Auction of the Aston Martin DB5 from 007

RM Sotheby’s will auction the Aston Martin DB5 from 007 on August 15 in Monterey.

The car will go up for auction the Aston Martin DB5 from 007. RM Sotheby’s, the official auction house of Aston Martin, has announced that “the most famous car in the world” and perhaps the most iconic Aston Martin of all time will lead “an evening with Aston Martin“.

That evening will be a special single-marque sale at the company’s 2019 auction, specifically on August 15 in Monterey. RM Sotheby’s will present a 1965 Aston Martin DB5, one of three surviving examples commissioned at the time by Eon Productions and equipped with the specifications of MI6’s Q branch as shown in Goldfinger.

No one could have predicted the fabulous and successful synergy of several decades that would develop when production designer Ken Adam and special effects man John Stears visited the Aston Martin factory in Newport Pagnell at the end of 1963.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DZZX4q8Ruc&feature=youtu.be

Two almost identical cars were built and loaned to Eon Productions for filming, each serving different roles; one for stunt driving and chase sequences and therefore had to be light and fast, while the other was for interior and close-up shots, to be fitted with functional modifications created by Stears.

The Aston Martin DB5 painted in Snow Shadow Grey was equipped with hydraulic front and rear shock absorbers in the bumpers, a 30-calibre Browning machine gun in each wing, slashers for wheels mounted on the wheel hub, a bulletproof rear screen, a radar tracking telescope in the dashboard, smoke screen dispensers, revolving number plates and a passenger seat ejection system.

Goldfinger, a resounding success

The film was a hit, and so was Aston Martin, which saw a sudden surge in sales of its DB5. “Eon’s producers also realised the enormous appeal and possible marketing opportunities. In preparation for the release of Thunderball, the company ordered two more DB5 saloons, receiving the chassis numbers. DB5/2008/R, the example offered at RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale, and DB5/2017/R. Both cars were fitted with all of Stears’ Goldfinger modifications and were shipped to the United States for promotional duties for Thunderball”.

Coming through his son, Stephane Connery prior to the sale, the legendary actor Sean Connery, who originally played James Bond in the film in both Goldfinger and Thunderball, has stated that “these DB5s are incredible. I remember the tyre-shredding on the Furka Pass and the promotional events with these cars. They have become increasingly iconic since Goldfinger and Thunderball, and in fact I bought a very good DB5 relatively recently.”

Barney Ruprecht, automotive specialist at RM Sotheby’s, has commented that “No other car in history has played a more important role in cinema and pop culture than the Aston Martin DB5. The DB5 is the iconic cornerstone of a marketing relationship that still exists to this day, with the collectable status of the model rooted largely in its fame as 007’s car, and we expect both car and film enthusiasts to be in attendance at the auction. This is an incredibly rare opportunity to play secret agent in a car that offers incredible performance and style in its own right, and we are honoured to offer the Bond DB5 alongside our partners at Aston Martin.”