1997 Aston Martin DB7

This great looking DB7 I6 really seems to fulfil Victor Gauntlet’s original brief very well indeed. It remains very clearly an Aston Martin and although, nominally, an “entry level” car no owner or driver of this DB7 is going to feel short changed in any way.

This is a low owner car which has covered a mere 54,000 miles or a shade over 2,000 miles per year on average. The car was supplied new in November 1997 via Paramount Aston Martin in Derby for an original sales price of exactly £80,000.

It seems that the first owner kept the car until 2002 covering around 25,000 miles. The second keeper acquired the car in 2002 and owned and enjoyed the DB7 for a full 19 years but covering only around a further 30,000 miles during this period.

Current owner, Titus, acquired the car in May 2021. “I am a serial car collector,” admits Titus. “I was being very acquisitive at that period and I am a big Aston Martin fan, having previously owned a number and still owning others.” Titus is an experienced collector and discerning connoisseur with a collection extending to over 30 cars of distinction. “The lovely British Racing Green colour of this example together with the low number of owners and low original mileage really attracted me to this car,” says Titus. Titus is now moving overseas so needs to significantly reduce the size of his collection. “It has been a really tough decision to part with this Aston,” says Titus, “but I have to reduce the collection and I am sure someone else will get much enjoyment from this lovely car.”

With the DB7 looking resplendent in British Racing Green and sitting purposefully on 18-inch, 12 spoke Speedline alloy wheels this is definitely a car that will get you noticed. Ian Callum’s first full car design has aged so well and, deservedly, remains one of his best known and most admired concepts.

This is a 25-year-old car, however, and one which has been used and enjoyed by Titus and its previous keepers. As a result, some age-related imperfections are inevitably present. Our photographer has captured these for your review with examples including paint swirls to areas of the body and cloudy headlamp shrouds. Given this the car may respond well to a professional machine polish and detailing. The wheels exhibit some kerb rash, and the new owner may wish to get these refurbished to further improve the already sound overall presentation of the car.

The paperwork shows that some body work and paintwork was professionally attended to in 2017 with almost £9,000 spent with a respected Aston Martin specialist. As you will see from our photographic package, however, a very successful colour match appears to have been achieved.

Overall, the DB7 leaves a very positive impression and boasts one of the most sought-after colourways. The paint appears deep and lustrous throughout, and the panel gaps appear tight and symmetrical. Light lenses are sound, and the cabin glass is subtly tinted and appears to be in great condition all round

The DB7’s interior matches the car’s exterior charm and sophistication perfectly. There are lots of upmarket materials to be found in here and it looks a cosy and inviting space to spend time in.

This example is finished in Parchment soft grain leather with accents of Forest Green leather and dark walnut veneer. Very Aston Martin. The high-backed front seats are both capacious and supportive and present in a good overall condition. The driver’s seat bolster has been reported as loose with some remedial work seemingly required here. The quality is evident, however, with large, box pleated central sections being punctuated with twin needle stitching and picked out with Forest Green piping.

Rear seats are present in the DB7 and appear to be in an almost unused condition. Anecdotal reports, however, suggest these are best utilised for additional storage rather than inflicting them on loved ones or even distant acquaintances!

The green Wilton carpets are deep pile and appear to be in excellent overall condition. The dash is fronted with a dark burr walnut veneer, accents of which extend to the door cards and centre console. The headlining is finished in Parchment Alcantara and appears to be in great order. The compact but practical boot is finished in dark carpet and provides an underfloor home to a space saver spare wheel, tool set, warning triangle and aftermarket Alpine CD changer.

This interior exudes a classy ambiance and the Parchment and Forest Green leather combination, to our eyes, is particularly effective and sophisticated. It’s an appropriately premium perch from which to enjoy the dynamic driving experience offered by this British thoroughbred.

This DB7 is fitted with the Jaguar 3.2 litre AJ6, TWR built engine. It is a light alloy, twin overhead camshaft, supercharged straight six featuring 32 valves and a water-cooled Eaton, 'Rootes' type, supercharger which was driven by a toothed belt from the camshaft.

Despite the DB7 being conceived as subordinate to the Aston V8’s of the time this engine was actually more powerful than the DB7’s V8 powered brethren. This generous specification delivered 335bhp and a healthy 361 Ib-ft of torque. In our example this power is delivered to the rear wheels via a four-speed GM 4L80-E automatic gearbox.

Judging by the extensive paperwork on hand it seems clear that this car has been diligently and professionally maintained. A range of industry luminaries have been charged with the car’s upkeep during its life, including Stratstone of London, Ian Mason Aston Martin Services and, more latterly, Aston Services London.

The underside of the car appears to be appropriate to the car’s age and mileage with some surface corrosion present as one might expect. Whilst clearly nothing to trouble the Mot tester, a new owner may want to address some areas with an inspection, cleaning, and undersealing to help ensure longevity.

This DB7 comes with an extensive paperwork archive and over 100 documents have been captured in our photographic package. The obligatory V5 in Titus’s name is present as is the current advisory free MoT which is valid until June 2023.

Additionally, all the connoisseur’s favourites are present. These include the original 1997 sales invoice, original book pack, the car’s last tax disc from 2014 and three keys including the DB7 inscribed red master key.

The remainder of the paperwork predominantly consists of a large number of invoices, many exhibiting significant values, for the extensive maintenance and repair work undertaken by all three owners of the DB7.

This is a British GT car from an interesting period in Aston Martin’s history. With Ford’s stewardship and financial backing, the plucky British firm was able to finally deliver on Victor Gauntlet’s shrewd commercial strategy of many years earlier. In Aston Martin terms, it was a huge success too with over 7,000 DB7’s going on to be sold, making it by far the most ubiquitous Aston Martin ever.

Despite that, relative, ubiquity the smart money is starting to appreciate the particular appeal of the DB7 I6. Despite the reduced cylinder count this is a powerful and muscular car complete with appealing supercharger whine. Hand built in a dedicated Oxfordshire factory by specialist TWR trained staff, this is a proper British sports car with heritage, provenance, and exclusivity to spare.

Given all that, these cars still represent great value and probably represent the shrewdest and most attainable way to put an Aston Martin on your drive. This is a really original and honest example too. There are some areas that may warrant improvement, but they seem to be purely cosmetic and should be easily addressed. If you have always hankered after an Aston on your drive this car should represent a great opportunity not to be missed.

We estimate this car to fetch between £18,000 and £23,000 in auction.

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’.