Aston Martin DB7 Vantage Volante

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At launch the DB7 set new standards for the world's most famous brand and went on to become the most successful Aston ever, with more than 7,000 leaving the production line before it was replaced by the DB9 in 2003. Impeccably styled by Ian Callum, the DB7 is also widely considered to be one of the most beautiful cars of all time.

Put together like no Aston before, each bodyshell took five days to complete before being shipped off to Rolls-Royce for a paint job so deep you could drown in it. At first the car was only available with a 3.2-litre supercharged straight-six that produced 335bhp and could propel the car to 60mph in just 5.7 seconds on its way to a top speed of 165mph. But in 1999 a Vantage model with a 6.0-litre V12 was launched that now boasted a massive 420bhp – sufficient to crack the 60mph barrier in 4.9 seconds with a top speed of 186mph in manual form (the automatic was limited to 165mph).

The handling is well up to the job and was specially developed for British roads, while the ride is superb for such a sporting model and the Brembo brakes provide phenomenal stopping power. Some 15 years down the line and the car still has a fine reputation for reliability, a rare quality in a supercar of this performance.

This rare manual gearbox 6-litre V12 example was first registered in January 2000 and was supplied to its first owner through Norfolk based Stratton Motor Company. Ordered with the Premium Sound system it was delivered in metallic silver with blue and grey two-tone upholstery with the hood finished in blue mohair.

JCT 600 subsequently looked after the vehicle, the service book showing their stamps at 832, 5,795, 10,564, 13,821 and 18,275 miles. It was then serviced by the works service department at Newport Pagnell in November 2003 at 20,480, JCT 600 again at 24,612 miles in May 2005 and at 26,295 miles by Runnymede who sold the car to the previous owner who added a mere 9,000 miles to its total. A subsequent invoice from Broughtons of Cheltenham attended to a heater at a cost of £832 and a coil pack costing some £2,500 was added in 2010.

The vendor purchased it through Brightwells from a deceased estate around 18 months ago and has greatly enjoyed driving the car, ensuring that it has been kept in fine fettle. Realising that he hasn’t used the car as much as intended, he has reluctantly decided to part with it, the total mileage now reading a shade under 36,500 miles.

MOTd until September 2014 and taxed until the end of June this year, the icing on the already richly decorated cake is the naughty V12 number plate which is included in the sale.