Aston Martin DB7 Volante (w/ startup)

A grey 1997 Aston Martin DB7 Volante arriving at and leaving Cars and Coffee at Aston Martin Newport Beach. Introduced at the 1993 Geneva Motor Show, the DB7 featured bodywork designed by Ian Callum which was originally intended to be a replacement for the Jaguar XJS. The convertible (Volante) version was introduced at the 1996 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, and both the coupe and Volante were powered by a supercharged 3.2-liter straight-six engine producing 335 horsepower. In 1999, the six-cylinder cars were replaced by the V12-powered DB7 Vantage coupe and Vantage Volante.

There are many reasons you can choose to dislike this car. It shares numerous components with ordinary Ford models but costs a fortune to maintain. The mid-cycle update, the DB7 Vantage, featured drastically improved performance, twice as many cylinders, and a sharper design, instantly making older examples like this essentially obsolete. That's probably why I've only encountered a handful of these pre-Vantage cars. But classic proportions never grow old, and while this DB7 may not have the iconic status of older Aston Martins or turn a lot of heads next to newer and flashier ones, it sure is one heck of a gorgeous car. I haven't seen another pre-Vantage DB7 since then, but I hope this car continues to be kept in good condition and enjoyed regularly by its lucky owner.

Do you think this DB7 will become a collectible classic? Leave a comment on YouTube and let me know!