1. Overview

2. Variants
    V12 Vantage  V12 GT and GTA 

3. Special editions

4. Special models

5. One-offs

6. References

The Aston Martin DB7 is a grand tourer which was produced by British luxury automobile manufacturer Aston Martin from September 1994 to December 2004. The car was available either as a coupé or a convertible. The prototype was complete by November 1992 and debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in March, 1993; the car was designed by Ian Callum and Keith Helfet. The six-cylinder DB7 (based on the Jaguar AJ6 engine) was positioned as an "entry-level" model below the hand-built V8 Virage introduced a few years earlier. This model was the highest produced Aston Martin automobile ever, with more than 7,000 built before it was replaced by the DB9 in 2004.

Overview

The DB7, known internally as the NPX project, was made mostly with resources from Jaguar Cars and had the financial backing of the Ford Motor Company, owner of Aston Martin from 1988 to 2007. The DB7's platform is an evolution of the Jaguar XJS's, though with many changes. The styling started life as the still-born Jaguar F type (XJ41 – coupé / XJ42 – convertible) designed by Keith Helfet. Ford cancelled this car and the general design was grafted onto an XJS platform due to lack of market interest. The styling received modest changes by Ian Callum so that it looked like an Aston Martin model. The first generation of the Jaguar XK also uses an evolution of the XJ-S/DB7 platform and the cars share a family resemblance, though the Aston Martin was significantly more expensive and unusual.

The DB7 was engineered in Kidlington, Oxfordshire, by Tom Walkinshaw Racing on behalf of Aston Martin. The engines continued to be built in Kidlington during the production run of the vehicle.

With the production of the Virage (soon rechristened "V8" following Vantage styling revisions) continuing at Newport Pagnell, a new factory was acquired at Bloxham, Oxfordshire that had previously been used to manufacture the Jaguar XJ220, where every DB7 would be built throughout its production run. The DB7 and its variants were the only Aston Martin automobiles produced in Bloxham and the only ones with a steel unit construction inherited from Jaguar (Aston Martin had traditionally used aluminium for construction of the bodies of their cars, and models introduced after the DB7 use aluminium for the chassis as well as for many major body parts).

The convertible Volante version was unveiled at the North American International Auto Show held in Detroit in 1996.^[1] Both versions have a supercharged straight-six engine that has a power output of {{convert|340|PS|kW hp|0|abbr=on}} and {{Convert|361|lbft|Nm|abbr=on}} of torque. In the United States, the Coupé was sold for US$140,000, and the Volante for US$150,000. Works Service provided a special Driving Dynamics package, which greatly enhanced performance and handling for drivers who wanted more than what the standard configuration offered.

Variants

V12 Vantage

In 1999, the more powerful DB7 V12 Vantage was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show. Its 5.9-litre, 48-valve, V12 engine has a power output of {{convert|426|PS|kW hp|0|abbr=on}} and {{convert|400|lb·ft|N.m|abbr=on}} of torque. It has a compression ratio of 10.3:1. Two transmission choices were available, those being a TREMEC T-56 six-speed manual or a ZF 5HP30 five-speed automatic. Aston Martin claimed the car had a top speed of either {{convert|186|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on|order=flip}} with the manual gearbox or {{convert|165|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on|order=flip}} with the automatic gearbox, and would accelerate from 0–97 km/h (60 mph) in 4.9 seconds.^[2] The V12 Vantage is {{convert|4692|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} long, {{convert|1830|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} wide, {{convert|1243|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} high, with a weight of {{convert|1800|kg|1|abbr=on}}.

After the launch of the Vantage, sales of the base DB7 with the supercharged straight-6 engine had reduced considerably so its production ended by mid-1999.

