Thursday 20th March 2025

Aston Martin DB7 Vantage | Spotted

Six litres, six speeds, 12 cylinders and just 26,000 miles - for not much more than £30k...

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Imagine 21st-century Aston Martin without the 5,935cc V12. Tricky, right? The engine that powered some of its most desirable models, the engine that evolved into the wild 7.3, the engine that typically provides the most temptation when it comes to affordable Aston Martins. Of course, if the V12 hadn’t happened something else would have been cobbled together back then - Aston being part of the Ford empire - but it really is hard to imagine a better synthesis of brand and powerplant. 

The 6.0-litre (yes, it should really be rounded down to 5.9, but it’s been too long now) was the catalyst for so many great cars. The Vanquish, DB9 and DBS would have been very different experiences with a V8, and the V12 Vantage remains one of the most brilliantly silly shoehorning exercises ever devised. All that being said, there can also be no denying the impact it had on the first Aston to use the V12: the DB7. 

We all know how the ‘7 had charmed buyers with its stunning design since the early '90s, but it was crying out for a more charming engine than the supercharged six. The Vantage of 1999, complete with a 420hp variant of the V12, absolutely provided it. So much so, in fact, that the 3.2 was no longer offered after a few months of the Vantage, because sales of the regular one had basically evaporated. Here, at last, was a motor with the power, sound and theatre that the DB7 deserved. 

A honking great V12 was welcome, though it didn’t solve every DB7 problem. It was still a bit cramped inside, thanks to the old architecture, and the interior design looked kinda old hat with the millennium looming. As did a traditional torque converter auto when Ferrari would offer a clever (for back then) automated manual in the similarly priced 360 Modena.

Nevertheless, the V12 was the making of the DB7, and the catalyst for really special models like the GT and Zagato-built cars. This isn’t either of those, however; it’s a beautiful spec for a Vantage - they really are settling into classic car status (the oldest are more than 30 years old now) absolutely beautifully. Apparently the blue is a Jaguar colour, which works perfectly with the ivory and wood inside. The wheels look as good as the day they left Bloxham.

It’s the manual, too, definitely the more desirable transmission choice given the additional level of control it’ll offer over that engine. The auto was just a five-speed as well, and will surely feel pretty old hat these days. A six-speed manual V12 is a pretty magical experience, never more so than when it’s in something this pretty. This one has been driven little more than a thousand miles a year, and is said to benefit from £15k of recent expenditure. At £31,950 it’s one of the more expensive DB7s around - they’re still available for half that - but then it’s also far and away one of the more desirable. It’s hard to imagine it ever being worth less than that given the spec and mileage. Long live the manual Aston V12…

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SPECIFICATION | ASTON MARTIN DB7 VANTAGE

Engine: 5,935cc V12
Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 426@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 400@5,000rpm
MPG: c. 15
CO2: c. 450g/km
Year registered: 2000
Recorded mileage: 26,000
Price new: c. £100,000
Yours for: £31,950

See the original advert

[Motormouth88]

Such a beauty considering so much of it is a parts bin special. Tricky one from a maths perspective though, not low enough mileage to be a garage queen and too expensive to buy and use, as presumably, you’d lose a load on depreciation…would probably go for the one currency in the classifieds listed for half that with 68k miles on it, seems a safer bet with these.

[Billy_Whizzzz]

Hasn’t aged well at all internally or externally given how well it was received at the time. But a manual V12 would be nice.

[J77wck]

Beautiful car, if I had the money I would do a restomod on one of these.

[AndyP74]

I once got very close to buying one of these. It was the same colour, manual, 40k miles and was previously owned by an Aston OC Concours judge so it was absolutely spotless. It looked great, sounded incredible when the dealer fired it up................ and then I climbed into the drivers seat and looked at a mixture of Ford Scorpio switchgear that was already well into its lifetime when I worked at Ford in the mid 90s. Couldn't picture myself sitting there and being happy so I went out and bought a Cayman R instead.

[stuthemongoose]

I think these are starting to age well. Saw one on the road recently, and unlike last time I saw one I didn’t think “eurgh. ugly poor persons Aston”, but “hey that’s reall cool!”.

