Aston Martin DB5 Goldfinger Continuation.
If you’re a petrolhead who’s also a James Bond fan, you must have quite a few cars on your wish list.
At the top of that list – and many others – is the Aston Martin DB5. It was the first car of many that showcased the fictional British spy’s numerous gadgets. And it instantly became an icon.
Now, 55 years since the last model was produced, a DB5 has once again rolled off the production line. The car is one of 25 that will be made.
NOT JUST A REGULAR DB5
The 25 Aston Martin DB5 models are being made in conjunction with Bond filmmaker EON Productions. Each model will have a suite of Bond-inspired gadgets seen in Goldfinger.
The exterior gadgets are:
- Simulated front machine guns
- A pop-up bullet-resistant rear shield
- Revolving number plates
- Battering rams in the front and rear
- A smokescreen delivery system
- An oil slick delivery system
- Simulated tyre-slashers
- A removable passenger-side roof panel
Inside, customers will get:
- A telephone in the driver’s side door
- A button in the gear knob (supposedly for the ejector seat)
- Remote control for gadget activation
- Simulated radar screen tracker
- Under-seat hidden weapons/storage tray
- Armrest and centre console-mounted switchgear
The carmaker says each of the 25 cars will be a faithful reproduction of the Aston Martin DB5 seen in Goldfinger. In fact, the cars will only be available in Silver Birch – just like the one in the film.
Each vehicle features original DB5 styled aluminium exterior body panels over a mild steel chassis.
OLD-SCHOOL ENGINE
Powering these Aston Martin DB5 models is a naturally aspirated inline-6 with a six-plug head, three SU carburettors and oil cooler. It is capable of 290bhp.
The motor is paired to a 5-speed ZF manual transmission, which also features a mechanical limited slip differential. The brakes are servo-assisted hydraulic Girling-type steel discs.
Interestingly, the rack-and-pinion steering is unassisted. The suspension set-up comprises coil over spring and damper units with an anti-roll bar in front, and a live axle rear suspension with radius arms and Watt’s linkage in the rear.
PRODUCTION
Each of these Aston Martin DB5s takes 4500 hours to produce. Importing one to Singapore is possible – if you’ve reserved one. But registering it? Probably not.
One can only imagine what the Land Transport Authority (LTA) would have to say about the gadgets on this car. We can imagine how the revolving number plates alone would make this Aston Martin DB5 illegal to drive here.
That said, there have been many cars associated with the Bond movies since the film franchise began more than 50 years ago. But none of them arguably have the cachet that the Aston Martin DB5 does.
Read our Aston Martin DBS Superleggera review
or read our Aston Martin DB11 5.2 V12 review
