Aston Martin DB7 Vantage
1999-2004 (V12) · Aston Martin DB7 Vantage — Grand Tourer, V12, designed by Ian Callum.
The Story
If the supercharged-six DB7 saved Aston, the 1999 DB7 Vantage made it special. It dropped in a 6.0-litre V12 – the FIRST V12 in Aston Martin’s history, built by Cosworth in Northampton – lifting output to 420 bhp and transforming the car’s character.
Crucially, it was the first Vantage to use a completely different engine from the base car rather than a tuned version. It so outclassed the supercharged six that the i6 was dropped within the year. Hotter DB7 GT (2002, 435 bhp), the Zagato and the US-only DB AR1 followed.
The Numbers
Benchmarked against its class
Each dial ranks this car within its Grand Tourer class — fuller means higher, and the tick marks the class midpoint.
Signature Colors
The Designer
Ian Callum
Scottish designer who penned the DB7 (1994) and V12 Vanquish (2001) before a celebrated 20-year tenure as Jaguar’s design director (F-Type, XK, XF). Now runs his own studio, Callum. Source: Wikipedia.
Studio Motors POV
The car that turned the DB7 from ‘saviour’ into a proper Aston – and the genesis of the great 5.9/6.0 V12 family. The GT is a quietly brilliant buy.
The Engine
Aston Martin V12 (NA)
Lineage
Where it sits in the bloodline
Market & Value
Values on cars like this move monthly. Our brokers price from real transactions.
What Reviewers Said About DB7 Vantage
Worth Knowing About the DB7 Vantage
3 Things You Didn’t Know
- 1. Its 6.0 V12 was the FIRST V12 ever fitted to a production Aston Martin (built by Cosworth).
- 2. It's the first Vantage to use a totally different engine from the base car – not just a tuned version.
- 3. It was so good it killed off the supercharged-six DB7 within a year.
5 Fast Facts
- 1. 1999-2004; the V12 DB7.
- 2. 5.9/6.0 V12 (Cosworth-built): 420 bhp, 400 lb-ft.
- 3. 0-60 ~4.9s; ~186 mph (manual).
- 4. Hotter variants: DB7 GT (2002, 435 bhp, 190 built), DB7 Zagato, DB AR1.
- 5. Designed by Ian Callum; built at Bloxham.
Provenance
Owners & what to look for
Famous Owners
No specific DB7 Vantage owner publicly verified.
Studio Buyer’s Brief
The manual DB7 V12 Vantage is the sweet spot; the DB7 GT (435 bhp, manual, 190 built) is the collector’s pick. Check the Cosworth V12 for cooling/coil issues, the body for corrosion, and history. The most-traded DB7 – the V12 defines the model.
Full Specifications
- Make / Model
- Aston Martin DB7 Vantage
- Class
- Grand Tourer
- Production years
- 1999-2004 (V12)
- Units built
- part of ~7,000 total DB7; DB7 GT (2002) = 190
- Variants
- DB7 Vantage Volante; DB7 GT/GTA (2002); DB7 Zagato (2002); DB AR1 (2003, US roadster)
- Engine layout
- Front
- Engine
- V12
- Engine family
- Aston Martin V12 (NA)
- Displacement
- 5,935 cc (5.9L)
- Power
- 420 hp
- Torque
- 400 lb-ft
- 0–60 mph
- 5 s
- Top speed
- 184 mph
- Power-to-weight
- 233 hp/tonne · 9.4 lb/hp
- Transmission
- 6-speed manual (5-speed Touchtronic auto optional)
- Drivetrain
- RWD (front engine) · Petrol
- Curb weight
- 3968 lb
Questions
DB7 Vantage FAQ
Was the DB7 Vantage the first Aston Martin with a V12 engine?
Yes. The DB7 Vantage, launched at the 1999 Geneva Motor Show, was the first series-production Aston Martin to use a V12 engine. The 5.9-litre 48-valve V12 was manufactured by Cosworth until Aston Martin opened its own engine plant in Cologne in 2004.
What engine does the Aston Martin DB7 Vantage have?
The DB7 Vantage uses a 5.9-litre naturally aspirated V12 producing 420 bhp and 400 lb-ft of torque, paired with a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic. The hotter DB7 GT (2002) raised power to 435 bhp.
What is the Aston Martin DB7 GT?
Introduced in 2002, the DB7 GT is the high-performance manual variant of the DB7 Vantage, producing 435 bhp and available only with a six-speed manual gearbox. Just 190 manual GTs were built (plus 112 automatic-only GTAs, technically the rarer body); the GT is the most sought-after manual DB7 Vantage for collectors.
What is an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage worth today?
Aston Martin DB7 Vantage standard examples trade in a broader range below the often-quoted $45,000-$110,000 — well-cared-for standard cars often sit in the five-figures to low six-figures. Manual gearbox cars command a real premium; the rare 190-unit DB7 GT manual is the high end of the market.
What is the difference between the DB7 and DB7 Vantage?
The original DB7 (1994-1999) uses a 3.2-litre supercharged straight-six producing 335 bhp. The DB7 Vantage (1999-2003) replaced it with a 5.9-litre V12 at 420 bhp, reducing 0-60 from approximately 5.7 seconds to under 5 seconds and raising the top speed from 165 mph to approximately 186 mph.
The Aston Martin Lineup
Explore every Aston Martin
DB4 GT Zagato ’60DB5 ’63DB6 ’65DBS (1967) ’67V8 ’69
Lagonda ’76V8 Vantage (1977) ’77
V8 Vantage (Supercharged) ’93DB7 ’94DB7 Vantage ’99
V12 Vanquish ’01DB9 ’04V8 Vantage (2005) ’05DBS (2007) ’07V12 Vantage (2009) ’09One-77 ’09
Rapide ’10Vanquish (2012) ’12V12 Zagato ’12V12 Vantage GT12 ’15DB11 ’16Vanquish Zagato ’16Vantage ’18DBS Superleggera ’18
DBX ’20Valkyrie ’21V12 Speedster ’21V12 Vantage (2022) ’22Valour ’23Vanquish (2024) ’24Valiant ’24Valhalla ’25
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