Aston Martin DB5 News

Aston Martin has teamed up with James Bond series producers, EON productions, to build 25 brand-new 1964 DB5s.

The iconic Aston Martin DB5 piloted by James Bond in 1964's Goldfinger has been declared the greatest movie car of all time, according to a new UK survey.

The Paris motor show hid a treasure trove of other interesting vehicles from the past and present.

There's always a great deal of interest any time one of the cars used in a 007 movie is offered for sale. And you can probably multiply that by 59 times for the collection of Bond vehicles owned by US real estate mogul Michael Dezer.Dezer is known for  development on a grand scale: nearly the entire suburb of Chelsea in NewYork, and several massive projects in Florida including partnerships with Donald Trump for the 900 million Trump Towers, $600 million Trump Grande Ocean Resort and Residences and the $166 million Trump International Hotel and Tower.And Florida is also where he garages his collection of 1800 vehicles, including the 59 genuine Bond ones he's selling, each of which has appeared in one of the movies.The catch is that Dezer insists they be bought as one lot, for US$33 million ($37 million). But the buyer will have a fairly comprehensive sample across the Bond series.Among the 59 are a Fairey Huntress boat used in 1963's From Russia With Love and an Audi A5 and Land Rover Defender used in the most recent film, Skyfall, for the kickstarter car chase scenes.From films in between, there are a brace of Aston Martin DB5 coupes, one of which helmed by Pierce Brosnan for Goldeneye -- and the Russian T55 tank from the film. The famed Lotus Esprit S1 that morphed into a submarine in The Spy Who Loved Me is also one of star vehicles, as are the armoured and armed BMW 750iL from Tomorrow Never Dies, and the Jaguar XKR from Die Another Day.There are also more everyday wheels, including the Citroen 2CV from For Your Eyes Only, and a replica of the AMC Hornet from The Man With The Golden Gun. The collection has been on display at the Dezer Musuem in Miami, and it's likely the buyer will do something similar once the deal is done.And while it will make a little space in the Dezer garage, there are still plenty of interesting cars staying there, including the 1948 Ford from Grease,  the 1981 DeLorean from Back to the Future, the Ghostbusters 1959 Cadillac, an original Batmobile, the Lamborghini Social Experiment Project AU 79, and many, many more.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott

New British sports car brand David Brown Automotive have issued the first teaser looks and details for their creation -- codenamed Project Judi for now.Echoing the heritage of their namesake, the car looks to be a redux of the hallowed Aston Martin DB5 (itself named for the other David Brown, who headed the brand for decades) and is based on the Jaguar XKR. However the company's press blurb talks of bespoke and "completely original exterior and interior design, realised through the highest quality materials and craftsmanship".It's been announced Project Judi is based on the Jaguar XK-R for reliability and weight-saving strategies. “As reliability is vital, we chose to adopt a thoroughly proven and acclaimed chassis that not only delivers dynamic performance but also lends itself to our lightweight aluminium design," David Brown says.Under the bonnet will be Jag's supercharged 5.0-litre V8 engine developing 375kW of power and 625Nm of torque, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission driving the rear wheels. The company claims Project Judi will do the 0-100km/h sprint in 4.6 seconds -- 0.2 seconds faster than the XKR coupe but 0.2 behind the XKR S -- and reach an electronically limited top speed of more than 250km/h.Project Judi will be unveiled at Top Marques Monaco on April 17, but it's likely we'll see more images and details emerge before then.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott

