Dan Trent: Lusting over the "forgotten" Aston Martin

The answer being surprisingly affordable. Now, you can have your DB7 in Vantage trim with a V12 engine. And it’ll be properly fast, 0-60 coming in just five seconds for those with manual gearboxes. But it’s not just the Yorkshire skinflint in me that finds the idea of the earlier six-cylinder model somehow more appealing, though the fact high-mileage ones are now little over £20,000 is a temptation.

I know Aston Martins have used all sorts of engines over the years, the muscular V8s of the 80s appealing in their own right and the V12s in Vanquishes, DB9s and now the DB11 something of a signature in recent times. But the defining DB models of the 50s and 60s used straight sixes and it’s that link I find rather appealing. OK, so this one has Jaguar roots and Ford’s ownership of both brands at the time means there’s a degree of crossover with the superficially similar XK. But mechanically and stylistically the DB7 is very much a true Aston Martin.  

For my money it’s a much, much better-looking car than the XK and aging very gracefully indeed, Ian Callum’s fine grip on both proportion and detail beautifully translating Aston Martin’s sensuous '60s style for a more modern age. 

Having just driven the new V8 version of the DB11 I also know there’s no shame in opting for the smaller engine. A V12 will always carry a particular cachet. But with nearly 100kg less over the nose the 100hp power deficit of the V8 DB11 actually translates into a significant handling advantage along flowing roads. Interestingly that power difference is similar to that between the 335hp of the six-cylinder DB7 and the 420hp of the Vantage. But there was also a ‘Works Prepared’ Driving Dynamics upgrade that could increase it to 385hp, along with uprated brakes and suspension. Rare to find on a car these days but something I’d surely be investigating as a retrofit.

Should I be tempted to take a punt on that high-mileage example at that temptingly low price? Or instead go to the other extreme – a 17,000-mile car offered at POA but, potentially, costing more than twice as much? The market may value lower-mileage cars at this level but having talked to a couple of specialists they seem to think there’s no mechanical reason for not enjoying them to the full. Indeed, some known weaknesses like failing air-conditioning evaporators are often due to lack of use and expensive to sort out. Others, like fast-wearing suspension bushings, can be attributed to higher mileages but are apparently relatively affordable to fix. General consensus seems to be that, properly cared for, they’re tough and generally reliable machines. As a proper grand tourer should be. 

On colour and spec alone I think I prefer the low miles Chiltern Green one. That’s a very traditional Aston Martin shade and it has my favoured wheels on it too. The dark green leather is just the right side of garish (unlike the purple hide of the DB11 I drove) and the manual gearbox is appealing. I think this is one classy looking machine and one that will remain so for a good few years yet, timelessly embodying all that’s attractive about the traditional sporting British GT. I might be forced to dress a bit smarter if I were to own one though. No bad thing there, some might argue.

Photography courtesy of Chiltern Aston Centre