ASTON MARTIN

DB5

The Aston Martin DB5 was released in 1963 as an evolution of the final series of the DB4, its elegant aluminium bodywork built using the Italian Superleggera method licensed from Carrozzeria Touring of Milan. The "DB" badge honoured Sir David Brown, owner of Aston Martin from 1947 to 1972. Built at Newport Pagnell, the Aston Martin DB5 carried a 4.0-litre straight-six fed by three SU carburettors, producing around 282 horsepower and driving through a five-speed ZF gearbox on most cars. The DB5 became a global icon in 1964 when it appeared as James Bond's gadget-laden car in Goldfinger, returning in Thunderball and many later 007 films, which cemented the Aston Martin DB5 as the definitive movie car. Offered mainly as a two-door saloon, the range also included a convertible and a small number of Radford-built shooting brakes, while the DB5 Vantage gained triple Weber carburettors and roughly 325 horsepower. Just 1,059 examples of the Aston Martin DB5 were built before the DB6 arrived in 1965, and surviving cars are now among the most valuable and recognisable British classics ever made.