Aston Martin Db7 Coupe 1994-2003

The Aston Martin DB7 is a stunningly beautiful car coming as either a coupe or soft-top, with the soft-top being one of the most attractive around. The interior is just as stunning as the outside with you being wrapped in supple leather and polished wood trim and a pair of extremely comfortable front seats. The handling is superb with never ending grip, sharp precise steering and the DB7 feels just at home cruising down the motorway as it does in town.

Pros and Cons:

• The soft-top model is one of the most beautiful available
  Stylish, muscular looks
  Wonderful V12 engine
  Excellent handling

• Fuel economy is poor
  High costs of repairs and maintenance

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Exterior and Interior

The DB7 is a beautiful car in both the coupe and soft-top (known as the Volante) styles. The interior is equally as luxurious. There are four seats inside, but the two back one's are merely for show as only children can fit in to them and for only a short period of time at that. The front seats are extremely comfortable and a wonder to sit in. The centre console and dash are both classy looking, but the Ford switchgear is a bit of a disappointment. The boot isn't exactly spacious, but the good news is you should be able to get your golf clubs in easily enough.

Surprisingly the level of kit is quite low as standard to the point that you won't even receive a CD player. This led to a huge amount of optional extras being available, but at a price. Luckily owners of the DB7 tended to equip the car well and you should be able to fine a used version that contains everything you would want.

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Engines

There is only one engine available in the DB7 and that comes in the form of a 6.0-litre V12 unit producing 420bhp. It comes with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard with an optional automatic available. However, this was replaced in 2000 by a sequential-shift Techtronic system.

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Performance and Economy

The 6.0-litre V12 engine is amazingly powerful with its 420bhp accelerating you from a standing start to 60mph in just 4.8 seconds. The fuel economy isn't as impressive with the official figures being 12mpg, but as soon as you really push it you can see the fuel gauge drop before your eyes to as low as 7 or 8mpg. In other words you will be spending as much time getting to know the petrol attendants than you will your car. It falls into group 20 when it comes to insuring it and the premiums will be extremely high.

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What it's like to Drive

The DB7 is a beauty of a car to drive making you feel like James Bond and with all that power at your fingertips, or toe tips depending on how you look at it, you will find it hard to fight the urge to not drive like him too. The steering is perfectly balanced and sharp with excellent cornering abilities and plenty of grip at all times. The engine when pushed hard lets off a huge roar that will have you heading for the nearest, and longest, tunnel you can find. It is also a great car for real-world cruising speeds feeling wonderfully relaxed.

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Faults and Repairs

The DB7 suffered from some problems when first released such as cracked exhaust manifolds, warped brake discs and rapid tyre wear. However, these problems were all ironed out soon enough, but it would be worth looking for as late a model as you can afford just to be on the safe side. Check the hood on the convertible is up to scratch with no blemishes and that the tonneau cover is present when you fold it down. The leather needs a lot of regular care and attention so it should be fairly easy to spot a car that hasn't been as lovingly cared for. The services and repair costs will be high to say the least especially at a main dealer so it would be a wise decision to find a good independent specialist that will prove to be a lot cheaper.

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