Some things in the world are synonymous to one another, creating a relationship between what can be organic, and sometimes synthetic in nature. Essential, or otherwise complementary, it can be difficult to imagine one without the other, like having toast with butter, or plants needing water. In the realm of humankind's most famous spy, James Bond can be synonymous with his passion for love, Martinis shaken not stirred, Walther pistols, Omega watches, and well-tailored Saville Row suits.
It's part of his persona, one and the same, developed throughout the fictional backdrop of covert warfare, forged by heroic mettle and the crucible of sacrifice. As such, it becomes hard to picture 007 without those traits in mind, seemingly as if he's lost a part of himself. Similarly, we can't naturally imagine James Bond without piloting an equally elegant, sensual, and sporting set of cars to traverse the world, on the lookout for the next villain.
Credits to: Lou Gunstone - Aston Martin DB5
It's a crucial part of his personification, and with the exception of a few, dull BMWs that became 007's chariot of choice - seemingly as if MI6 ran out of financial and creative budget - there can only be one car to match his endless style - Aston Martin. Ah, I do adore what machinery they create, and having looked into their history, it's fair for me to say that Aston Martin might've closed shop a long time ago had it not been affiliated with the world's foremost intelligence operative.
This brings me onto the subject of the DB5, arguably the most iconic Aston Martin, and the mostly fondly remembered one across fictions stretching back 50 years. This classic Aston has been a staple in the 007 realm, from its first stardom gained in Goldfinger back in 1964, to Daniel Craig's misadventures in the most recent, and upcoming films. A memory that we will forever associate with James Bond, it appears that Aston Martin is helping to keep this memory alive for much longer, and in more ways that reality can perceive.
Shaken, Not Stirred.
Credits to: DB4 GT Lightweight Continuation, and DB4 GT Zagato Continuation | Stunning, aren't they?
After 55 years since it ended production, the DB5 will be brought back to life once more, as an ultra-exclusive production run of just 25 examples. The art of 'continuation' - remaking out-of-production cars on a modern assembly-line for sale - is one that Aston Martin has been getting quite familiar with these days. Not long ago, they've made, and are continuing to make continuation models of the DB4 Lightweight, and the DB4 GT Zagato.
Those other two continuation projects carry with them the aura that made their ancestors great, and that was motorsport. The Lightweights and Zagatos were conceived with great attention to be pure-bred racers from old times past. Minimalist, stripped-out, noisy, and a handful to drive, they were no different from what came before, and they made no excuses for it. The standards that we have for cars since those early days are stark in comparison.
As the DB5 didn't have such a glowing reputation for racing as its predecessors, it'll have to make do with its celebrity status as a movie star, and its continuation will have to follow up that act. In so doing, it has remnants of its MI6 service with it, and nor has it forgone any of Q's modifications. These cars will have those very same, or at least a more civilised version of the weapons and gadgets that James Bond used on the silver screen. With this DB5, you can actually play with the thought of being a Double-O agent.
Credits to: Aston Martin DB5 Goldfinger Continuation | Suit, hair looking good. Primary armaments, front and rear at the ready.
This isn't a car that one might want to tail-gate, as there's a rear smoke-screen and fake oil-slick delivery system, with triple-sided rotating number plates to keep pursuing baddies at bay. In the event that they start shooting, faux twin-machine guns in the front ought to be a good deterrent, while a bullet-resistant pop-up shield on the boot should do well for protecting occupants of your DB5. If all fails and close-quarter-combat might be needed, then battering rams across the front and rear will push them off to the side, as tyre-slashers can puncture and stun their vehicle, while also proving handy at chopping off people's legs.
If you're inclined to remove your annoying passenger from the car forcefully, then there's an optionally-fitted removable roof-panel for the passenger seat. Unfortunately, an ejector seat isn't included, so you'll just have to shove them out yourself. Though at the very least, a threatening stare might deter them enough to shut-up, as there's an ejector-seat actuator on the gear-lever to fondle with. There's also a simulated radar-screen tracker that might not show anything useful to you, though the telephone on the driver's door might prove handy.
Credits to: Making An Icon - Goldfinger DB5 | A better look on how it all should work, once Q's done with it.
Remote controls and additional switches are strewn about to operate the various weaponry that you have onboard, adding a bit of complexity to an otherwise simple interior. Don't tell anyone, but there's also a hidden compartment under the seat to store your weapons, with anything else that you don't want the world to know about. Suffice to say, this isn't a car that you'll want to explain to customs agents, or law-enforcement officers. Though for better or worse, that's a situation that you're not likely to experience - more on that later.
The added MI6-approved paraphernalia has been quite the challenge to put together, as one might imagine. Making sure everything works as intended, Aston Martin acquired the services of Chris Cobauld OBE, who's a special-effects specialist on more than a dozen Bond films. He's also worked on other, more familiar titles like Dark Knight, X-Men, Star Wars VII and VIII, and Inception. It's helpful to have an Academy Award winner on your team.
