2007 Aston Martin V8 Vantage

Being offered with no reserve (The owner told us: “I’ve scratched the Vantage itch now”), this mighty 2007 Aston Martin V8 Vantage is finished in the rare and unusual colour of Berwick Bronze with an Iron Ore Red hide interior.

Still showing fewer than 48,000 miles on the odometer, it comes with a very good service and MoT history. A true driver’s car, the six-speed manual gearbox gives ready access to every single one of the V8’s 380 horses.

The Vantage’s cosmetic and mechanical condition is very good indeed, making this an excellent introduction to the model for those of us who’ve been ever-so-slightly obsessed with it since seeing Clarkson et al rave over it all those years ago.

Rust, of course, is not an issue but even taking into account aluminium’s increased resistance to corrosion this one looks especially nice. Ultra-tight shutlines and ripple-free flanks are joined by razor-sharp swage lines and wonderfully organic swooping curves.

The Berwick Bronze coachwork looks terrific, partly due to a refresh by Arun Automotive in December 2021 with fresh paint being applied to both bumpers, the bonnet, and both doors. The rest was found to be good and needed nothing more than a machine polish to revive it.

Four new Michelin Pilot Sport tyres were fitted at the same time as the coachwork was fettled; the resulting bill might have topped £3,600, but it was absolutely worth it, as you can see.

As we will never get tired of telling you, experience shows that matching high-quality tyres like this are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

The alloy wheels, which are both huge and mightily vulnerable, are in great shape thanks to having been refurbished only recently. This is a car whose appearance reflects years of careful curation and not-insignificant sums in maintenance.

You’ll find good glazing too, plus unblemished lamp lenses and good badges. We can’t find anything here that would bother us, but why not make an appointment to pop along and take a look for yourself?

The Iron Ore Red hide interior is wonderfully opulent and serves as an interesting counterpoint to the cockpit’s minimalist design; rather than being cold and unwelcoming, as it might have been had it been finished in black, it’s warm and sumptuous and a delightful place to be.

Its condition helps, of course because this is a car whose previous owners have clearly adored it and treated it accordingly. Yes, there’s some light creasing to the leather on the seats but apart from that you’d never guess you were sitting in a car that’s well into its second decade.

Really, the only sign of age is the tiny little sat-nav – but you could live with that, couldn’t you?

Everything else is utterly gorgeous, showcasing the attention to detail that elevated Aston Martin to the top tier of sportscar manufacturers.

The front seats, for example, are as comfortable and supportive as they look – and they look sublime. Beautifully shaped and exquisitely assembled, they adjust as they should at the touch of a button.

The area behind them is neatly carpeted and forms a useful storage space.

The door cards, headlining, dashboard, carpets and instruments are all just as well preserved, while alloy controls add tactility.

The boot is equally well presented and is covered by a good parcel shelf.

Flaws? Well, there are some scuffs and scratches to the outer edge of the offside door card and the bonnet release sometimes plays up. The vendor thinks the spring is weak, so it sometimes needs a helping hand to open fully.

Oh, and one bar of the heated rear window doesn’t work. That this is the extent of the problems it has speaks volumes, doesn’t it?

The Vantage starts and runs as it should. It also ticks over nicely and no warning lights are illuminated on the dashboard. It makes a lovely noise but then that’s kind of the point of a car like this, isn’t it?

The seller tells us that he’s not aware of any mechanical problems and the only fault he’s had with it in the three and a half years he’s owned it is the battery, which needed to be replaced.

The under-bonnet area is in good shape, with only a little grubbiness marring what would otherwise be a gorgeous engine bay. Of course, if you’re as fussy as us this could be dealt with easily and details such as the alloy fuel filler cap add to the car’s already considerable charms.

The underside – and you’re ahead of me here, aren’t you? – is excellent.

With a very good main dealer and independent specialist service history, the Vantage’s maintenance history is recorded as follows:

• 06.03.2007 and 98 miles – pre-delivery inspection by Aston Martin of Mayfair

• 12.06.2007 and 1,332 miles – service by Stratstone of Mayfair

• 09.06.2008 and 3,955 miles – service by Stratstone of Mayfair

• 22.07.2009 and 7,077 miles – service by Stratstone of Mayfair

• 06.04.2010 and 14,179 miles – service by Stratstone of Mayfair

• 04.03.2011 and 18,103 miles – service by Stratstone of Mayfair

• 08.05.2012 and 21,568 miles – service by Stratstone of Mayfair

• 27.09.2013 and 27,015 miles – service by Vantage Motors Harrow

• 20.01.2015 and 31,129 miles – service by (unknown)

• 15.05.2017 and 38,038 miles – service by McGurk

• 09.09.2019 and 43,502 miles – service by Arun Limited

• 08.10.2020 and 45,590 miles – service by Arun Limited

• 14.10.2021 and 46,791 miles – service by Arun Limited

• 13.10.2022 and (unreadable) mileage – service by Mole Valley

The Vantage’s MoT certificate is valid until September 2023 and it was gained, like many of those in previous years, with no advisories. This is, in part, due to the vendor’s insistence on dealing with small problems before they become big ones. So, as well as being a nice fella, he’s a wise one, too.

Oh, and the registration number will stay with the Aston.

Look, it’s one of the most desirable sportscars in the world, not least because it goes like stink, sounds incredible and looks utterly gorgeous.

That’s it’s been looked after as well as it has is a very welcome bonus.

And, that it is finished in the unusual – and unusually attractive – Berwick Bronze is a real bonus in our eyes; while oligarchs and James Bond buy theirs in silver, Old School money choses colours like this - and accepts the sort of light patina this one wears inside as the price of actually using the car as befits it.

As for value, we think this one will settle somewhere between £22,000 and £28,000 but as it’s being sold with no reserve it’s going to sell from the very first bid.

Go on, life’s too short to drive boring cars…

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays 9am-5pm, 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’.