Aston Martin has a rich and prestigious heritage and that the company is now 100 years old is one of the more remarkable feats of automotive longevity. Despite near death financial experiences on numerous occasions and more owners and investors than you and I have had hot dinners, Aston Martin is still there. Other UK marques, such as Austin, Morris, Riley, Hillman, Singer, Humber, Sunbeam, Alvis, Jensen, Armstrong Siddley, Standard and Triumph have all disappeared, but Aston Martin lives on. Founded in 1913 by Robert Bamford and Lionel Martin as ‘Bamford & Martin Ltd’, the company has developed into a global brand synonymous with speed, luxury and elegance. The name ‘Aston Martin’ came about when Lionel Martin successfully raced at the Aston Hill Climb in Buckinghamshire, England. Financial problems plagued the company over the next decade (nothing new there) with the business forced to close in 1925. It was rescued by a group of investors in 1926. The business was soon producing a range of sports cars and had an increasing reputation for engineering and design. Now remember, we are talking about a small niche player here, not some huge manufacturing conglomerate. A mere 140 cars were sold in 1937, the highest in the pre World War 2 era. In 1947 a new owner took over, Sir David Brown, and it was during his watch that the most iconic Aston of all time was produced. I speak, of course, of the car frequently acclaimed as the most beautiful car in the world, the Aston Martin DB5-the one James Bond drove in Goldfinger. Released in 1963, which means it's celebrating its 50 anniversary, the DB5 has come to personify everything that Aston Martin is today. Mind you, I think the most striking Aston Martin of all is the 1976 four door Lagonda. Designed by William Towns, it is an aggressively styled automobile. Long of hood and short of tail, with a cutting edge computerized digital instrument panel, the Lagonda created a huge wave of publicity for the company. Nothing worked properly, of course. All those complex electronics just refused to operate as intended. Some folk unkindly suggested that an essential part of the car's tool kit was a multi-meter, O scope and jumper leads. With an initial production rate of just one a week only 645 cars were built before the end of production in 1989. There are one or two still roaming this sunburnt country and about 80 in the UK. David Burrell is the editor of Retroautos.com.au  

When it comes to movie cars, few are more famous than the Aston Martin DB5 driven by James Bond in Goldfinger, Thunderball, GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, Casino Royale and Skyfall. In total, four cars were reportedly built for filming and promotion of the Bond movies. Two were constructed for the filming of Goldfinger, but Wikipedia advises that one of these DB5s was stolen from its owners in Florida in 1997. The surviving Goldfinger movie car was sold at an RM Auction event in 2010 for the rather impressive sum of $4.1 million. While it’s hard to price such an iconic car, its value was likely helped by the fact that it was driven by Sean Connery in both Goldfinger and Thunderball. The two cars remaining were used to promote the Bond franchise, but never appeared onscreen. One, a 1964 Aston Martin DB5, resides in the collection of the Louwman Museum in The Hague, Netherlands. The final remaining James Bond DB5, reportedly a 1965 model, is now being offered for sale by Aston Martin specialist Richard Stewart Williams, Limited. Equipped with the standard array of gadgets like a nail dispenser, oil spray nozzles, bulletproof shield and rotating number plates, it’s the perfect addition to anyone’s Aston Martin collection. The Deccan Herald reports that the car was also used to promote Thunderball, and that the asking price is set at 3 million pounds ($4.5 million AUD). That seems a bit ambitious to us, given the fact that the actual DB5 used in the filming of Goldfinger sold for over half a million dollars less. That said, the universal truth of collector cars is this: their value is ultimately set by a determined buyer. While we suppose RS Williams will entertain offers for the car, it knows that finding a buyer willing to pay that much is just a matter of time. www.motorauthority.com  

   

