on for.

And it’s not as if this is a tired old dog; can we remind you that even our hard-nosed assessor, a man not known for lavishing praise where it isn’t warranted, said of this example “it’s a very attractive car and definitely one of the better DB7s we’ve seen.”

Even better, the seller is happy to offer it with no reserve, so it’s going to sell from the very first bid.

Of course, we don’t expect the virtual hammer to fall on the very first bid but there won’t be any messing around wondering how far away the reserve is; just pop in your top bid and if it’s the highest when the auction ends, it’s yours!

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.