New DB5 has the Midas touch

Aston Martin is a marque that has a special place in many enthusiasts' hearts. The company has a long history producing cars, dating back to the pre-war era, and is known for its quality, stylish, fast cars. Of course, for many, it's also the iconic James Bond car, and that's where we hand over to Aston Martin to tell you about a very special DB5 …

MAKING HISTORY: THE FIRST NEW DB5 IN MORE THAN 50 YEARS ROLLS OFF THE LINE AS INAUGURAL ASTON MARTIN DB5 GOLDFINGER CONTINUATION CAR IS COMPLETED

‘Job 1’ customer car is completed on schedule as DB5 Goldfinger Continuation production gets into full swing at Aston Martin Works 

The first in a strictly limited run of 25 customer cars is finished after around 4,500 hours of meticulous construction 

In association with EON Productions the new car features a broad selection of working gadgets familiar from the classic James Bond film, Goldfinger

6 July 2020, Newport Pagnell, UK

Many of the UK’s most talented craftspeople and engineers put the finishing touches to the first in a new but very familiar series of Aston Martin sports cars, as the first customer car in the DB5 Goldfinger Continuation programme left the production line last week.

The ‘Job 1’ DB5 represents not only another significant design and engineering success, but also becomes the first new DB5 to be built by Aston Martin in more than half a century as the British luxury sports car maker’s Continuation programme once again makes history.

Dubbed ‘the most famous car in the world’ and renowned as being among the most desirable and sought-after classic Aston Martin models, the DB5 has become a byword for timeless style and sports car desirability. Fewer than 900 saloon examples were built between 1963 and 1965, with by far the most famous of the original owners being the world’s best-known secret agent – James Bond – who first drove the car that is today inextricably linked with him in the 1964 film, Goldfinger.

Now, 55 years after the last new DB5 rolled elegantly off the production line at Aston Martin’s then global manufacturing base in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, work is ongoing there on a strictly limited number of new DB5 models.

Created in association with Bond filmmaker EON Productions, and featuring a broad suite of working gadgets first seen in the film, the Aston Martin DB5 Goldfinger Continuation cars really are history in the making. The new cars include an array of functioning devices created by Bond film special effects supervisor Chris Corbould OBE.

The list of Bond-inspired gadgets includes:

Exterior:

• Rear smoke screen delivery system

• Rear simulated oil slick delivery system

• Revolving number plates front and rear (triple plates)

• Simulated twin front machine guns

• Bullet resistant rear shield

• Battering rams front and rear

• Simulated tyre slasher

• Removable passenger seat roof panel (optional equipment)

 

Interior:

• Simulated radar screen tracker map

• Telephone in driver’s door

• Gear knob actuator button

• Armrest and centre console-mounted switchgear

• Under-seat hidden weapons/storage tray

• Remote control for gadget activation

Each of the 25 new cars are meticulously detailed authentic reproductions of the DB5 seen on screen, with some sympathetic modifications and enhancements to ensure the highest levels of build quality and reliability. All the Goldfinger edition cars are being built to one exterior colour specification – Silver Birch paint – just like the original.

The cars feature original DB5 styled aluminium exterior body panels cloaking an authentic DB5 mild steel chassis structure. Under the bonnet there’s a 4.0-litre naturally aspirated inline six-cylinder engine with a six-plug head, three SU carburettors and oil cooler, that’s capable of generating in the order of 290 bhp. This is mated to a five-speed ZF manual transmission in the rear-wheel drive DB5, which also features a mechanical limited slip differential.

Servo-assisted hydraulic Girling-type steel disc brakes, rack and pinion steering – which does not feature assistance – and a suspension set-up comprising coil over spring and damper units with anti-roll bar at the front, and a live axle rear suspension with radius arms and Watt’s linkage, complete the dynamic package.

Scores of world-class Aston Martin craftsmen and women, technicians, development engineers and designers have been involved in the project, working carefully with a suite of handpicked suppliers from across the world and ensuring that each new DB5 matches not only the aspirations of its owner, but also the duty to the brand’s proud 107-year heritage. 

Marek Reichman, Chief Creative Officer of Aston Martin Lagonda, said: “The DB5 is, without question, the most famous car in the world by virtue of its 50-plus year association with James Bond. To see, the first customer car finished, and realise that this is the first new DB5 we have built in more than half a century, really is quite a moment.

“It is a genuine privilege, and significant responsibility, to have been involved in the shaping of this new DB5 and to be helping to lead the creation of new versions of this automotive icon. I’m absolutely certain that the 25 lucky owners who are beginning to take delivery of these cars will be thrilled with them.”

First deliveries of the DB5 Goldfinger Continuation to customers have commenced and will continue through the second half of 2020. 

Great Scott! Look at our new release!

We have a number of new Essential Buyer's Guides out this month, including the Range Rover First Generation, Mercedes Benz W123 and Mercedes Benz 190, but one in particular can be linked to an iconic movie ... 

Of course, I'm talking about the DeLorean DMC-12! The only model ever made by the DeLorean company, roughly 9000 DMC-12s were manufacturered between 1981 and 1983. Featuring a number of unusual construction details, such as gull-wing doors, a rear-mounted engine and unpainted, stainless-steel body panels, this car, though made in Ireland, was intended primarily for the US car market – though a small number were later converted post-production to be right-hand-drive, so they could be sold in other parts of the world. 

As of 2007, there were thought to be around 6500 left, and if you fancy trying to obtain one for yourself, Chris Williams' Essential Buyer's Guide is the perfect tool to help you get the best possible DMC-12 for the best possible price! Packed with good advice on everything you need to know when purchasing a second-hand DeLorean, from running costs, paperwork, vital statistics and valuation, to information on the DeLorean community, this is the complete guide to choosing, assessing, and buying the DeLorean of your dreams. 

"The way I see it, if you're going to build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some style?" – Doc Brown, Back To The Future, 1985.

Now, I may not have grown up in the '80s, but I love the Back To The Future film series! Though their prediction of the year 2015 wasn't exactly what we experienced, these films are still classics, and that is in part down to the futuristic car that made time travel possible!

As the most anticipated car of the decade, the DeLorean was gaining a lot of media attention, and teamed with its sleek, futuristic silver look, it seemed the obvious choice for Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale to have the car as the star in their time travel film.

Three models were purchased for modification, for each film in the trilogy, with a complete fibreglass replica being built for the flying scenes in Back To The Future Part II. Of these nine in total, only three survive: the original one can be seen at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angles, California; the remaining two are owned by Universal Studios, with one on display in their Islands of Adventure theme park in Orlando, Florida.

Now, I've got a couple of behind-the-scenes mechanical facts about these iconic cars. The DeLoreans used in filming retained their original V6 engines, however the sound effects artists changed the sound in post-production to the sound of a Porsche 928 V8 engine. For the American West scenes seen in Back To The Future Part III, two DeLoreans were fitted with a special dune buggy chassis, and high performance Volkswagen engines, in order to help the cars navigate the Western terrain with ease.

Whether you want to fulfil your dream of owning a time machine – in style, not in essence! – or you just always fancied owning a rare and iconic car, then you need to get a copy of Chris Williams' guide to help you find the right DeLorean! This book, and many other Essential Buyer's Guides, are available to buy from our online store now. – Siân