Aston Martin DB7

Aston Martin DB7: generations: what actually changed

Restyling is not a second generation. It is the same 1 generation with a different engine menu and different measured performance on the 420 hp cars.

1 generation (1994–1999) is Cabrio with eight versions: two 3.2 AT (340 hp), two 3.2 MT (340 hp), two 5.9 AT (420 hp / 308 kW) and two 5.9 MT (420 hp / 308 kW). The pairs differ mainly by tank (82 L or 89 L) and, on 3.2 MT, by kerb weight and 0–100.

1 generation, restyling (1999–2003) is still Cabrio, six versions, all 5.9. The 3239 cm³ engine is gone. Two power levels remain: 420 hp / 309 kW (four lines) and 440 hp / 323 kW (two lines). Peak power on the 420 hp restyling engines is listed at 6000 rpm; on the 440 hp pair it is listed at 5000 rpm. Torque moves from 542 Nm to 556 Nm, both at 5000 rpm.

Restyling is not a second generation. It is the same 1 generation with a different engine menu and different measured performance on the 420 hp cars.

Engine specs: 3.2 versus 5.9, 340 versus 420 versus 440

Power per litre (hp ÷ displacement in litres): 3.2 340 hp → 105.0 hp/L. 5.9 420 hp → 70.8 hp/L. 5.9 440 hp → 74.1 hp/L. The Compressor 6-cylinder, Inline engine is the densest powerplant in the set; the 12-cylinder, V-shaped engine with boost No wins on absolute horsepower, not on output per litre.

The step from 3.2 340 hp to 5.9 420 hp is +80 hp and +54 Nm (488 → 542). The restyling step from 420 hp to 440 hp is +20 hp and +14 Nm (542 → 556). Compression ratio is 8.3 on every 3239 cm³ line and 10.3 on every 5935 cm³ line. Bore × stroke is 91 × 83 on every 3.2; on restyling 5.9 it is 89 × 79.5; on 1 generation 5.9 it is not measured.

Injection is Distributed injection (multi-point) on every version. Engine position is Front, longitudinal where measured (all 1 generation 5.9 lines and the restyling 440 hp pair); it is not measured on every 3.2 and on the restyling 420 hp lines.

Performance and mpg: who is actually faster

0–100 km/h, measured

• Slowest measured: 1 generation 3.2 MT 340 hp, 89 L tank — 6.0 s.
• Next: 1 generation 3.2 MT 340 hp, 82 L tank — 5.8 s (0.2 s quicker than the 89 L 3.2 MT).
• Restyling 5.9 MT 420 hp, 82 L — 5.4 s.
• Restyling 5.9 AT 420 hp, 82 L — 5.1 s; restyling 5.9 MT 420 hp, 89 L — 5.1 s.
• 1 generation 5.9 AT and 5.9 MT (both tanks, 420 hp / 308 kW) — 5.0 s.
• Fastest measured: restyling 5.9 AT 440 hp and 5.9 MT 440 hp — 4.9 s.

Not measured: both 3.2 AT lines (82 L and 89 L); restyling 5.9 AT 420 hp with the 89 L tank.

The 440 hp restyling pair is 0.1 s quicker to 100 km/h than 1 generation 420 hp 5.9, 0.5 s quicker than restyling 5.9 MT 420 hp (82 L), and 0.9–1.1 s quicker than the measured 3.2 MT cars.

Top speed, measured

• 1 generation 3.2 MT 82 L: 249 km/h; 89 L: 250 km/h.
• Restyling 5.9 MT 420 hp, 89 L: 265 km/h; restyling 5.9 MT / 5.9 AT 420 hp, 82 L: 266 km/h.
• 1 generation 5.9 AT / 5.9 MT (both tanks) and restyling 5.9 AT / 5.9 MT 440 hp: 298 km/h.

That is +48 km/h from the slower 3.2 MT (249) to 298, and +32 km/h from restyling 420 hp (266) to 440 hp (298). Restyling 420 hp is slower at the top than 1 generation 420 hp (266/265 versus 298). Not measured: both 3.2 AT lines; restyling 5.9 AT 420 hp, 89 L.

Fuel consumption (mpg analogue in L/100 km) Only restyling 5.9 MT 420 hp, 82 L tank has figures: city 20, highway 10, mixed 18.7. Every other version: not measured. CO2: not measured on all 14. Eco class: not measured on all 14. Tank range arithmetic is only possible on that one mixed figure: 82 L ÷ 18.7 L/100 km ≈ 438 km on mixed. The 89 L tank is +7 L; without a consumption number it does not yield a range.

Dimensions, weight, clearance, wheels

Kerb weight, measured

• Heaviest: restyling 5.9 MT 420 hp, 82 L — 1875 kg.
• 1 generation 3.2 MT 82 L — 1850 kg.
• 1 generation 5.9 AT / 5.9 MT (both tanks), restyling 5.9 MT 420 hp 89 L, restyling 5.9 AT 440 hp, restyling 5.9 MT 440 hp — 1780 kg.
• Lightest measured: 1 generation 3.2 MT 89 L — 1775 kg.

Not measured: both 3.2 AT lines; restyling 5.9 AT 420 hp (both tanks).

kg per hp (kerb ÷ hp, where both exist): 3.2 MT 82 L 1850/340 = 5.44 kg/hp; 3.2 MT 89 L 1775/340 = 5.22 kg/hp; restyling 5.9 MT 420 hp 82 L 1875/420 = 4.46 kg/hp; 1780/420 = 4.24 kg/hp; 1780/440 = 4.05 kg/hp. The 440 hp restyling pair is the lightest per horsepower in the catalogue.

