Aston Martin DB5: The Grand Tourer That Defined an Era
Long before it became cinema's most famous car, this was already one of the finest grand tourers money could buy — a reputation it's never really lost.
Illustration for editorial purposes
More Than a Famous Supporting Role
It's tempting to start any story about this car with a certain British spy, and we'll get there — but doing so first would sell the engineering short. What rolled out of Newport Pagnell in 1963 was already a formidable machine in its own right: a hand-built body over a tubular steel chassis, a straight-six engine borrowed and refined from the DB4, and a level of finish that put it firmly among Europe's best grand tourers before it ever appeared on a cinema screen.
History & Heritage
Production ran from 1963 to 1965, with roughly 1,021 examples built across saloon, convertible and shooting brake body styles. It replaced the DB4 as the brand's flagship, refining rather than reinventing the formula — a slightly longer wheelbase, better brakes, and a 4.0-litre straight-six producing close to 282 horsepower in its most common triple-carburettor form.
Design & Styling
Touring of Milan penned the bodywork, and it shows — the proportions are long and low without ever tipping into excess, with a restraint that's aged better than almost anything else from the period. Where contemporaries chased chrome and fins, this design leaned on clean surfaces and a single elegant line running nose to tail.
Cultural Significance
1964's Goldfinger changed everything for this car's public image, arming a silver example with revolving number plates, machine guns and an ejector seat — details that had nothing to do with the actual production car, but became permanently attached to it in the public imagination anyway. It went on to appear across multiple further films, cementing a connection between one car and one franchise that's rarely been matched.
Value Today
Genuine, well-documented examples now regularly sell in the high six to low seven figures at major auction houses, with film-associated or ex-celebrity cars commanding significant premiums beyond that. Values have climbed steadily for two decades and show little sign of softening, driven by a shrinking pool of original cars and a buyer base that spans serious collectors and enthusiasts alike.
Watch & Explore
More Aston Martin Icons
- Aston Martin DB4 Overview — Classic Icon
- Aston Martin Vantage Overview — Modern Icon
- Aston Martin DB12 Overview — Modern Icon
Sources: Aston Martin Heritage Trust, RM Sotheby's auction archives, Wikipedia.