The achingly pretty Aston Martin DB7 made its official debut at Geneva in 1993 as a spiritual successor to the firm’s iconic six-cylinder models of the 1950s and 1960s, and marked the beginning of a bold new era for the brand. The new car was aimed at a younger audience than its more traditional V-8 machinery. The drophead Volante joined the DB7 range in 1996, while in 1999 the supercharged 335 horsepower straight-six gave way to a 5,935 cc 420 horsepower V-12 in the subtly restyled Vantage. By its own standards, the English marque made the DB7 in significant numbers, with some 7,000 leaving the Bloxham works. However, like its illustrious forebears, the DB4 and V8, the DB7 would also form the basis of an ultra-exclusive masterpiece bodied by Milanese coachbuilder Zagato.

The brainchild of Aston Martin CEO, Ulrich Bez, and his Italian counterpart Andrea Zagato, the car came about as a result of a conversation at the 2001 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. It was subsequently announced at the Geneva Motor Show the following spring. Drawing heavily from the two firms’ rich heritage, the aggressive styling is attributed to Zagato designer, Norihiko Harada, and features bespoke aluminium, steel and composite panels unique to this most desirable of DB7s—including the carrozzeria’s signature “double-bubble” roofline.

Powered by an uprated 435 horsepower V-12, this model features improved brakes and suspension compared to the standard run. Furthermore, a revised 4.09:1 limited-slip differential is fitted while the Zagato is a tauter, more driver-focussed device than the already sublime Vantage. The incredible powerplant allows the car to storm to a whisker short of 300 km/h. Although significantly more orders were received from discerning enthusiasts, production was capped by the manufacturer at a mere 99 cars, of which chassis 700046 is number 46.

As befitting such a high-performance thoroughbred, “046” was delivered new on 2 December 2003 to Swiss racing driver, Marco Vanoli, whose career highlights include a highly respectable 4th at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1979. Finished in grey with classic quilted black leather trim, this magnificent Aston Martin has averaged fewer than 900 km per year, and the service records include stamps from the supplying dealer Stratstone of London, as well as renowned European specialists Emil Frey and Roos Engineering. This stunning machine represents a perhaps unique opportunity to acquire a low-mileage one-owner example of this highly coveted coach-built British GT.