Skyfall sees the return of the quintessential Bond car, the Aston Martin. A silver-birch DB5 made its debut in Goldfinger in 1964 with an array of gadgets such as pop-out machine guns, bullet shield, tyre-shredding Boadicea-style wheels, an ejector seat, a car phone and revolving number plates which would be considered illegal in these days of speed cameras.One of the two DB5s built specially for Goldfinger sold at auction for $4.1 million in 2010. The other was rebuilt as a regular road car and sold on, only to be stolen from its last owner in Florida. While most people associate the British master spy with Astons, the original Ian Fleming books had him driving a Bentley. In a new book commissioned by Ian Fleming Publications, author Jeffery Deaver has returned 007 to a Bentley in the pages of Carte Blanche.Despite Bond driving a Bentley in Fleming's books, his first car in a movie was a Sunbeam Alpine in the 1962 film Dr No. He didn't drive a Bentley until the second Bond flick, From Russia With Love, in 1963 in which the licensed-to-kill agent drove a Bentley Mark IV. He also drove Bentleys in On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) and Moonraker (1979). It wasn't until the third Bond movie, Goldfinger in 1964, that Bond drove the famous DB5.James Bond carsDr No (1962): Sunbeam Alpine, Chevrolet Bel Air convertibleFrom Russia With Love (1963): Bentley Mark IVGoldfinger (1964): Aston Martin DB5, Rolls-Royce, Mercedes 190 coupe, Lincoln Continental, Ford Mustang convertible, Rolls-Royce Phantom IIIThunderball (1965): Aston Martin DB5, Ford Mustang convertible, BSA Lightning 650cc motorcycle, gyrocopterYou Only Live Twice (1967): Toyota 2000 GT, BMW 2000 CSOn Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969): Aston Martin DBS, Mercury Cougar, Bentley Mark II Continental, Rolls-Royce CornicheDiamonds are Forever (1971): 1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1, Triumph Stag, moonbuggyLive And Let Die (1973): Glastron speedboat, double-decker London bus, Chevrolet Impala convertible, Mini MokeThe Man With The Golden Gun (1974): AMC Hornet and Matador, Rolls-Royce Silver ShadowThe Spy Who Loved Me (1977): Lotus Esprit, Wetbike concept, Ford Cortina 2.3 Ghia, Mini MokeMoonraker (1979): Bentley Mark IV, Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith IIFor Your Eyes Only (1981): Citroen 2CV, Lotus Esprit Turbo, Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith IIOctopussy (1983): Merc-Benz 250 SE, BMW 5 Series, Alfa Romeo GTVA View To A Kill (1985): Renault taxi, Ford LTD, Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II, Chevrolet Corvette C4, Jeep Cherokee (XJ)The Living Daylights (1987): Aston Martin DBS and V8 Vantage, Audi 200 QuattroLicence To Kill (1989): Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, Kenworth petrol tankerGoldenEye (1995): BMW Z3 roadster, Aston Martin DB5, Russian tank, Ferrari 355Tomorrow Never Dies (1997): Aston Martin DB5, BMW 750iL, BMW R1200C motorcycleThe World is Not Enough (1999): BMW Z8, Rolls-Royce Silver ShadowDie Another Day (2002): Aston Martin Vanquish, Jaguar XKR, pink Ford Thunderbird convertibleCasino Royale (2006): Aston Martin DBS and DB5, Jaguar E Type Roadster, Fiat Panda 4x4, Ford Transit, Ford MondeoQuantum of Solace (2008): Aston Martin DBS V12, Alfa Romeo 159 & 156, Audi A6, Ford Ka & Edge, Jaguar XJ8, Volvo S40T5, Volkswagen Type 1. 

