AUGUST 1990 ASTON MARTIN DB5

Painted in Silver Birch just like Meester Bond’s 007 car, this beauty could have sparked an international incident simply by parking within snooping distance of some well-known foreign embassies. Of the 1021 DB5s built just 57 came with the 234kW Vantage engine option, so this is an extremely rare car. The only improvements necessary would be revolving number plates and an ejector seat. At $98,500, this DB5 was pretty much top dollar for its day but around a fifth of what you’d pay now for an equivalent car.

SINCE THEN: Values as confirmed by recent sales of DB 5 coup es show these cars pushing regularly to more than US $1 million. Outstanding Vantage coupe sand Drop heads exceed US$2M.