Front view of the Aston Martin DB5, used to promote the film, Goldfinger, in 1964. On display at the St James Motoring Spectacle 2024.
The Aston Martin DB5 became widely known after special effects expert John Stears modified a DB5 for use by James Bond in the 1964 film Goldfinger. Author Ian Fleming had placed Bond in a DB Mark III in the novel, but Stears persuaded the company to make its DB5 prototype available. There were a total of four Goldfinger DB5s. Two of these were used in filming and two were used only for promotional purposes. The first filming car, DP/2161/1, was fitted with gadgets. This DB5 was the original prototype and was painted Dubonnet Red. Before it appeared in Goldfinger, it was used in episode , "The Noble Sportsman," of The Saint. This car, chassis number DP/216/1, was later stripped of its weaponry and gadgetry by Aston Martin and resold. It was retrofitted by subsequent owners with non-original weaponry and later appeared in the film The Cannonball Run (1981), driven by Roger Moore. Chassis DP/216/1 DB5 was stolen in 1997 from its last owner in Florida and was reported to be still missing in 2021. The second filming car, DB5/1486/R, was used for driving scenes and had no gadgets. After filming, gadgets were added and the car was used for promotion. It featured the pop-out gun barrels behind the front indicators, the bullet shield behind the rear window and a three-way revolving front number plate showing "LU 6789" or "4711-EA-62" or "BMT 216A." In 2010, RM Auctions sold this car for $ million to Harry Yeaggy. The first publicity car, DB5/2017/R, was acquired by the Louwman Museum in The Hague.[24] The second publicity car, DB5/2008/R, was auctioned by RM Sotheby's in August 2019 for $ million to an unknown buyer. These two cars were displayed at the 1964 New York World's Fair to promote the film. Sales of the DB5 increased after it was described as "the most famous car in the world".
Size: 5272px × 3744px
Location: Pall Mall, St James's, London
Photo credit: © John Gaffen / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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