ENTER DB7 HEAVEN
Gorgeous and affordable – but some are much more desirable than others
If there’s one thing that’s always associated with buying an Aston Martin, it’s that their values preclude all but the very wealthy from enjoying them.
However, there is an affordable way into Aston Martin ownership, and it’s a model whose values can only go upwards. Step forward the DB7, which is often regarded as one of the finest looking cars ever built in Britain.
That beauty isn’t rare – such was the DB7’s appeal that it was the biggest-selling Aston at the time, with more than 7000 being sold. While there are plenty of cars to choose from, there’s also a large number of potential money-pits.
Prices are scattered to the four winds, with some cars selling last year for £15,000-16,000, rising to around £50,000 for a Vantage Volante. And those values are no longer slackening off.
Historics’ Edward BridgerStille offers advice not just as an auctioneer, but as an owner too. ‘Owning a DB7 can be a minefield if you buy unwisely. Seductive, yes, with affordable prices, a big
‘It can be a minefield if you buy unwisely’
sign exalting its design heritage and plenty to massage your ego. I bought a six-cylinder Volante last year and would now personally opt for the V12. It did the job, however, and I was able to say: ‘ Yes, that’s my Aston…’ My advice, if you can afford the fuel, is to buy a 12-cylinder car.’
While it would be easy to fall for those looks at a sale, there are rational points to consider, as Bridger- Stille explains: ‘ With DB7s, almost more than any other car, spend as much as you can on purchase and try to get one with a fresh service and MoT test certificate. Residuals are also best protected if you choose a sensible colour scheme. In a nutshell, quality is always worth investing in, and so it is with a DB7.’
Classic Car Auctions’ Arwel Richards reckons there is one stand-out model: ‘Some say that the
DB7 was the perfect blend of Ford reliability and Aston Martin design, although those who bought the earlier i6 models would probably beg to differ. The later 5.9-litre V12 Vantage model was a huge leap forward for the DB7 – the engine and exhaust notes were those of a proper Aston Martin.
‘It was universally regarded that the 3.2-litre engine of the earlier supercharged Aston was pretty gutless, especially compared with the later 6.0-litre Jaguar XJS and the 4.0-litre XK8, which were its main competitors at the time.’