Aston Martin DB7 V12 Vantage Volante

"Short of rowing for Oxford at the Henley Regatta with a double Tanqueray and tonic balanced on your knee, there are few experiences more acutely British than climbing into an Aston Martin DB7." As Car and Driver reported in September 1996, 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 made 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.

First registered in September 2002, this particular Vantage Volante Automatic convertible has covered only 26,000 miles from new in the hands of just three owners. The car is in superb condition throughout with virtually unmarked Mendip Blue paintwork and a lovely cream hide interior piped in blue.

Supplied new by Stratstone of London, it comes with a full main dealer service history comprising seven stamps to date, the last service being carried out at the Aston Martin Works in Newport Pagnell in February 2011 less than 4,000 miles ago. In addition the car was fitted with 12 new coil packs and plugs by HMW Aston Martin, Surrey, just 1,500 miles ago.

The car is said to drive beautifully and certainly went exceptionally well when we were treated to a short test drive, the engine feeling immensely eager and powerful and sounding absolutely fabulous! It comes with all its original handbooks plus all the old MOTs to verify the mileage and is currently MOTd until February 2013. Altogether a superb example that is just begging to be driven to the sunny South of France.