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Originally available with a 6 cylinder supercharged engine, the Aston Martin DB7 received significant engineering enhancements in 1999 with the introduction of the Aston Martin DB7 Vantage - the first Aston Martin to use a V12 engine. Launched in 1993, the DB7 has been the backbone of the company. Its international success has meant that it has become the most successful Aston Martin model of all time - exceeding the combined production of the classic Aston Martin DB4, Aston Martin DB5 and Aston Martin DB6. Since 1914, Aston Martin has built just over 22,000 models - 7000 of which are DB7's - proving how important the model has been in providing continued growth to the company. Regarded by many as one of the world's most beautiful cars, the Aston Martin DB7 received many subtle but effective changes over its 10 year life to complement the elegant, yet classic body design which, since 1993 has epitomised the pedigree, heritage and tradition of Aston Martin. The introduction of the Aston Martin DB7 Vantage was the direct result of a concentrated 24 months design and development programme, which included a complete appraisal of all aspects of the design and the dynamics of the Aston Martin DB7. Customer reaction was phenomenal. In 2001, annual worldwide sales of the DB7 totalled 1339, an increase of nearly 50% from 1999. The painstaking and exhaustive programme included a complete appraisal of all aspects of the design and the dynamics of the Aston Martin DB7. More than 500,000 test miles were covered in temperatures ranging from -30°C to +45°C in Europe and North America including an accelerated high speed durability test of 48 hours continuous running at 165mph (266km/h) in Southern Europe in mid-summer temperatures. In Britain a series of pre-production models of the Aston Martin DB7 Vantage were subjected to continuous 30 day accelerated durability tests at the Motor Industry Research Association's Proving Ground - each equivalent to 100,000 miles of regular driving. Halting only for refuelling and routine analysis the V12 multiple coupes and Aston Martin DB7 Vantage Volante convertibles were driven day and night at a range of speeds from one to 140mph. The test cycles included regular passage through mud and salt baths, driving deliberately into traffic island kerbstones at 50mph and a series of fierce stop-start acceleration and brake tests. Body chassis components were tested to the limit over corrugated and ladder frame surfaces and specially engineered tracks littered with pot holes and strategically placed concrete blocks. By the end of 2002, total production of the Aston Martin DB7 Vantage stood at c.4100, over 50% of total DB7 sales.