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Two individuals from the movie business by the name of Ken Adam and John Stears visited Aston Martin's Newport-Pagnell plant in late 1963. Their job was to source a pair of the latest Aston Martins for use in Eon Productions' third adaptation of an Ian Fleming novel, about a MI6 superspy with a license to kill, named James Bond. The movie was called Goldfinger. The producers wanted to near-identical cars for various filming roles. One would be used primarily for stunt driving and chase sequences and would need to be fast and lightweight. The other was for interior shots and close-ups. It was to be given several functional modifications and gadgetry created by Stears.
The first James Bond car was also the DB5 prototype and had a special chassis number prefix denoting it as a development project, DP/216/1. It was finished in Snow Shadow Gray paint and equipped with front and rear hydraulic over-rider rams on the bumpers, a Browning .30-caliber machine gun in each fender, wheel-hub-mounted tire slashers, a retractable rear bulletproof screen, an in-dash radar-tracking scope, oil-slick, caltrop, and smoke-screen dispensers, revolving license plates, and a passenger-seat ejection system. There was also a telephone in the driver's door to communicate with MI6 headquarters. Additionally, there was a hidden compartment under the driver's seat containing several weapons.
For the James Bond film, Thunderball, the company ordered two more DB5 saloons, receiving chassis nos. DB5/2008/R and DB5/2017/R. These two cars were sent to the United States for media duties for Thunderball. One resided on the East Coast and the other on the West Coast. DB5/2017/R even appeared at Laguna Seca as a pace car driven by Jackie Stewart.
Both of these cars were given Adam's Goldfinger modifications, but this time the gadgets were installed by Aston Martin and intended to be more durable than those on DP/216. After these two cars had served their promotional purposes, they were offered for sale by the company's parent financier, the Swiss-based Danjac S.A. They were purchased as a pair by Anthony Bamford. He quickly sold 2017/R but retained possession of 2008/R until 1970.
The next owner was B.H. Atchley, the owner of the Smokey Mountain Car Museum in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. It remained in the museum for 35 years, receiving regular start-ups for exercise during this time. In 2006, RM Auctions offered it for public sale. At the time, it remained in mostly unrestored condition.
Since entering the care of its current caretaker, it has been given a no-expense-spared restoration by Roos Engineering in Switzerland. After the four-year restoration, the car was the subject of a feature article on the Bond DB5 cars that was printed in the October 2012 issue of Motor.
This car is the third of the four Goldfinger-specification DB5 examples built. The first John Stears–modified car has been lost since 1997. Chassis number 1486/R was originally unmodified and was used for driving sequences. It later had the gadgets added. This particular example was built with all the gadgetry from new.By Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2019
The first James Bond car was also the DB5 prototype and had a special chassis number prefix denoting it as a development project, DP/216/1. It was finished in Snow Shadow Gray paint and equipped with front and rear hydraulic over-rider rams on the bumpers, a Browning .30-caliber machine gun in each fender, wheel-hub-mounted tire slashers, a retractable rear bulletproof screen, an in-dash radar-tracking scope, oil-slick, caltrop, and smoke-screen dispensers, revolving license plates, and a passenger-seat ejection system. There was also a telephone in the driver's door to communicate with MI6 headquarters. Additionally, there was a hidden compartment under the driver's seat containing several weapons.
For the James Bond film, Thunderball, the company ordered two more DB5 saloons, receiving chassis nos. DB5/2008/R and DB5/2017/R. These two cars were sent to the United States for media duties for Thunderball. One resided on the East Coast and the other on the West Coast. DB5/2017/R even appeared at Laguna Seca as a pace car driven by Jackie Stewart.
Both of these cars were given Adam's Goldfinger modifications, but this time the gadgets were installed by Aston Martin and intended to be more durable than those on DP/216. After these two cars had served their promotional purposes, they were offered for sale by the company's parent financier, the Swiss-based Danjac S.A. They were purchased as a pair by Anthony Bamford. He quickly sold 2017/R but retained possession of 2008/R until 1970.
The next owner was B.H. Atchley, the owner of the Smokey Mountain Car Museum in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. It remained in the museum for 35 years, receiving regular start-ups for exercise during this time. In 2006, RM Auctions offered it for public sale. At the time, it remained in mostly unrestored condition.
