- All
- Exterior
- Loading...
- Chassis # SCFAD22343K304180
- Engine # 00219
- 1 Of 64 Examples Produced With A Manual Transmission
- Showing Just 10,905 Miles From New
- A Two Owner, Long-Term California Car
- Includes Factory Books And Manuals, Clean Carfax, Factory Tools & Umbrella, & Available Service Records
The Overview
There is perhaps no better representation of the Grand Touring car than the Aston Martin. The idea of a front-engine 2-door sporting closed car with ample comfort is the very basis idea for Aston Martin’s existence. Through the David Brown (DB) series of cars, we have seen evolution take place much like that of the Porsche 911. A seemingly old design that is time and time again reinvented, reimagined, and continually loved throughout the automotive world. Debuting at the Geneva Motor Show in March of 1993 the new DB7 featured a drivetrain and platform borrowed, in part, from the Jaguar XJS of the era. By 1999 the DB7 receive a V12 as well as some styling changes. In total, nearly 7,000 examples would be produced in Coupe and Volante format with a variety of options and colors available to the consumer.
As a last hurrah for the DB7, Aston Martin launched the DB7 GT and GTA (A for Automatic) in 2002. The most obvious changes came in the way of slight cosmetics. Such as different wheels, vents in the hood, a mesh grille, a trunk lid with a slight “Flip tail” to it, as well as some updated interior items. Fundamental differences included updated suspension, a slight bump in power output, as well as brakes from Brembo. While 302 DB7GT/GTA’s would be produced only 64 examples with the manual transmission would ever come to the US. Making the DB7 GT an exceedingly rare Aston Martin in the ultimate specification.
The DB7GT on offer, chassis #SCFAD22343K304180 is a 2003 model year, and one of the aforementioned 64 US-delivered manual transmission examples. Today, the car shows 10,905 from new and is in excellent original condition. The clean CARFAX report shows no prior accidents and accounts for a nice timeline of the accrued mileage. Delivered to its first owner in California, this example shows to have been regularly serviced by qualified service centers in Southern California. 22 pages of service records during under original ownership begin in 2004 with 1,500 miles and continue until 2012 and 10,128 miles. In May of 2012, it made its way to New York when it was acquired by a dealer and shortly thereafter, resold to its second owner who clocked approximately 572 miles from 2012 to 2020 at which time it was placed on consignment with us. To ensure optimal drivability for its next owner, we commissioned an extensive service completed in July of 2020 totaling $3,973.34 as the car had been sitting for a number of months prior to our representation. The third and current owner purchased this Aston from us in late 2020 and has enjoyed it sparingly since then while performing necessary maintenance and upkeep. During their ownership, the radiator was replaced and basic service was carried out to ensure this DB7 GT remained in excellent condition. Under their ownership a mere 200 miles were added, bringing the current total mileage to 10,905.
This exceedingly rare example is one of the few modern collectibles that has remained relatively “under the radar” and has yet to receive the attention from the collector car market that it truly deserves. The opportunity to acquire a rare Aston Martin in V12, 3-pedal format for under $150,000 is one not to be missed.
Included with the sale of this vehicle are the factory manuals, radio manuals, period sales literature, a clean CarFax, factory tools, umbrella, service records, and a copy of the window sticker.
The Details
exterior
body and paint
Given its low mileage and careful ownership, this DB7 GT remains in excellent cosmetic condition. The paint all around the vehicle is smooth and consistent with no major blemishes to note with the exception of some minor stone chips in the front area of the car that do not warrant concern at the current time. The body is straight and panel gaps are all consistent.
glass and trim
The glass throughout the car is clean and issue-free and contains either “Triplex Laminated” or “Pilkington” branding on all panes. Rubber trim and window surrounds are all a nice dark black color and appear structurally sound. Headlights and taillights are also in excellent condition with no cracking. The passenger side headlamp does show some very minor haze in the interior portion of the headlamp lens though it is only noticeable in certain lighting.
wheels
The wheels on the car have been refinished due to some prior curbing that had occurred. They remain in excellent condition with smooth surfaces, clean center caps, and bright mounting hardware.
interior
seats and surfaces
The black leather seats remain in great condition with rich color and smooth seating surfaces. There is some creasing that has formed in high wear areas but the bolsters remain solid and show no cracking or separating. The black carpets retain great color and fitment while showing very minimal wear. The leather dash top remains tight and smooth with the exception of a small section above the instrument cluster that has developed a bit of a pull. The steering wheel is smooth and clean with nice tight stitching around the rim. There is a small inch-long scratch in the leather that covers the center console between the two seats, however, it is only noticeable on close examination. Additionally, there is some light scratching in the plastic around the shifter that appears to maybe be from a hand with a ring on it operating the window regulator button. The rest seats are in excellent shape and appear to have seen little to no use. The headliner remains tight and free of staining.
functionality and accessories
The doors open and close as they should and the power windows roll up and down with ease. The white gauges faces are clean, clear, and easily legible. All buttons, switches, and knobs appear in good cosmetic and mechanical order. The 6-speed shifter moves easily through its range of motion and the emergency brake holds the car firmly in place. The 6-way power-adjustable seats appear to function as they should.
engine bay and trunk
engine bay
The engine bay overall is clean and tidy, with well-fitting black plastic shields covering most of the area. The light-colored intake runners have a bit of staining on them but nothing that's away from the overall presentation of the car. Both cosmetically and mechanically, the engine bay appears well looked after with no outward signs of any issues.
trunk area
The rear trunk is trimmed neatly in grey carpeting that fits well and shows minimal wear. The factory Aston Martin umbrella is tucked neatly on the underside of the trunk lid and the factory tools reside in the storage compartment at the bottom of the trunk.
Underside
The underside presents as one would expect from a car with this mileage and history. It appears dry and well kept with no outward signs of any issues past or present. There is some minor scraping on the underside of the front bumper, which is only noticeable once under the car.
mechanicals
engine
The engine fires right to life with a quick turn of the key and settles into a smooth idle. Out on the road, the 5.9 liter V-12 makes excellent power in a very linear and exciting fashion.
transmission
The 6-Speed manual mated to the big V-12 makes for an exhilarating driving experience. The transmission shifts smoothly between gears and holds power without issue. The clutch take-up is smooth and precise while providing appropriate feedback to the user.
brakes and suspension
The brakes bring the car to a smooth and controlled stop with no issues to note. The suspension is firm but not harsh and provides excellent control out on the open road. No odd road manners or noises were experienced during our brief testing.
tires
This DB7 GT wears a set of newer Bridgestone Potenza tires on all four corners which feature solid sidewalls with what appears to be plenty of tread life left.
driving experience
Aston Martin has always been recognized as one of the premier builders of GT cars and the DB7 line was no exception. However, as it aged, what it needed was a little bit more spunk and Aston Martin did exactly that when releasing the DB7 GT. With its updated looks that set it slightly apart from the standard DB7, its fantastic 6-Speed manual transmission, as well as its rarity with only 64 being produced, the DB7 GT was a very fitting end to an iconic run for the DB7 series. These factors all equate to an extremely rare and desirable car that is sure to continue to climb in value as the death of the manual transmission is further propagated.