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| Aston Martin DB5
(for 007 Goldfinger & Thunderball) (1963
- 1965) |
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When Ian Fleming wrote
the James Bond Book, Goldfinger, in 1959, he put the hero in the driving seat
of a DB Mark III. But by 1963, when the film version was in pre-production,
the Mark III had been replaced by the DB4 and a new car, the DB5, was about to
be introduced. Eon productions approached AML for a car - and eventually,
after much persuasion, AML eventually
offered the prototype DB5 (DP216/1) as an 'effects' car and a similar production
car for driving sequences (DB5/1486/R) - and thus was created the most
famous car in the world. The association between Aston Martin and James Bond
has lasted almost 50 years and is considered the most successful example of
product placement ever. |
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The Silver
Birch DB5 was crammed full of secret gadgets - many of which are
total fiction, whereas some have become commonplace in modern cars.
Modifications to the DB5 for the film were...........
- Front and rear extending over-rider rams
- Front firing .30 calibre Browning Machine machine guns behind the front indicators
- Retractable tyre slashers (three eared spinners)
- Retractable rear bullet proof screen
- Radio telephone concealed in secret door compartment
- Radar scanner in racing type wing mirror, tracking screen in the cockpit
- Passenger ejector seat - roof panel jettisoned just before the seat is
fired
- Oil slick ejector from nearside rear light cluster
- Triple spiked nails (calthrops) from the offside rear light cluster
- Cartridge for smoke screen released through the exhaust pipes
- Revolving number plates (BMT216A - UK, 4711-EA-62 - France and LU6789
- Switzerland)
- Armaments drawer under front driver seat
- Bullet-proof front and rear screens
Initially, the effects car, DP216/1 was the only car with the extras fitted
by the film production company, DB5/1486/R was in effect just a standard road
car used for much of the driving sequences. But such was the demand for the 007
car to appear around the world to publicise
the films, the road car, DB5/1486/R and a further two cars that never appeared
in the films, DB5/2008/R and DB5/2017/R, had the 007 extras fitted by the Aston
Martin Works. |
Above, one of the two works replicas not actually used in the
filming of a Bond Film from the Louwman collection |
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Some detail shots of the Goldfinger road car taken during the RM
London auction in 2010 |
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Both Goldfinger DB5's also appeared in the 1965 James Bond film, Thunderball,
with the addition of a Jet pack in the boot and rear firing water cannons. By
1968, the full effects car, DP216/1 still owned by AML, was returned to the Works and all the film
company fitted special effects were removed prior to sale as a normal road car.
Shortly after this DP216/1 was then refitted with replica effects by a Kent coachbuilder
before being sold to an American collector. The original effects car, DP216/1, was stolen in
June 1997 from a hanger in Florida and it's whereabouts remain unknown.
It may never be seen again.
The other three Works modified DB5's still exist but two are rarely seen in public.
The road car, DB5/1486/R was privately owned in the USA by a collector from 1968
through to 2010, when it was sold at the RM sale in London for £2.6 million
(pictured here) - to
another US collector. DB5/2008/R was for many years on
display in the Smoky Mountain Car Museum but was offered for sale by RM auctions in January 2006
where it achieved a price of just over $2 million. And the last works replica, DB5/2017/R is part of the Dutch
National Motor Museum, the Louwman Collection, which I have
photographed both in its home and at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in August 2007. |
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Detailed pictures of the AM Works built 007 replica from the Louwman
Collection during Pebble Beach 2007 |
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In writing this web page I have made great use of
the book 'The Most Famous Car in the World' by Dave Worrall, the complete
history of the James Bond Aston Martin DB5 which I can highly recommend. |
DB5 Saloon |
DB5 007
Goldeneye  |
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