Aston Martin DB7

Aston Martin DB7 at a glance

The DB7 began as the "XX" project. Ford, which owned Aston Martin from 1988 to 2007, funded it, and Jaguar resources did most of the work. Tom Walkinshaw's TWR saw it as a successor to the Jaguar XJS, whose platform it uses in heavily modified form. Ian Callum reworked an earlier Jaguar design by Keith Helfet into the DB7 shape. The prototype was ready in November 1992 and appeared at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1993.

Production took place at Bloxham, Oxfordshire, in the former Jaguar XJ220 factory, while TWR engineered the car in Kidlington. The DB7 helped restore Aston Martin's finances and made possible the DB9. The wider story is in the history of Aston Martin.

Supercharged six or V12: DB7 performance

The DB7 had two engine families: a Jaguar-based six-cylinder and Aston Martin's V12, built in Kidlington.

The six-cylinder used a Getrag 290 five-speed manual or a GM four-speed automatic. The V12 came with a TREMEC T-56 six-speed manual or a ZF five-speed automatic, which is slower: the automatic Vantage tops out at 266 km/h (165 mph) and takes 5.1 seconds to 62 mph. The GTA is the automatic version of the GT and keeps 313 kW (426 PS); 190 GTs and 112 GTAs were built.

Compared with the six-cylinder car, the V12 Vantage has 63 kW more power, and its coupé is 25 kg lighter.

Body, cabin and practicality

The body mixes steel for the main structure with composite front wings and bootlid; early cars also had a composite bonnet. The cabin is trimmed in Connolly leather, with air conditioning, electric front seats and heated mirrors as standard. The rear seats suit children or short trips, so the DB7 works best as a two-seater with extra luggage space. The Volante, shown at the 1996 Detroit show, has an electrically operated fabric roof.

Fuel use and running costs

Aston Martin did not publish EU-standard consumption figures for the DB7, so there is no official l/100 km rating. Both engines are thirsty, the V12 more so. Running costs depend above all on condition: a neglected DB7 can cost more to put right than a well-kept one costs to buy.

Common checks before buying include:

• rust on the rear wheelarch lips, the bottom corners of the rear window opening, floorpans, inner wings, suspension turrets and rear chassis legs; V12 cars are more prone to it;
• porous or bubbling composite panels and uneven gaps;
• on the six-cylinder, timing-chain rattle from neglected oil changes and cracked exhaust manifolds;
• on the V12, failing coil packs, which sit under the intake plenum and are costly to reach;
• the air-conditioning evaporator, door glass, damp carpets from a failed scuttle seal and, on the Volante, the hood mechanism.

Special editions and versions

The Alfred Dunhill Edition of 1998 included a built-in humidor; 78 of a planned 150 were made. The Zagato, shown at Pebble Beach in August 2002, has a shorter wheelbase and an aluminium body; 99 were sold plus one for the factory museum. The DB AR1 (American Roadster 1), introduced in Los Angeles in January 2003, was an open two-seater for the US market, also limited to 99 cars plus one for the factory.

Crash tests and safety equipment

The DB7 was never crash-tested by Euro NCAP or the IIHS, which rarely test low-volume sports cars. Driver and passenger airbags and traction control were part of the standard equipment.

Rivals: how the DB7 compares

When new, the DB7 competed with the Porsche 911, the Mercedes-Benz SL and Ferrari's front-engined 2+2s, as well as its Jaguar cousin, the XK8. It was the most traditional of them: less sharp than a 911, but more exclusive and hand-finished. To see how it stacks up against later Aston Martins such as the Vantage, use the 1cars comparison tool or the specifications section.