The majority shareholder in Aston Martin has reportedly already been talking to potential buyers, including Toyota and Indian giant Mahindra. Bond fans might consider the move is perfectly timed, with unmatcheable free marketing around the appearance of a vintage Aston Martin DB5 in the latest 007 movie, Skyfall, the eleventh in which the British luxury car brand has featured. Skyfall hits Australian cinemas on November 22, but is already raking in ticket box takings overseas that could see it the biggest-grossing film in the series. The publicity could help the sale by Kuwaiti company Investment Dar, which holds 64 per cent of Aston Martin and has appointed Rothschild bankers to consult on the sale, according to a report by business website Bloomberg. Saying five people with knowledge of the sale had spoken to Bloomberg, the article cited two of them as explaining the sellers have hit a hurdle over price, with potential investors unwilling to shell out the 503 million pounds ($769 million) reported asking price. That’s the amount Investment Dar paid for its share in Aston Martin five years ago, and is now said to be sought to help the Kuwaiti company clear sizeable debt. Aston Martin last year made a before-tax profit of just 76 million pounds ($117 million). However Bloomberg says Investment Dar has denied it has put its share of the carmaker on the market, and that representatives of Mahindra and Toyota have declined to comment on the matter. Skyfall sees the return of the quintessential Bond car, the Aston Martin DB5 voted the greatest 007 car in several online and magazine polls over the years. A silver-birch DB5 made its debut in Goldfinger in 1964 with an array of gadgets such as pop-out machine guns, bullet shield, tyre-shredding Boadicea-style wheels, an ejector seat, a car phone and revolving number plates which would be considered illegal in these days of speed cameras. One of the two DB5s built specially for Goldfinger sold at auction for $4.1 million in 2010. The other was rebuilt as a regular road car and sold on, only to be stolen from its last owner in Florida.  While most people associate the British master spy with Astons, the original Ian Fleming books had him driving a Bentley. In a new book commissioned by Ian Fleming Publications, author Jeffery Deaver has returned 007 to a Bentley in the pages of Carte Blanche. Despite Bond driving a Bentley in Fleming's books, his first car in a movie was a Sunbeam Alpine in the 1962 film Dr No. He didn't drive a Bentley until the second Bond flick, From Russia With Love, in 1963 in which the licensed-to-kill agent drove a Bentley Mark IV. He also drove Bentleys in On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) and Moonraker (1979). It wasn't until the third Bond movie, Goldfinger in 1964, that Bond drove the famous DB5. James Bond cars Dr No (1962): Sunbeam Alpine, Chevrolet Bel Air convertible From Russia With Love (1963): Bentley Mark IV Goldfinger (1964): Aston Martin DB5, Rolls-Royce, Mercedes 190 coupe, Lincoln Continental, Ford Mustang convertible, Rolls-Royce Phantom III Thunderball (1965): Aston Martin DB5, Ford Mustang convertible, BSA Lightning 650cc motorcycle, gyrocopter You Only Live Twice (1967): Toyota 2000 GT, BMW 2000 CS On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969): Aston Martin DBS, Mercury Cougar, Bentley Mark II Continental, Rolls-Royce Corniche Diamonds are Forever (1971): 1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1, Triumph Stag, moonbuggy Live And Let Die (1973): Glastron speedboat, double-decker London bus, Chevrolet Impala convertible, Mini Moke The Man With The Golden Gun (1974): AMC Hornet and Matador, Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow The Spy Who Loved Me (1977): Lotus Esprit, Wetbike concept, Ford Cortina 2.3 Ghia, Mini Moke Moonraker (1979): Bentley Mark IV, Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith II For Your Eyes Only (1981): Citroen 2CV, Lotus Esprit Turbo, Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith II Octopussy (1983): Merc-Benz 250 SE, BMW 5 Series, Alfa Romeo GTV A View To A Kill (1985): Renault taxi, Ford LTD, Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II, Chevrolet Corvette C4, Jeep Cherokee (XJ) The Living Daylights (1987): Aston Martin DBS and V8 Vantage, Audi 200 Quattro Licence To Kill (1989): Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, Kenworth petrol tanker GoldenEye (1995): BMW Z3 roadster, Aston Martin DB5, Russian tank, Ferrari 355 Tomorrow Never Dies (1997): Aston Martin DB5, BMW 750iL, BMW R1200C motorcycle The World is Not Enough (1999): BMW Z8, Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow Die Another Day (2002): Aston Martin Vanquish, Jaguar XKR, pink Ford Thunderbird convertible Casino Royale (2006): Aston Martin DBS and DB5, Jaguar E Type Roadster, Fiat Panda 4x4, Ford Transit, Ford Mondeo Quantum of Solace (2008): Aston Martin DBS V12, Alfa Romeo 159 & 156, Audi A6, Ford Ka & Edge, Jaguar XJ8, Volvo S40T5, Volkswagen Type 1.