If not for the DB7, Aston Martin probably would not have made it to the 21st century. Not only did the company survive, the British sports car brand has flourished thanks to the influence of the DB7.

Ford, the new owner of Aston Martin, provided the resources for the company to open a new factory in Bloxham, a small town in Oxfordshire. The Big Three giant shared its manufacturing know-how to properly build a modern car. The DB7’s shape shed its Jaguar roots thanks to then-new designer Ian Callum. With its long hood, sweeping roofline, pert tail, and quintessential grille design, the DB7 looked like nothing other than a proper Aston Martin. It also set the tone for at least the next two decades of Aston Martin’s design.

“The looks make it worth a million,” legendary British motoring journalist Jeremy Clarkson said of the DB7.

Under its dramatic hood initially sat a supercharged version of the Jaguar inline-six, but the DB7 Vantage models that followed about half a decade after the original model, at the 1999 Geneva Motor Show, housed a proper Aston Martin–grade V-12. The 5.9-liter V-12 engine benefitted from Cosworth’s expertise and was rated initially at a thundering 420 horsepower and could vault the car to 60 mph in less than five seconds, topping out at 186 mph. The modern incarnation of Aston Martin also had the style, the handling, and the acceleration to fit its pedigree. In addition to its underhood muscle, the DB7 Vantage had unique exterior mirrors, upsized fog lights integrated into its front bumper, and prominent DB7 Vantage badging on its tail. The inline-six was discontinued not long after the DB7 Vantage hit the road.

The car offered here comes from the final year of DB7 Vantage production and is finished in a delicate Islay Blue over two-tone Dark and Light Grey leather upholstery with Dark Grey piping, Smoke Alcantara headlining, and Grey Carpeting. Additional options include a color keyed steering wheel, as well as carbon-fiber veneer on the dash. The DB7 shows just 3,215 miles and benefits from longtime ownership and regular, extensive servicing.