Although a heavy car, tipping the scales at 2050kg empty, the car is capable of a maximum speed in excess of 150mph, with 60mph coming from rest in 6.5 seconds. Power is provided by a 354 bhp V8 engine, still displacing 5340cc and virtually identical to that used in the V8 Coupe. It was only ever available with automatic transmission, a four speed version of the classic Chrysler Torqueflite with a lock-up torque converter and switchable sport mode.

The elegant LWB Volante is far roomier for rear seat passengers with an additional 200mm of leg room over the Virage Volante 2+2. This makes it an ideal Aston for families as average sized people can be very comfortable in the back. The extra leg room and additional luggage capacity has been achieved by increasing the wheelbase by 200mm. The interior of this most elegant of coachbuilt Astons, as ever, is a symphony of Connolly leather, walnut veneer, wall to wall Wilton and cold chrome details. Thinking about it, the long chassis is the last Aston ever to feature masses of polished walnut veneer. The shape of the instrument panel became more rounded over the centre console; it was similar to the in overall shape, but with the incidental dials arraigned in a 2 + 2 fashion. Also two DIN slots were provided for a tape player linked to a CD multi-changer hidden in the dashboard and also an optional sat-nav system with flip out screen.

The double lined roof was of course fully electric and operated completely automatically with no levers or catches to unfasten. When folded, it stands quite proud of the boot lid and can be covered by a leather tonneau cover.

Below is the LWB V8 Volante that has been owned from new by HRH, Prince Andrew, Duke of York. It was one of two Royal Aston Martins shown at the 2013 Centenary Celebration ay Kensington Palace.

A long chassis version of the Volante had been considered at the factory as far back as 1992. On a visit to the Aston Martin Heritage Trust archive, I discovered a drawing of a long chassis Virage Volante that was considered but never produced.

The UK list price without extras but including VAT was a huge £169,500 without extras. With such a high price it’s not surprising that a mere 63 examples were constructed, most were sold outside of the UK even though the car was never marketed in North America. With more passenger space and a substantial boot, the LWB has a reputation as a genuinely practical continental touring car.

Cars such as the long chassis Volante will never be built again by Aston Martin. A very rare and desirable car which is gaining in popularity by collectors and enthusiasts.

The Aston Martin register believes that 6 complete Fully Engineered Vehicles (FEV) Volantes were built, but for some reason, not all were destroyed and they were retained within Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR) for internal use.  TWR of course were responsible for engineering both the coupe and Volante versions of the DB7 i6.

The images on this page show the final prototype Volante, FEV06 and were provided by the owner. The car, originally owned by TWR was sold off in 2001, perhaps in an attempt to raise cash, before TWR eventually went bankrupt in 2002. It is of course highly unusual for a prototype car to have survived and enter private ownership as they are almost always destroyed after they have fulfilled their useful lives. Also I have it on good authority that the other earlier Volante FEV’s were sold off by TWR and these are easily distinguished by their pre-air bagged steering wheels and ‘tombstone’ seat backs; as yet these have not been tracked down.

The car featured here is now in a wonderful collection of unusual Aston Martins in the Netherlands that I hope to visit sometime soon.

One such early factory development vehicle was a unique sight at AMOC race meetings during the early 2000’s; raced by Ronnie Farmer and modified and prepared by Aston Engineering of Derby. Whilst it runs in the mildly modified class, the aggressive front aerofoil is anything but mild. In addition to the factory developed DB7 GT, this is the only other DB7 that I have ever seen actively on the race track.

This impressive car secured it’s first outright victory at the AMOC Mallory Park meeting during 2001.

A second car has been owned by Geoffrey Marsh, well known in AMOC Racing circles, the car has never been fully developed due to owning a similar DB7 V12 race car. It has a much strengthened RML bodyshell, roll cage, improved suspension and a 6 cylinder engine developed by Aston Engineering of Derby. The car was offered with an un-numbered i6 body shell at the 2015 Bonhams Aston Matin Works auction.

Designed by Ian Callum at the same time as he designed the coupe, the Volante looks elegant both hood up or down, much like the earlier Aston Martin drop head cars. Underneath the sleek and perfectly proportioned thoroughbred, lies additional strengthening to offset the lack of the roof, especially around the windscreen, to provide a degree of rollover protection. Another invisible change to the Volante was softer suspension settings, more suited to to the touring image but also to compensate for the reduction in rigidity over the coupe. Less well known was that the series 2 coupe also adopted the softer Volante suspension. Thus, to some driving enthusiasts, the later non-air bagged coupes are thought to be the most desirable of the six cylinder DB7’s.