Gotta respect a db7 now I think

[cerb4.5lee]

Billy_Whizzzz said:

Hasn’t aged well at all internally or externally given how well it was received at the time. But a manual V12 would be nice.

I think I'm in the same place as you on that too, and these look old both inside and outside now to me. However I'm still falling for the 3 pedal manual and V12 engine combo though as you say.

Quite a chunky emissions figure on this as well(CO2: c. 450g/km), so I'd imagine that will ruffle a few feathers nowadays in our brave new world of zero emissions and clean EVs in comparison to be fair.

[el romeral]

Even if this is one of the most expensive Vantges on offer, it appears to be pretty good value these days. Gorgeous looking car outside and in. I moved away from the UK decades ago, so am not sure about this one, but is it unusual to display the final tax disc from 2015, as per one of the pictures?

[SpadeBrigade]

Although it’s still a handsome car in some respects I don’t think it has aged too well in some areas. And it’s not quite there yet to be a cool retro option IMO. Kind of sits in no mans land. However if you were going to get one this does look very nice in this colour combination. I would rather have a V8 vantage though I think or up the budget a little and get a DB9.

[cerb4.5lee]

el romeral said:

Even if this is one of the most expensive Vantges on offer, it appears to be pretty good value these days. Gorgeous looking car outside and in. I moved away from the UK decades ago, so am not sure about this one, but is it unusual to display the final tax disc from 2015, as per one of the pictures?

I noticed the tax disc too, and weirdly I wish that we still had them now to be honest. I used to like reading whether a car was expensive or cheap to tax on them back then for some reason.

[Robertb]

Sold already.

Looks wonderful and very well presented. Not outrageous price for a manual V12.

Not sure the criticism of the interior is fair when contemporary Ferraris were furnished with Fiat Tipo bits.

Didn’t they do a nicer 3 spoke wheel? Maybe the earlier V12s.

Edited by Robertb on Thursday 20th March 08:15

[W12AAM]

My Dad owned the same model - X584 BBV in Pentland Green (if its still out there?!). Lovely looking car - But cabin very dark and small & claustrophobic ....and i just didnt warm to it. It wasnt that old when he owned it and i remember it costing him (under warranty) nearly £3k just for the windscreen/valance to be replaced!...and then there was something else. Cost alot for the very few miles he did in it

[GreatScott2016]

I’ve never really liked the design on the 7, much prefer the more compact lines of say a Vantage. That said, 3 pedals and a V12 soundtrack would be hard to resist .

[WPA]

To me these look dated now, I think I would pick a V8 Vantage over it for the same money

[Mark-C]

I like the DB7 but I think I'd be aiming for an early DB9 at this price point

[BigGingerBob]

The owner of Central garage in Brixham had one of these with the 5 spoke wheels and sports exhaust. A GT I think it was.
We got talking to him and he started it up and revved it for me (I was about 13 at the time!). The noise was unbelievable and I've wanted one since.

However, the rear lights have always been a bit of a problem for me.

[Triumph Man]

I think these look absolutely stunning. I don't care about the parts bin switchgear - my discovery 4 has some ford switches in it. I don't care about the cramped interior - I'm wide shouldered but I like to feel cocooned.

One metric to judge a car is whether you'd turn and look at it after parking it. I think I'd probably be too busy looking back I'd fall over every kerb.

Plus the howl from that V12 is intoxicating.

[CDP]

It's a lovely thing but I think I'd prefer a DB9 or Vantage at this kind of money.

Although if you know the parts bin are the DB7s easier to run?

[DaveCWK]

I like it, i'm just not sure it has good enough reasons to stand up in amongst the '2nd hand Astons for circa £30k' pile.

[thehardman07]

BigGingerBob said:

The owner of Central garage in Brixham had one of these with the 5 spoke wheels and sports exhaust. A GT I think it was.
We got talking to him and he started it up and revved it for me (I was about 13 at the time!). The noise was unbelievable and I've wanted one since.

However, the rear lights have always been a bit of a problem for me.

Mazda 323F rear lights aren't they?

[QuartzDad]

Followed a silver one on Sunday, was also <30,000 miles. Sounded glorious.