This is not my first ode to an Aston Martin. Last autumn I published a piece on the Virage-based V550 of the mid-1990s. But the DB7 undoubtedly represents an even more significant chapter in the storied history of this very British of automobile manufacturers.
Actually, the DB7 played a large role in kick starting my passion for cars in the first place. Looking at the images accompanying this blog, you’ll understand why. The DB7’s curvaceous body and intricate detailing made an indelible impression on this wide-eyed, impressionable kid back in the Nineties. Little did I know the model was originally conceived as a Jaguar, and indeed was powered by a Jaguar-derived engine. The looks simply left me dumbfounded and, even today, the Aston is one of the most beautiful cars ever created.
The DB7 did more than simply turn heads, however; it put hands in pockets. Aston Martin was crying out for a more attainable, compact model to stick in its showrooms. The Vantage, hand-built at Newport Pagnell, was considered a (pricey) dinosaur, albeit a most delightful one. The company was in financial dire straits, but the DB7 helped to breathe new life into the company.
The development backstory is so long and interesting that I could devote an entire blog entry to it. In short, the DB7 came about after an attempt by Jaguar to replace its ageing XJ-S with an XJ40-based coupe was ruled out by new owner Ford on grounds of expense. The original design was then allied to the XJ-S platform, given a sprinkling of ‘Aston-ness’ by Ian Callum, and sold as an Aston Martin.
In 1999, the DB7 truly came of age when the 335bhp 3.2-litre supercharged ‘six’ was joined by the Vantage version, touting a 5.9-litre V12 developed by Cosworth Engineering. With 420bhp, the new car was more powerful (and cheaper) than its arch rival, Ferrari’s 360 Modena. At the time, it was simply one of the fastest, most glamorous, most exciting ways to travel. Did it matter that much of the switchgear was lifted straight from the Ford parts bin? Not to many…
The elegance of the DB7 shape was injected with just the right amount of muscle to result in a design which treaded the line between ‘tasteful’ and ‘loutish’ wonderfully well. I actually prefer the look of the Vantage - and then, of course, there’s the question of the extra power and speed.
The DB7 Vantage and 360 Modena may have squared-off against one another in the last year of the twentieth century, but as certified classics today the price gulf between them is little short of outrageous. My price guide (courtesy of Practical Classics) lists good Vantages at around £21,000, while an equivalent Ferrari will set you back more than double that figure.
Sure, the Ferrari always benefitted from more modern technology and production techniques. But that yawning chasm is such that the DB7 Vantage could be one of the biggest bargains out there, not to mention one of the most beautiful.
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