Aston Martin DB5: The Four-Wheel Legend of the Seventh Art

When you think of the British brand Aston Martin and its most iconic models, the Aston Martin DB5 comes to mind straight away. Considered one of the most beautiful Aston Martins ever created, the DB5 is an iconic car. It has become a legend of the seventh art, thanks to its many cinematic appearances.

The DB5 was created as a coupé and cabriolet, and later as a limited-edition hunting estate by the Italian coachbuilder Carrozzeria Touring. It comes in between the DB4 and the DB6. Furthermore, it became one of the most famous and iconic cars in cinema when it made multiple appearances in the James Bond 007 franchise. It appeared in a total of eight films: Goldfinger (1964), Thunderball (1965), GoldenEye (1995), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), Casino Royale (2006), Skyfall (2012), 007 Spectre (2015), and No time to die (2020).

Aston martin db5

The Aston Martin DB5 was introduced in 1963, but had been in the works for some time before. The DB5 project, organised by the late John Wyer, left the past behind and made a statement about the brand’s new vision. In 1956, despite 114 prototypes already being very advanced, the factory called on Carrozzeria Touring, a master of Italian bodywork, to produce aluminium bodywork using its process of “Superleggera”.

The bodywork was then manufactured under licence in Aston Martin factories under the “Superleggera” name. The main difference between the DB4 and the DB5 is the engine. The latter has a twin-shaft-in-line six cylinder, and has been increased to have a capacity of 4 litres compared to the DB4’s 3.7 litres. This new configuration gives it close to 282 horsepower and 390 Nm, enough to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 8.1 seconds and reach a top speed of 230 km/h.

Aston martin db5

Returning to the 007 franchise, thanks to its appearance In Goldfinger, the DB5 quickly became known as the “James Bond car”. The James Bond DB5 was originally red, but was painted over in “Silver Birch” for more subtlety. For the purposes of the film, it came equipped with a whole range of gadgets.

Furthermore, the DB5 continues to captivate enthusiasts even at the highest levels of British governance. A small-scale model, the size of a pedal car but powered by an electric motor was gifted to Queen Elizabeth II’s children. Owned by Her Majesty, she loaned it to the Toy and Men Exhibition at the Grand Palais in Paris between 2011-2012. In 2020, the same electric scale model called “DB5 Junior” was marketed.