Since entering the care of its current caretaker, it has been given a no-expense-spared restoration by Roos Engineering in Switzerland. After the four-year restoration, the car was the subject of a feature article on the Bond DB5 cars that was printed in the October 2012 issue of Motor.
This car is the third of the four Goldfinger-specification DB5 examples built. The first John Stears–modified car has been lost since 1997. Chassis number 1486/R was originally unmodified and was used for driving sequences. It later had the gadgets added. This particular example was built with all the gadgetry from new.By Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2019
2019 RM Sothebys : Monterey
Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $4,000,000-USD $6,000,000
Sale Price :
USD $6,385,000
2006 Vintage Motor Cars in Arizona
Sale Price :
USD $2,090,000
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Auction Sales
Recent Sales of the Aston Martin DB5
(Data based on Model Year 1965 sales)
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Coupe Chassis#: DB5/1715/L Sold for USD$797,000 2024 RM Sothebys : Arizona | |
1965 ASTON MARTIN DB5 CONVERTIBLE Chassis#: DB5C/1903/L Sold for USD$2,205,000 2023 Gooding & Company : Pebble Beach | |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Chassis#: DB5/2051/L Sold for USD$775,000 2023 Broad Arrow : Monterey Jet Center | |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Chassis#: DB5/2270/L Sold for USD$1,352,500 2023 RM Sothebys : Amelia Island | |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Vantage Convertible Chassis#: DB5C/1924/R Sold for USD$1,517,500 2023 RM Sothebys : Amelia Island | |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Sold for USD$605,000 2023 Mecum : Kissimmee | |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Vantage Chassis#: DB5/2217/L Sold for USD$1,176,147 2022 RM Sothebys : St. Moritz | |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Convertible Chassis#: DB5C/2111/L Sold for USD$2,229,996 2022 RM Sothebys : St. Moritz | |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Chassis#: DB5/2269/L Sold for USD$874,000 2021 Bonhams : Quail Lodge | |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Chassis#: DB5/1847/L Sold for USD$819,000 2021 Gooding & Company : Pebble Beach Concours Auction | |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Convertible Chassis#: DB5C/2115/L Sold for USD$3,195,000 2021 RM Sothebys : Monterey | |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Chassis#: DB5/2271/L Sold for USD$598,029 2021 Artcurial : Monaco | |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Vantage Chassis#: DB5/1767/L Sold for USD$975,525 2021 Artcurial : PARISIENNE 2021 | |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Chassis#: DB5/2018/R Sold for USD$527,091 2020 RM Sothebys : London Online | |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Chassis#: DB5/2028/L Sold for USD$684,680 2020 RM Sothebys : Paris | |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Sold for USD$607,500 2019 Silverstone - NEC Classic Motor Show | |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Sports Saloon Chassis#: DB5/1839/L Sold for USD$825,000 2019 Bonhams : Quail Lodge Auction | |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Shooting Brake by Radford Chassis#: DB5/2273/L Sold for USD$1,765,000 2019 RM Sothebys : Monterey | |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 'Bond Car' Chassis#: DB5/2008/R Sold for USD$6,385,000 2019 RM Sothebys : Monterey | |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Sold for USD$879,534 2019 Silverstone - Classic Cars & Competition Cars |
