2003 Aston Martin DB7 Vantage

The new millennium saw Aston Martin revamp the DB7, launching the V12 Vantage you see here. The newly developed six-litre, 414bhp engine channelled its power through either a five-speed automatic or a six-speed manual.

Finished in Aviemore Blue with a cream and blue leather interior, ‘VO03 WVS’, a 2003 Aston Martin DB7 Vantage, has been in the seller’s care since 2011; a longtime fan of the company, he decided to treat himself to this absolute corker and has enjoyed the past 14 years with it on Guernsey, making regular forays into Europe via St Malo, taking it as far as Monte Carlo and Barcelona.

To ensure the necessary reliability it has been well fettled over the years and was last serviced in February 2025 at a cost of almost £800. This made February an expensive month because he also replaced all four tyres, a feat of mechanical sympathy that added another £760 to that month’s credit card bill.

It paid off though because he then drove the DB7 the 300 miles to our HQ without it missing a beat. Our man with a clipboard then took it for a quick spin and pronounced “it drives well” – and as you can hear, it certainly makes all the right noises.
 

The Aviemore Blue coachwork is in good order – and doesn’t its unusual hue shows off the DB7’s achingly gorgeous lines to perfection?

It helps, of course, that the shutlines are so tight and consistent, and that the rest of the panels are as impressively aligned as they are. They’re also free of dents and other serious damage, including the vulnerable corners and door mirror cappings.

The Aviemore Blue paint has a lovely shine to it and there are no obvious defects such as runs, orange, peel, or flaking lacquer. We see a sticker confirming a Permagard 5000 paint protection treatment was applied in November 2009.

We note an earlier repair to the nearside front wing, but this has been done well and isn’t immediately obvious unless you go hunting for it.

The badges are in excellent order too, and the lamp lenses are free of cracks and scratches. The honeycomb mesh grilles above the front bumper and on the front wings have no obvious damage or deformation of their pattern.

The doors shuts are also clean, and the red warning lamps illuminate on both doors when they’re open.

The 19-inch alloy wheels have the inevitable nibbles here and there but they are, on balance, better than average.

The centre caps are generally good, and the wheel nuts are shiny and free of the corrosion that blights so many we see. Their nine-spoke design also allows you to admire the ventilated brake discs and black brake calipers that lie behind them.

The wheels are fitted with a new set of Bridgestone Potenza Sport tyres, which, as we mentioned in the introduction, set the owner back £760 in February of this year.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly.

As for work to do, the mesh radiator grille has a rusty screw slap-bang in the middle, which seems like an easy win.

As does the offside headlamp sealing rubber, which needs poking back down.

There’s also a tiny dink at the top of the driver’s door, a couple of the wheelarches have light scuffs, there are a few wrinkles to the paint on the offside rear wing above the bumper, and the fuel filler flap sits too low. 
 

The cream and blue leather interior has worn well, and the combination of a lighter colour on the seats and lower sections of the cabin and darker hide to the upper parts lends additional interest to a cabin that’s not exactly devoid of charm in the first place.

And it’s all in such a good condition that we don’t mind starting with the weakest area, which is the driver’s seat. The leather covers are a bit grubby and rumpled, but there are no holes or split seams and only a few light cracks mar its finish.

But that really is the extent of your problems because everything else is in very good order indeed, including the passenger seat, which is plump and has clearly seen less use than its opposite number.

The rear seats look virtually unused and the headlining is clean and taut with only minor wrinkling around the edges.

The deep-pile carpets are still a lovely shade of dark blue. The front pair are embroidered with the Aston Martin logo, and all are free of wear marks, including the driver’s heel protector.

As for the walnut trim, of which there is a lot, it is shiny and vibrant and free of chips, cracks, and peeling lacquer.

The lettering on the controls and switches is still bright white, the black leather-covered steering wheel has survived the passage of 23 years better than you could have hoped for, and other nice flourishes include ‘DB7 Vantage’ sill plates, alloy pedals, and a wonderful period Becker Mexico headunit that controls the Becker Silverstone CD-multichanger in the boot, which hasn’t been used in years.

Speaking of which, the (very clean and well-trimmed) boot contains the hazard warning triangle, tool kit, and a car cover.

The seller confirms everything works except the alarm, which has been disconnected, and the aftermarket Bluetooth system.

Other than sorting out the driver’s seat, cleaning the passenger seat, and refastening the centre console trim in the passenger footwell, we can’t spot anything else for the new owner to do other than post a few shots on social media before sitting back with a glass of something sparkling to celebrate their good fortune. 
 

The DB7’s service history is recorded as follows:

•    26.03.2003 and 74 miles – pre-delivery inspection by Stratstone
•    04.06.2003 and 1,214 miles – service by Stratstone
•    12.05.2004 and 3,566 miles – service by Stratstone
•    27.08.2005 and 10,183 miles – service by Stratstone
•    10.01.2008 and 24,560 miles – service by Stratstone
•    09.07.2008 and 31,352 miles – service by Stratstone
•    06.10.2009 and 41,390 miles – service by Nicholas Mee & Co
•    21.09.2010 and 43,258 miles – service by Pugsley & Lewis Ltd
•    30.08.2013 and 46,681 miles – service by Jacksons Garage
•    18.11.2022 – various items fettled and replaced including all the plugs and coils by Auto Electrical Mechanical Services at a cost of £3,843
•    14.02.2025 and 47,466 miles – service by Auto Electrical Mechanical Services

Some brake pipes were replaced in June 2023 at a cost of £722, and the battery was swapped for a new one in June 2025.

There isn’t a lot of room under the bonnet but then Aston Martin did manage to shoehorn in a V12 engine.

And what an engine that is; nicely presented without being overly fussy, it starts on the button, idles solidly, revs with real purpose, shows good oil pressure on the dashboard, and makes all the right noises, especially from the twin exhaust.

Both the underside and the engine bay suffer from a few rusty fasteners here and there, plus some flaking paint and the odd spot of rust on brackets and the like.
 

The DB7 has had just three previous keepers, with the seller having owned it since 2011. This included a spell on Guernsey from 2011, which helps explain the car’s low recorded mileage.

The Aston’s MoT is valid until October 2026, and all it would need to clear the two advisories it was given is a set of rear brake discs and pads.

The recent Vehicle History Check would be clear bar the marker for being an imported car now it has an MoT. It returned to the mainland in October this year and is now UK-registered.

It also comes with two sets of keys and fobs, and the history file includes the Aston Martin Owner’s Guide folio that includes the all-important stamped service history booklet. The handbook for the Becker Mexico headunit is also available.
 

Remember what we said about looking back and wishing you’d bought a DB7 while they were still accessible?

Well, this one proves our point: With a guide price of between £18,000 and £23,000, we doubt you can go harder and in more style for less – and its service history and unusual colour should continue to distinguish it from its brethren for a while yet, which won’t harm its future residuals.

Yes, it needs a few little jobs doing but every single one will add value and satisfaction in equal measure. 

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.