2019 marks 25 years since the first Aston Martin DB7 rolled off the production line and, to honor this stunning grand tourer, a DB7 celebration event will be held on 1 September at Stowe House, Buckinghamshire, UK. A record number of DB7s will be in attendance including some very special limited-edition models, prototypes and the one-off Italdesign Twenty Twenty concept car. Unveiled by Italdesign at the 2002 Geneva Motor Show, it used the running gear of a V12 DB7 and featured an exposed aluminum space frame. The interior is also completely bespoke and is finished in a mix of aluminum and butterscotch-colored leather.
Other notable cars on display will be the Project NPX and TWR V12 prototypes as well as the limited-run Zagato coupe and AR1 roadster. With DB7 production spanning an entire decade over which almost 7000 cars were built, it was instrumental in saving Aston Martin from bankruptcy, and various updates and improvements over the years kept it competitive with rivals until the DB9 was revealed in 2004. Initially available with a supercharged 3.2-liter inline-six producing 335hp, later variants were offered with a naturally aspirated 5.9-liter V12 making up to 429hp in Vantage guise.
Despite having to share a number of components from the Ford parts bin, tireless development meant that the DB7 still felt special to drive and the Ian Callum designed body is still arguably one of the most stunning of any modern sports car. The DB7’s timeless silhouette can still be seen in contemporary Astons today and it has become a true modern classic.
The DB7 Celebration event is jointly organized by the Aston Martin Owners Club and the Aston Martin Heritage Trust and is supported by Aston Martin Works. You don’t need to own a DB7 to attend and you can visit their website for further information.
Images courtesy of Italdesign, John Warden Photography and Aston Martin