Aston Martin DB5s That Failed To Sell At Auction
1965 Aston Martin DB5's that have appeared at auction but did not sell.
Vehicle | Chassis | Event | High Bid | Est. Low | Est. High |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Vantage | DB5/1996/L | 2023 RM Sothebys : Munich | $750,000 | $850,000 | |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 | DB5/2197/R | 2023 RM Sothebys : London | $525,000 | $575,000 | |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Vantage | DB5/2228/L | 2023 RM Sothebys : St. Moritz | $1,100,000 | $1,600,000 | |
1964 Aston Martin DB5 4.2-Litre Sports Saloon | DB5/1889/R | 2023 Bonhams : Goodwood Revival | $450,000 | $550,000 | |
1965 ASTON MARTIN DB5 CONVERTIBLE | DB5C/1295/R | 2023 Gooding & Company : London Auction | $1,000,000 | $1,300,000 | |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 | DB5/1990/L | 2023 RM Sothebys : Monterey | $1,200,000 | $1,450,000 | |
1965 ASTON MARTIN DB5 CONVERTIBLE | DB5C/1906/R | 2022 Gooding & Company : London Auction | $1,250,000 | $1,750,000 | |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 | DB5/2270/L | 2022 RM Sothebys : Monterey | $1,600,000 | $1,800,000 | |
1965 ASTON MARTIN DB5 4.2-LITRE SPORTS SALOON | DB5/1845/R | 2021 Bonhams : The Bond Street Sale | $500,000 | $600,000 | |
1965 Aston Martin Short-Chassis Volante | DB5C/2305/R | 2021 RM Sothebys : Arizona | $1,500,000 | $1,750,000 | |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Sports Saloon | DB5/2026/R | 2019 Bonhams : The Bond Street Sale | $470,000 | $550,000 | |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 | 2019 Silverstone NEC Classic Motor Show | $580,000 | $650,000 | ||
1965 Aston Martin DB5 | 2249/R | 2019 Silverstone The Sale of British Marques | |||
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Vantage Convertible | DB5C/1924/R | 2019 RM Sothebys : Amelia Island | $1,400,000 | $1,600,000 | |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Sports Saloon | DB5/1998/R | 2019 Bonhams : Scottsdale Arizona | $700,000 | $800,000 | |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Vantage Convertible | DB5C/1924/R | 2018 RM Sothebys : Monterey | $1,900,000 | $2,500,000 | |
1965 Aston Martin Db5 | 2018 Mecum : Hershey | $350,000 | |||
1965 Aston Martin DB5 | DB5/2268/L | 2017 RM Sothebys : Monterey | $1,200,000 | $1,400,000 | |
1965 ASTON MARTIN DB5 SPORTS SALOON | DB5/2264/R | 2016 Bonhams : The Aston Martin Works Sale | $800,000 | $900,000 | |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 | DB5/2058/R | 2015 Historics at Brookland | $575,000 | $625,000 | |
1965 Aston Martin Short Chassis Volante | DBVC/2330/r | 2013 Gooding and Company The Amelia Island Auction | |||
1965 Aston Martin DB5 4.2-Litre Sports Saloon | DB5/1527/R | 2012 Bonhams Collectors' Motor cars and Automobilia at Goodwood | $280,000 | $320,000 | |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Sports Saloon | DB5/2234/R | 2012 Bonhams The Aston Martin Works Service Sale | $240,000 | $280,000 | |
1965 Aston Martin DB 5 | DB5/2055/L | 2012 Gooding & Company, Amelia Island, Fl | $750,000 | $850,000 | |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Vantage | DB5/2204/R | 2011 H & H Pavilion Gardens | |||
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Sports Saloon | DB5/2178R | 2011 Bonhams The December Sale | $250,000 | $300,000 | |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Sports Saloon | DB5/2058/R | 2009 Bonhams Collectors' Motor Cars and Automobilia | $130,000 | $150,000 | |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Convertible | DB5C/1911/R | 2009 RM Auctions Automobiles of London | $355,000 | $375,000 | $425,000 |
1965 Aston Martin DB5 | DB5/1821/R | 2008 Automobiles of London | $95,000 | $150,000 | $180,000 |
1965 Aston-Martin DB5 Drophead Coupe | 2002 Monterey Sports and Classic Car Auction | $190,000 |
Vehicles With Comparable Market Values
Similar sales to the $963,321 range.
1965 Shelby 289 Cobra Roadster Chassis#:csx2516 Sold for $962,500 2024 Mecum : Kissimmee | |
2005 Porsche Carrera GT Chassis#:WP0ZZZ98Z6L000067 Sold for $960,261 2023 Bonhams : The Zoute Sale | |
1932 Aston Martin Le Mans 'LM8' Chassis#:LM8 Sold for $972,783 2023 RM Sothebys : Le Mans | |
1974 FERRARI DINO 246 GTS Chassis#:08512 Sold for $967,500 2023 Gooding & Company : Amelia Island Auction | |
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1954 Aston Martin DB2/4 Drophead Coupe Chassis#:LML/506 Sold for $968,000 2021 Gooding : Geared Online : Scottsdale Auction |
1965 Aston Martin DB5
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