When considering the name ‘Aston Martin’, most people outside the business have just one car in mind: the DB5. This is due, in large part, to its iconic starring role in the James Bond films, starting with Goldfinger, where the car stole the show thanks to its incredible array of gadgets. But there is more to the DB5 than simply its film appearances. Indeed, it is almost an accidental hero.
Its predecessor, the DB4, made its debut in 1958 and at that point was a completely new car. It had a new six-cylinder engine, designed by the talented Tadek Marek, of 3.7-litre capacity and a body styled by Italian coachbuilder Carrozzeria Touring. The elegant, hand-made aluminium panels were wrapped around a lightweight tubular steel frame, attached to a steel chassis. Touring called this method of construction ‘Superleggera’, meaning ‘Super Light’. DB4 was continuously developed, with batches of cars built with detail changes and known as series 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, not to mention the DB4 GT and coach built DB4 GT Zagato.
Each series of DB4 would see the car develop. Early cars were slightly shorter and had less interior space, and customer feedback resulted in the car being lengthened and gaining extra equipment and weight. A lighter and shorter GT model of the DB4 also joined the range and introduced a new styling feature, faired in headlamps. Curved Perspex covers sat in front of the recessed headlamps and improved the aerodynamics. The covered lamps also appeared on Vantage versions of the standard DB4 and most of the later series V (5) cars would have them. To offset the extra weight, the natural step was to increase the capacity of the engine to 4.0-litres. At this point, the model became known internally as the series VI (series 6.)
Early internal documents show the new model as a ‘DB4 Series VI’ and early magazine reports avoid the issue by describing the car as ‘the new 4.0-litre Aston Martin.’ At some point in mid-1963 the decision was made to call the revised car ‘DB5’ although, when launched, the car had no external badges to indicate it was a model with a new name. So subtle were the changes, in fact, that only the eagle eyed might have spotted the car now had a remotely operated fuel filler flap on each flank (the DB4 had a single fuel filler.)
The reality of DB5 is that, internally at least, it was conceived to be effectively a stop gap model, whilst development of the longer and more aerodynamic DB6 continued.
The DB5 made its public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1963, the convertible having its preview at the Paris show a month later and both types appearing together at Earls Court in mid-October. Production cars started to trickle out, with a larger number being built in 1964.
Changes to the DB5 were relatively minor and were eased into production on a running change basis. Later cars gained glass headlamp covers, with heavier chrome trim surrounds, to replace the more delicate Perspex items, with the aluminium rims that the car was launched with. Late cars also had separate amber indicators and small, separate side lamps, as would be seen on the replacement DB6 model.
The big moment for the DB5, which would immortalise it, was of course its starring role in the movie Goldfinger. After some initial reluctance, the company had eventually recognised the opportunity of having its new model feature in the third Bond film.
Two cars were used, one being heavily modified by the film makers, EON Productions, and the other being supplied for the driving ‘road scenes’ as required. The gadget car is well known to be a series V DB4 that had been used as a development car for the DB5 and it was repainted from its red to the now much revered Silver Birch. The road car sported a Vantage engine and had its interior sound proofing removed, to help with in-car soundtrack recording. The rest is history for another time…
By the end of 1965 the DB6 was ready to take over and production of the DB5 came to an end, after just 887 ‘saloons’ (a coupe in modern terms) 123 Convertibles and 12 cars coach-built into Shooting Brakes, by Harold Radford Ltd, were produced. The car itself could not have arrived at a better time – the swinging 60s were here! DB5 was very much and ‘it car’ for ‘it people’ and the great and the good of especially British pop culture were seen driving this latest Aston Martin. Buyers at the time included two of the Beetles (Paul and George) and Royal customers at home and abroad. Since its production era many other famous owners have had a DB5 at some point and it is acknowledged as a ‘must have’ for any serious car collection.
It may well have not been intended for the DB5 to become such a huge part of motoring history, but with just over 1,000 cars built, the model is today, arguably the most recognisable car of all time. I am pleased to report, too, that thanks to a huge amount of investment by Aston Martin Works at its birthplace, Newport Pagnell, the DB5 is likely to survive in large numbers for many decades to come.