V12 GT and GTA

In 2002, a new variant was launched, named V12 GT or V12 GTA when equipped with an automatic transmission (the A referring to the automatic transmission itself). It was essentially an improved version of the Vantage, with its V12 engine now having a power output of {{convert|441|PS|kW hp|0|abbr=on}} and {{convert|410|lb·ft|N.m|abbr=on}} of torque for the manual GT, although the GTA retained the engine having a power output of {{convert|426|PS|kW hp|0|abbr=on}} and {{convert|400|lb·ft|N.m|abbr=on}} of torque of the standard DB7 Vantage.^[3] Additionally, the GT and GTA chassis had substantially updated suspension from the DB7 Vantage models. Aesthetically, compared to the Vantage it has a mesh front grille, vents in the bonnet (hood), a boot (trunk) spoiler, an aluminium gear lever, optional carbon fibre interior trim and new wheels. It also has {{convert|355|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} front and {{convert|330|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} rear vented disc brakes made by Brembo. When being tested by Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear in 2003, he demonstrated the car's ability to pull away in fourth gear and continue until it hit the rev limiter: the speedometer indicated {{Convert|135|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on|order=flip}}. Production of the GT and GTA was extremely limited, as only 190 GTs and 112 GTAs were produced worldwide and only 64 GTs and 17 GTAs were shipped to the US market, out of a total of 302 cars.^[3]

Special editions

A number of special-edition DB7 cars were built:

• DB7 I6
  • 1998 Alfred Dunhill Edition – 150 "platinum metallic" cars with a built-in humidor
  • 1998 Neiman-Marcus Edition – 10 special black cars for the 1998 Neiman Marcus Christmas catalogue
  • 1999 Stratstone Edition – 19 special black cars, 9 coupes and 10 Volantes
  • 1998 Beverly Hills Edition – 6 "Midnight Blue", 2 coupes and 4 Volantes
• DB7 V12 Vantage
  • 2003 Jubilee Limited Edition – 24 "jubilee blue" cars were made for Europe and 26 were made for North America to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II
  • 2002 Keswick Limited Edition – A small number of "nero daytona black" models
  • 2003 Anniversary Edition – 33 (of an announced 100) "slate blue" cars to celebrate the end of DB7 Vantage production

Special models

Two special edition variants were made at the end of the DB7's production run:

• DB7 Vantage Zagato
• DB AR1

One-offs

TWR owner Tom Walkinshaw commissioned a one-off model in 1996 for his ownership based on the Aston Martin DB7. The car was fitted with a 6.4-litre Jaguar-TWR V12 engine based on a 6.0-litre V12 engine. The engine had a revised steel crankshaft and specially designed four-valves per cylinder heads. The twin cam-shafts worked by a unique chain drive mechanism. The engine has a claimed power output of {{cvt|482|PS|kW hp|0|abbr=on}} at 6,000 rpm and {{cvt|470|lbft|Nm|0|abbr=on|order=flip}} of torque at 4,500 rpm.

Power was transferred to the rear wheels by an AP racing twin-plate clutch and the engine was mated to a 6-speed Borg Warner T-56 manual transmission. The car had an estimated top speed of {{cvt|182|mph|kph|0|abbr=on|order=flip}} due to a longer final gear ratio and could accelerate. On the exterior, the car had a specially designed body kit and a rear spoiler for improved downforce. The car was fitted with wider Yokohama tyres for excellent grip and to handle the power of the engine and had specially designed 20-spoke alloy wheels.^[4]

References

• 4AAA
• 4ABC
• 4ABCRR
• 4-ABP
• 4A-C
• 4-acceleration
• 4 Aces
• 4-acetamidobutyrate deacetylase
• 4-acetamidobutyryl-CoA deacetylase
• 4-acetylanisole
• 4ACR
• 4AD3DCD
• 4ad3dcd
• 4AD (EP)
• 4A (disambiguation)
• 4A Engine
• 4A Games
• 4-a-glucanotransferase
• 4 Air Force
• 4 Akogare My Star
• 4 Akogare MY STAR
• 4 alarm fire
• 4-alarm fire
• 4 (album)
• 4 album