At the time of the DB5’s debut in 1963, Aston Martin was a major force in sports car racing, having won the 1959 Le Mans 24 Hours with the DB1. Some consider the DB5 to be the most gorgeous Aston Martin ever made, and it has many similarities with the DB4. The DB5 was built by Carozzeria Touring Superleggera of Milan, the same as the DB4. All the cars had two doors and a 2+2 layout.
Under the hood, however, was where the most significant changes to the DB5 happened. The adoption of a ZF five-speed transmission with full synchromesh was also important. When the automobile was first released in 1963, the extended hood and surrounded headlights behind clear glass were a rarity. The carefully chosen parts gave the car a timeless look that few other car companies of the time could match.
James Bond’s DB5 is often referred to as the world’s most renowned car, and it has become many people’s dream car. The DB5’s interior was elegant, and the instrument panel resembled that of a plane. Everything a driver needed to know about the car’s engine was shown on seven dials. The center of the dash was home to an extra clock.
Aston Martin DB5 Was Equipped With A Larger Engine
By extending the bore to 96 mm, the engine’s displacement was increased from 3.7 liters to 4 liters. The powerplant was an inline-six with three carburetors that put out 286 horsepower at 5500 rpm and 287 lb-ft of torque at 3850 rpm. 0-60 mph took 8.10 seconds with this engine, and the top speed was 142 mph.
Initially, the cars came equipped with a four-speed manual transmission, but a five-speed was added later. Optionally available was a 3-speed automatic transmission. In comparison to the DB4, the chassis received 15-inch wheels and Girling disc brakes, which had previously only been installed on the DB4 GT. Power windows and twin hydraulic braking servos were among several other enhancements.
To improve performance, a DB5 Vantage was available with three Weber carburetors and camshafts. There was also a convertible model that could be outfitted with a steel hardtop. Only a few Aston Martin DB5s were manufactured as shooting brakes. The coachbuilder Harold Radford interpreted these as modern estate automobiles from the perspective of a sportsman.
Aston Martin DB5 Is Synonymous With James Bond
James Bond is the world’s most famous secret agent. Fans throughout the world have been enthralled by 007’s feats for decades. In 1964, James Bond drove the legendary Aston Martin DB5 for the first time in Goldfinger. The DB5 sparked a lot of interest, not just because of its classic good looks but also because of the enticing amenities it came equipped with.
Oil spray, bulletproof shield, radar screen, rotating number plates, gun tray under the driver’s seat, tire slashers, and obviously the legendary ejector seat with control button in the gear stick are just a few of the features. He outruns all of his attackers and ultimately foils villain Auric Goldfinger’s intentions in this iconic vehicle.
The vehicle made its debut in EON Productions’ 1964 film Goldfinger and has since shown up in Thunderball (1965), GoldenEye (1995), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), Casino Royale (2006), Skyfall (2012), Spectre (2015), and No Time To Die (2021). The car has also appeared in video games 007 Racing (2000), Agent Under Fire (2001), From Russia with Love (2005), Blood Stone (2010), James Bond: World of Espionage (2015), and the Best of Bond DLC for Forza Horizon 4 (2018).
The movie’s main car was an Aston Martin DB5 prototype, but in stunts it was also driven as a regular car. Following the film’s premiere, two more customized cars were made for publicity trips. In 2006, one of those automobiles was sold for more than $2 million at auction.
Aston Martin DB5’s Value Is Steadily Increasing
Aston Martin released a limited number of 25 DB5 Goldfinger Continuation cars in 2020, which are authentic reproductions of the Goldfinger automobile, complete with functional gadgets. In partnership with EON Productions and James Bond special effects’ maestro Chris Corbould, Aston Martin built the automobiles at its original facility in Newport Agnell. The car is not street legal and costs around $4.4 million.
More than just a marketing tool to attract ardent fans who want to fulfill their James Bond fantasies, Aston Martin sees the Bond connection as something unspeakable. Between 1963 and 1965, only about 900 Aston Martin DB5s were built. These models have always been associated with the legendary spy.
However, it wasn’t until the last two decades that their market value rose as Bond aficionados scooped up the final surviving examples that they really started to appreciate. In the early 2000s, these versions were available for under $100,000. They would definitely surpass the $1 million threshold in 2020. If it’s one of the rare authentic DB5 Bond movie vehicles from the 1960s, the price will increase substantially.
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