Gross weight: 1 generation 5.9 lines 2150 kg; restyling 5.9 MT 420 hp 82 L and restyling 5.9 AT 420 hp 82 L 2100 kg; restyling 440 hp pair 2400 kg. Not measured: all 3.2 lines; restyling 5.9 AT 420 hp 89 L; restyling 5.9 MT 420 hp 89 L.

Ground clearance is a clean two-bucket split: 152 mm on every 3.2 and on restyling 420 hp (all four); 120 mm on every 1 generation 5.9 and on both restyling 440 hp cars. Difference: 32 mm. The 440 hp restyling pair also lists Front, longitudinal engine placement, matching 1 generation 5.9.

Wheels: not measured on all eight 1 generation versions. Restyling 420 hp 82 L (5.9 MT and 5.9 AT): 245/45 R18 and 265/35 R18. Restyling 420 hp 89 L and both 440 hp lines: 245/40 R18 and 265/35 R18. Front tyre section width is the same 245; profile is 45 versus 40.

Brakes: 1 generation uses Ventilated disc front and Disc rear. Restyling 420 hp 82 L uses Disc front and Disc ventilated rear. Restyling 420 hp 89 L and both 440 hp lines use Disc front and Disc rear.

Suspension is Independent, spring front and rear on every version.

Which version to choose

Choose 1 generation 3.2 if the Compressor 6-cylinder, Inline is the point. 3.2 MT 340 hp, 82 L is the only 3.2 with both 0–100 (5.8 s) and top speed (249 km/h) plus kerb 1850 kg. 3.2 MT 340 hp, 89 L is 75 kg lighter (1775 kg), 0.2 s slower to 100 km/h (6.0 s), 1 km/h faster on top (250 km/h), and carries 7 L more fuel. Both 3.2 AT 340 hp lines (82 L and 89 L) use Automatic 4; 0–100, top speed, kerb, gross and wheels are not measured on either. They share 152 mm clearance, 488 Nm at 3000 rpm, and Compressor boost. Fuel grade is not measured on all four 3.2 versions.

Choose 1 generation 5.9 420 hp / 308 kW if you want 298 km/h and 5.0 s without waiting for the restyling 440 hp cars. 5.9 AT and 5.9 MT are identical on power, torque, 0–100, top speed, kerb 1780 kg, gross 2150 kg and clearance 120 mm. The gearbox is the fork: Automatic 5 versus Manual 6. Tank 82 L versus 89 L does not change those measured performance numbers in this generation. Wheels: not measured. Bore × stroke: not measured.

Do not assume restyling 420 hp is quicker than 1 generation 420 hp. Restyling 5.9 MT 420 hp, 82 L is 5.4 s and 266 km/h at 1875 kg — 0.4 s slower and 32 km/h slower than 1 generation 5.9 MT 420 hp at 1780 kg, and 95 kg heavier. Restyling 5.9 AT 420 hp, 82 L matches 5.1 s / 266 km/h; still 32 km/h short of 1 generation’s 298 km/h. Restyling 5.9 MT 420 hp, 89 L is 5.1 s / 265 km/h at 1780 kg — same kerb as 1 generation 5.9, still 33 km/h slower on top. Restyling 5.9 AT 420 hp, 89 L: 0–100, top speed, kerb and gross all not measured.

Choose restyling 5.9 440 hp if the catalogue maximum is the criterion. 5.9 AT 440 hp and 5.9 MT 440 hp share 440 hp / 323 kW at 5000 rpm, 556 Nm, 4.9 s, 298 km/h, kerb 1780 kg, gross 2400 kg, tank 89 L, clearance 120 mm, Front, longitudinal, 245/40 R18 and 265/35 R18. Versus restyling 420 hp they add 20 hp and 14 Nm, cut 0.2–0.5 s off 0–100 where both are measured, and restore 298 km/h. Versus 1 generation 420 hp they match 298 km/h, improve 0–100 by 0.1 s, add 20 hp, and raise gross from 2150 kg to 2400 kg (+250 kg). kg/hp improves from 4.24 to 4.05. Fuel consumption on both 440 hp lines: not measured.

Manual versus Automatic, same engine. On 1 generation 5.9, Manual 6 and Automatic 5 share 5.0 s and 298 km/h. On restyling 440 hp they share 4.9 s and 298 km/h. On restyling 420 hp, 82 L, Automatic 5.9 AT is 0.3 s quicker than Manual 5.9 MT (5.1 versus 5.4) at the same 266 km/h; kerb is not measured on that Automatic. On 3.2, only Manual has a measured sprint; Automatic is not measured.

82 L versus 89 L. Same engines, +7 L. On 1 generation 3.2 MT the 89 L car is the lighter, slightly slower 0–100 car. On 1 generation 5.9 the tank change does not move 5.0 s / 298 km/h / 1780 kg. On restyling 420 hp the 82 L 5.9 MT is the only mpg data point and the heaviest kerb (1875 kg); the 89 L 5.9 MT is 95 kg lighter with a 5.1 s / 265 km/h sprint.

Problems and reliability are not measured in this dataset. Eco class and CO2 are not measured. Prices are not in the data.

Short map. Want Compressor, 6, Inline, 105.0 hp/L: 3.2 MT (pick 82 L for 5.8 s, 89 L for 1775 kg). Want 298 km/h at 420 hp with 1 generation numbers: 5.9 MT or 5.9 AT 420 hp / 308 kW. Want the only city/highway/mixed figures: restyling 5.9 MT 420 hp, 82 L (20 / 10 / 18.7). Want peak hp, peak torque, lowest kg/hp and tied-best 4.9 s: restyling 5.9 MT 440 hp or 5.9 AT 440 hp.