As one might expect, the roof is fully tailored and electrically operated but sadly it sits rather proud of the boot. The typically English ambience is achieved by sumptuous Connolly hide, restrained amounts of burr walnut veneer (oak, elm and maple were also available) and deep pile Wilton carpets. This interior shot below illustrates the airbag equipped steering wheel fitted to all 1996MY and after Coupes and Volantes. Total DB7 i6 Volante production only reached 879 before the model was replaced by the DB7 V12 Vantage Volante.

• Air louvers set into twin ‘Zagato style’ bonnet bulges
• Window quarters and scuttle panel painted body colour
• Black ‘Le Mans’ style mesh grille with bright surround
• Speedline Aliseo split rim wheels with body coloured centres (also Mistral available)
• Yellow nose cone and fine coachline
• Sports exhaust system
• White instrument dials with GTS logo and a wood rimmed steering wheel (half wood on airbag wheels)
• Yellow edged overmats
• Additional wood veneers around the instruments plus a Garrard Swiss analogue clock

The GTS was superseded by the revised GTS II in 1998. By 2016, over 50 DB7’s, both i6 and V12 have been modified to either GTS or GTS II spec according to the Chiltern Aston website.

Interestingly, the colour combination often seen in GTS cars was replicated on the works team DBR9, the N430 and has now become the signature colour scheme for the AMR cars.

A larger intercooler for the supercharger was also available letting the engine breathe denser air – together with a free-flowing exhaust manifold increased power by upto 50 bhp, giving as potential 385 bhp. Cars with such aftermarket enhancements are also known as ‘Works Prepared’ and often feature the addition of the green ‘Works Prepared’ badge, although the modifications were also available from official AM dealers worldwide (where such after market modifications are allowed of course).

The upgrade wasn’t a cheap option. The most desirable upgrade was the package of the suspension, brakes and wheel cost £14,000 including VAT. The ‘Visual Dynamics’ bodywork enhancement on its own was £3600. The invoice for a DB7i6 with the whole package of suspension, brakes, wheels, bodykit, boot spoiler, traction control and performance exhaust would have been in excess of £24,000.

The exceptional DB7 below without the additional bodywork was used by Works Service to showcase a number of works prepared enhancements available aftermarket. Finished in Cognac, the car features Sports exhausts, round supercharged Vantage rear lamps with revised bumper, plus numerous performance modifications. The Visual Dynamics package was later made available on the V12 powered DB7 Vantage. Whilst the round rear lights were popular, these later cars are rarely seen with the bodykit.

The exterior was painted in an exclusive platinum metallic, known as Dunhill Silver; the interior was in a contrasting Charcoal Connolly hide piped in Silver Grey. In addition, the traditional Aston Martin walnut veneers were replaced with attractive brushed aluminium panels. Design features from Dunhill products were incorporated in the door handles, surround for the boot release, white faced instruments and the gear lever. The design of the wheel centres was even based on that of the Dunhill Millennium Watch and is perhaps the easiest way to identify a Dunhill……unless after market wheels have been fitted.

The press releases from June 1997 clearly stated that the car was ‘A unique model and not for sale’ but potential buyers must have made a little fuss as by December 1997, it was announced that the production and sale of upto 150 examples would begin in 1998. The only difference of note from the original car was that a ‘non smoking’ version was also offered where the humidor was replaced by a Dunhill grooming kit.

Although the car was only initially offered in coupe form, a Volante version was also made available. Despite the projected build of 150 examples, I believe a mere 78 cars (coupe and Volante) were actually produced before the i6 DB7 was retired and replaced by the V12 Vantage. Most were supplied with automatic transmission making the manual Dunhill most desirable.

One of the cars featured here was photographed at Aston Sales Kensington in March 2008. The wheels are the optional Saturn Plus by OZ (as used on the V8 Coupe/V8 Volante); the badge on the mesh grille is I believe an after market addition.

Another particular Dunhill DB7 (seen below) is possibly the most expensive i6 DB7 ever specified. The total cost of the car in 1999 was almost £120,000 as it features the full Works Service Driving Dynamics package including bodykit and GT wheels. I believe that this particular car was ordered new by Arsenal football legend Ian Wright.

For more information about the products of Alfred Dunhill, try their website, Dunhill.com.