DB7
The Aston Martin DB7 was a grand tourer made by Aston Martin from September 1994 to December 2003. The grand tourer was available either as a coupé or a convertible, and debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in March, 1993. The six-cylinder DB7 replaced the lower Aston Martin V8 models, placing below the hand-built V8 Virage introduced a few years earlier. The DB7 was the most successful Aston Martin model ever, with more than 7,000 built before it was replaced by the DB9. The DB7 was styled by Ian Callum, and it is widely considered one of the most beautiful and timeless of automotive designs.
The DB7, known internally as the NPX project, was designed to replace the twenty-year-old Aston Martin V8. It was made mostly with the resources from Jaguar and had the financial backing of the Ford Motor Company, owner of Aston Martin since 1988. The DB7's platform is an evolution of the Jaguar XJS's, though with many changes.With production of the Virage (soon rechristened V8 Vantage) continuing at Newport Pagnell, a new factory was acquired at Bloxham, Oxfordshire, where every DB7 would be built throughout its production run.The convertible Volante version was unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in 1996. Both versions have a supercharged straight-6 engine that produced 335 bhp (246 kW). In the United States, the Coupé sold for £70,000, and the Volante for £76,000. Works Service provided a special Driving Dynamics package, which greatly enhanced performance and handling for drivers who wanted more than the standard configuration.