As They Were In The Old Days.
Credits to: Aston Martin DB5 Goldfinger Continuation | Crafted by hand. You won't have to worry about choosing colours, since there's only one available - Silver Burch.
Regardless, this will all be part of Aston Martin's usually painstaking attention to detail. Unlike their newer crop of cars, the DB5 Continuation will be built at their old Newport-Pagnell factory, which has since been turned into the dwellings of their Works division. Here, the most special cars are built and cared for, where aluminium is individually rolled and beaten, as every single panel is welded by hand.
There's a great deal of empathy and love that's been put to each single vehicle, and nothing is ever rushed. Craft takes time, and every one of the 25 DB5s take no less than 4,500 hours to assemble from start, to finish. Just for context, Toyota takes about 17-18 hours to go from stamping metal sheets, to final inspections, which is about 264x faster to make than a single DB5. Simple as it may be, it's a work of art, and I stand by the fact that the 1950s and 60s were the Golden Age of automotive expression, with the DB5 refining on the design of the lovely DB4 and DB3.
There's not a single bad angle here. It has those signature 50s and 60s tail-fins on the rear, protruding ever so subtly to house the taillights. The swooping bodylines along the front are a black-and-white contrast to the sharpish rear-end, with rounded headlights flanking the trademark Aston Martin front-grille. There are no unnecessary creases, as the only portion to break up the smooth bodywork are the side-vents. Created with a practical purpose to aid airflow and cooling, a chrome strip adds a character that lasts to Astons of today.
Credits to: 1963 Aston Martin DB5, and Aston Martin DB5 Goldfinger Continuation | A look at how the finished car will look like, and the engine bay. You can see the trumpets of the carburettors.
Imagination can only ever be as good as its execution, I always say. With that in mind, Aston Martin hired one of the best designers and builders of the time to aid in the DB5's upbringing- Touring Superleggera. They're a Carrozzeria, or coach-builder with a magic touch, and one that I've written about before. Just as the old DB5, the Continuation cars will be built based on the lightweight and aerodynamic Superleggera patent, with an all-aluminium bodywork, wrapped around a mild-steel chassis.
The rest of the car is similarly old-fashioned and authentic. Under the bonnet, there sits a glorious inline-six engine, with 4.0-litres of natural-aspiration. Instead of using the modern, thus more reliable and efficient fuel-injection system, the Continuations will have ever so characterful carburettors. In fact, there's three of them, and combined with the rest of the engine, it makes a healthy 290hp - a tad more than the original. The power is sent through a ZF 5-speed transmission, and onto the rear-wheels, which itself is fitted with a mechanical limited-slip differential. This ensures that maximum fun can be had while chasing villains, with smoky powerslides at the ready.
A Life Of Fantasy.
Credits to: Quentin Jacquot - Bond, James Bond
Unfortunately, all that's good in life is eventually grounded in reality, and this car has two faults. Firstly, with this being a hand-made, low-volume car conceived with blueprints that are caked with 50-years worth of dust and mould, it's every expensive. Specifically, it's £2.75 million, not to mention the little extras and options that you can get. Secondly, with this 'old' car being made by standards of the 21st-century, it doesn't conform to modern safety and emissions regulations, meaning that none of the DB5 Continuation cars are road-legal.
Some might find that latter fault to be a good thing, as you won't have to worry about being blinded by smoke, or hammered by battering rams as you're approached by one of these. No doubt, it's a crying shame that most people might never get to see one, with these DB5s likely being confined to sitting pretty in a garage, or being taken out on private piece of tarmac. However, the previous DB4 Continuations have never been made road-legal either, yet there have been customers who've made slight modifications to ensure otherwise.
There is hope, and I suppose if you're willing to give in those machine guns, you might have a chance of getting this certified as a school-run car. Though at that point, you may as well just buy an old DB5 from the vintage classifieds. It's relatively affordable, with those in good condition costing around £600,000, mind you. So, what's the point of having this be made into a Continuation, then?
Credits to: Dylan Nowak - Iconic Cars
Simply, it's not just about celebrating Aston Martin's legacy, as the principle behind this DB5 is to commemorate what effect this car has had to people's imaginations over the last 50 years. It's not only Sean Connery fighting baddies or Daniel Craig's epic road-trip to Skyfall. The DB5 has made a cultural mark in books, TV series, films, and video games, let alone to the rest of the car industry. It has since redefined our understanding of beauty, and how it has itself turned into an icon of mankind's passion for never-ending love, and charm. That, is why we celebrate cars like these.
Thanks for reading! For more updates on my blogs, or the more minute things in life, feel free to follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Medium, and maybe give a shout there as well!
