We last talked a few times about 're-creation, replicas and kitcars. Because when is what now what, and how 'Real' is it or is it not? And what do you do with a Jaguar that doesn't make it, but that became the most successful Aston Martin of all time?
It was a gift, but it worked out really well for Aston Martin
Success is success, as long as it is with a subordinate child. Because actually the Aston Martin DB7 was nothing more than an abandoned Jaguar. From the Jaguar that should have succeeded the XJS after two decades of production. But in that concept, a V8 was preferred over the traditional six-in-line.
The Aston Martin DB7 should have been a Jaguar
But that XJ41 project died a rock's death because it was replaced by the Jaguar XK8 with its V8. The origin of the new Aston Martin was therefore clear. He had - as was the case with an Aston Martin - a six-in-line engine. But it came from Jaguar (and was less brutal than the real Aston Martin zespitters).
The DB7 was highly praised in Top Gear
"Perhaps this is the most beautiful car ever made in England," said the always objective Jeremy Clarkson. Even the makeover from the E-type nose to the typical Aston Martin grille was seen as a genius. And that the exterior mirrors were borrowed from the Citroën CX and that the rear lights were made at the local Mazda 323F dealer? The door handles were those of the Mazda MX5, the knobs of the electric windows were once made for Ford's Mondeo. But those were all things that small-scale manufacturers simply had to do in order to keep the costs under control.
The interior did not save on wood and leather. The dashboard was inspired by that of the XJ40, the steering wheel came from the X300. And the fact that hand-held copies could not be changed when the gearbox was in fifth gear? Oh well: changing tires is something you just do while standing still.
Oh yes: he had a compressor, a supercharger
The pleasant driving and with almost perfect handling blessed Aston Martin DB7 felt quietly ridden highly civilized. But when the gas got kicked and the compressor came in, some 340 horses were unleashed and the horizon came very quickly closer. For purists, the six-cylinder - actually a Jaguar XJ-R A6 block of 3,2 liter that was tuned by Ton Walkinshaw - was a much more real engine than a V12. A bit of a shame was that Aston Martin used its own automatic transmission for the DB7. The machine bins of - the cheaper - Jaguars were a lot more awake.
The DB7 opened a new market for Aston Martin
With its luxurious interior, its beautiful lines and its blown six-cylinder engine, it is therefore a fantastic car. The car is a British icon from the nineties. And now the DB7 is still affordable. And whether it can be used? There is still enough driving around to prove that.
