60 Years Ago, An Aston Martin Icon Was Born

Sep. 13, 2023 3:00 AM ET byGerhard Horn 经典的汽车 /Comments

To celebrate, Aston Martin took some snaps of the DB5 next to its great-grandchild.

Aston Martin is celebrating the 60th birthday of what it calls the world's most iconic car, the DB5. Exactly six decades ago, in September 1963, Aston Martin unveiled the DB5 as a successor to the DB4. The latter was introduced in 1958, but it was facing stiff competition from luxury automakers in Britain and the European continent. Something new was needed, and Aston Martin introduced it at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1963 on Mercedes-Benz's home turf.

While the DB5 looked similar to the DB4, Aston Martin made several design, technical, and equipment changes and gave the engine a major overhaul. To the British automaker, that was enough to give it an all-new name, in a similar vein to what happened with the announcement of theAston Martin DB12.

The DB5 was available as a coupe and a convertible, and it was only manufactured for two years. It seems like it should have been around for much longer since it's such a prominent car, but there's a very good reason for that.

Obviously, there'sthe Bond connection. We will admit that the DB5 is the most iconic movie car of all time. The DB5 made its debut inGoldfinger, but it would go on to appear in several other films. It was used to great effect in bothSkyfallandNo Time To Die. We'll include the final scene with the DB5 at the bottom of this article because you should always watch it whenever the opportunity presents itself.

But James Bond can't claim all the credit. The DB5 had multiple famous owners, including Sir Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Mick Jagger, Robert Plant, and Jay Kay. The DB5 was rockstar cool. Other notable owners include Peter Sellers, Elle McPherson, andRalph Lauren.

Only 887 saloons (that's what AM calls the coupe), 123 convertibles, and 12 bespoke coach-built shooting brakes were made. That's why a DB5 always goes for big money at auction, and theygo for millions in Bond spec.

The DB5 unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show was equipped with a 4.0-liter naturally aspirated version of the 3.7-liter twin-cam inline-six found in the DB4. It produced a rather potent 282 horsepower, which is a lot considering how light the car is and that it had no safety features whatsoever. It did have electric windows and air conditioning was available as an option. But who cares because the looks and the noise were the show's real stars. The DB5's straight-six howl is right up there with the inline-six E-Type from the same period.

"The David Brown era gave us so many great Aston Martin sports cars but none more recognizable, revered, and desired as the DB5, which laid the foundations of our identity as a British luxury brand synonymous with style, performance, and exclusivity," said Aston Martin's Executive Chairman, Lawrence Stroll. Stroll also happens to own a DB5 and is intent on taking the brandback to its ultra-exclusive roots.

"It is only right that, as it turns 60, we take a moment to look back and reflect on this car's incredible role in our storied 110-year heritage. We're incredibly proud that the DB lineage continues today with the critically acclaimed DB12, which, like those that came before it, is a celebration of all we love about British hand-built sports cars, with a new injection of the latest technology and the highest levels of performance," said Stroll.

Aston Martin didn't do a restomod or a limited-edition model to celebrate the DB5. It simply photographed the DB5 alongside its modern counterpart, the DB12. Aston Martin certainly has the cash tobuild a limited run of supercars因为,apart from the introduction of the DB12, that's all it has been doing lately.

We're happy there is no celebratory modern model because it means the DB5 is strong enough to stand on its own legs, even 60 years later. Just look at it and enjoy its final appearance in a Bond movie below.

60 Years Ago, An Aston Martin Icon Was Born

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60 Years Ago, An Aston Martin Icon Was Born

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