“French-built, manual gearbox, 53,000 km, second-hand!”
Launched in 1993, the DB7 is the model that literally saved Aston Martin from bankruptcy. Victor Gauntlett, who spearheaded Aston Martin’s revival in the 1980s, realised that to ensure the company’s survival and the delivery of new models, it needed a modern, practical car that was, above all, easier to produce than the costly V8s.
The project was therefore launched in 1990 and made possible by the arrival of the automotive giant Ford as a shareholder in the British firm. The design and technological development were entrusted to the TWR (Tom Walkinshaw Racing) group, whose official entry of the Jaguar XJRs in the World Sportscar Championship was then enjoying great success. Finally, in March 1993, the DB7 was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show.
However, it was not until 1999 that a high-performance version was released: the DB7 Vantage, which also became the first Aston Martin to be fitted with a V12 engine. This engine had a displacement of 6 litres and produced 420 ch.
Our example was delivered new by Autoperformance Paris, before being resold on 12 October 2004 to its current owner. The accompanying documentation is complete, ranging from the vehicle’s order form in 2004 (second-hand) to the service booklet, which has been stamped since the car’s first registration. Today, the car is in superb overall condition, largely in its original paintwork, and has just under 53,000 km on the clock!
The DB7 was the direct rival of the 550 Maranello… don’t take too long to make up your mind, as prices are likely to skyrocket very soon! This French example, with low mileage, having had only two owners and featuring the V12 engine and manual gearbox, is the perfect DB7…