2001 Aston Martin DB7 Vantage

This is a fine example of a DB7 Vantage with an interesting history. This car’s first registration plate was the manufacturer’s famous AML1, indicating this was not made to order, but rather it was a demo car used by Aston Martin for press events. This would explain why it has the rare manual specification and the highly photogenic Bordeaux interior, along with a lighter than usual shade of bare walnut dash trim.

As a lifelong Aston Martin fan, the current owner purchased the vehicle in May this year from a friend whose husband used it as a weekend car for many years before he passed away. This explains why it’s only ticked up a modest mileage, just shy of 59,000 miles.

The car comes with the V12 factory sports exhaust. The owner describes the sound as “intoxicating” and says: “The noise it makes is absolutely beautiful, as soon as you drive it puts a smile on your face. It’s got the little crackles from that exhaust and it sounds incredible. It is such an engaging car to drive thanks to the manual gear box. While it is a GT car, it feels like it wants to be a super car. It’s very Jekyll and Hyde, as it can be relaxing to drive but can also be a real sports car”.

The owner says the car drives as an Aston should: “There are no warning lights, the gear box and clutch are smooth, the brakes are good and it is a treat to drive”.

The bodywork is tidy and it has clearly been well looked after over its 21-years. The car is finished in Grigio Titanio - a heavy metallic paint, a shade or two darker than the James Bond silver. It comes with factory Vantage wheels, behind which sit the popping red calipers. Judging by the condition of the alloys, they have probably been refurbished at some point. Though to a very high standard, and virtually undetectable to the naked eye, the owner believes the rear quarters and rear bumper have been professionally resprayed at some point. The only (minor) imperfections the owner mentioned are that there is about 5mm where the lacquer has peeled on one of the front headlights and there are a couple of small stone chips on the lower part of the front bumper, above the splitter. Both of which are commensurate with the car’s age and mileage and small enough to be difficult to spot.

While the car is in all round lovely order, the interior is this vehicle’s pièce de résistance. The dark red leather interior, the brushed suede roof lining and the light walnut trim are delightful. The wood veneers on the dashboard, centre console and door inserts are glossy and rich. The Wilton Carpets and the mats embossed with the Aston Martin logo are in great condition and the rear seats look as if they’ve never been sat on. The owner has recently carried out some work to the interior. Using the original suede, the headliners have recently been redone and the driver’s seat was recolonised to keep things looking sharp.

Everything in the engine bay is in the right and proper place. It appears to be clean and dry. The owner was keen to highlight the effortless and instant torque delivery of the V12, saying: “It’s torquey from about 1200rpm, and much more instant than a Merc or a Beemer.” To be a stickler, the only imperfection to mention is the light surface rust on the engine mounts, which is visible when lifting the bonnet, behind the front grille.

In 2011 the car had a fair amount of work carried out, which included a new powder coating to the front subframe mountings and chassis where the latter was blasted and the corrosion was treated. More recently, new brake discs and pads were installed and pipe fittings replaced.

In the ten years since the works were carried out surface rust has gathered on the rear subframe and rear springs as there’s a slight crack on the powder coating. The exhaust bares evidence of surface corrosion, too.

Over the car’s 21 years it’s had 9 former owners, with a mix of some long-term ownerships (the previous owner purchased the vehicle in 2013 from H&H Auctions) and a couple of short-term owners.

The car evidences having been well looked after over the years, with servicing bills amounting to £75,000 and a full Aston Martin history. In 2011, when the car reached 51,000 miles, it had £8ks worth of work carried out at Trinity Engineering. This included the replacement of the front sub frame mountings and GT bushes, overhauling the steering rack and some powder coating. The car has stamps up to 48,000 miles (as thereafter Harwoods moved to paper invoices) and some of the work has been carried out by Aston Martin specialists, Trinity Engineering. The car cleared its MOT in March of this year and has only done 25 miles since then.

This car is in lovely working order and it comes with a comprehensive record of being cared for. Considering it has racked up a significant service bill over the years, the guide price seems good value at somewhere between £25,000-£35,000. Please note the number plate is not included.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car is located in Worthing, West Sussex. To arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.