No, Mr Bond, I expect you to buy!
Wannabe secret agents have already snapped up all the continuation Aston DB5s
ASTON MARTIN HAS revealed to Octane that it has already secured buyers for the entire run it is planning of ‘continuation’ James Bond DB5s. In fact, despite scepticism from some quarters, the company said it could have sold the allocation three times over. That is an astonishing result considering the cars will cost £2.75 million each and can’t be used on the road.
The news that Aston was to build the Goldfinger cars with Eon Productions prompted a flurry of interest, especially when it was revealed that they would boast features designed by Oscar-winning Chris Corbould, the special effects supervisor on eight Bond movies.
The cars will be built from scratch at Aston Martin Works in Newport Pagnell, where the DB5 was built in period, with cars scheduled for delivery late in 2019.
Aston says that the cars will be ‘authentic reproductions’ of the car that starred in Goldfinger, but with ‘sympathetic modifications’ for quality and reliability. And, although not all the gadgets have been revealed, a revolving numberplate is promised.
In total, 28 of the cars will actually be built, with 25 to be sold, Aston and Eon Productions retaining one each and a final example to be auctioned for charity.
The Aston Martin DB5 made its Bond debut in the third movie, starring Sean Connery, in 1964. The car was chosen because it was the successor to the DB MkIII that the MI6 agent drove in Ian Fleming’s books. Since then, it has appeared in a further six Bond movies, though only Thunderball in period. Its impact was enormous, but as much through the Corgi toy of the DB5, 2.5 million of which sold in its first year.
Andy Palmer, president and chief executive officer of Aston Martin, said: ‘To own an Aston Martin has long been an aspiration for James Bond fans, but to own a Silver Birch DB5, complete with gadgets and built to the highest standards in the very same factory as the original James Bond cars? Well, that is surely the ultimate collector’s fantasy. The skilled craftspeople at Aston Martin Works and the expert special effects team from the James Bond films are about to make this fantasy real for 25 very lucky customers.’
‘THE CARS WILL BE BUILT FROM SCRATCH AT ASTON MARTIN WORKS IN NEWPORT PAGNELL. A REVOLVING NUMBERPLATE IS PROMISED’
In a very busy month for the company, other Aston-related news includes its biggest ever intake of apprentices (50) and graduates (26) starting at Gaydon, the announcement that the new St Athan factory will be Aston’s ‘home of electrification’, plus the opening of Aston Martin Works’ new Heritage satellite showroom in London’s Mayfair. Situated with the Aston Martin Brand Experience Centre in Dover Street, the Works Heritage showroom will sell classic Astons and promote the services available at Aston Martin Works in Newport Pagnell.