The Aston Martin DB5 is a car of the British manufacturer Aston Martin , produced from 1963 to 1965 and made by the Italian bodybuilder Carrozzeria Touring . Replacing the DB4 , she is known to the general public for being the James Bond car in Goldfinger , Operation Thunder or more recently in GoldenEye , Tomorrow Never Dies , Casino Royale , Skyfall and 007 Specter . The DB5 comes in coupe or convertible when it was released in 1963, and a very limited series in break version is proposed later. 1,021 copies were sold.
History
Founded in 1914 by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford , Aston Martin was bought in 1947 by David Brown , an industrialist whose initials were originally the “DB” brand 1 , 2 .
David Brown develops sports models and bourgeois, in his image. Thus, until 1958 , different models with denominations bearing his initials are produced in small series. These new models benefit, from wealthy savvy amateurs, of an excellent reputation. The victories in motor racing and the marketing of the Aston Martin DB4 will reverse the trend. The brand is missing only a wider promotion, towards a larger audience, what Brown is doing for DB5 2 .
Origins of the project
The DB5 project led by John Wyer is a clean sweep of the past and shows the new ambition of the manufacturer. While the prototype 114 was already very advanced in 1956, the factory uses a master of the Italian bodywork to overcome a lack of creativity. Carrozzeria Touring is responsible for producing the aluminum body with its “Superleggera” process.
Promotion
The James Bond DB5 is originally red, but is finally repainted in a color called “Silver Birch” for more discretion. For the purposes of the film, it is equipped with a whole series of gadgets. The DB5 quickly became the “James Bond car”, thanks to its presence in Goldfinger , so that it became very popular around the world. Moreover, Aston Martin sold a license to Corgi Toys which sold several million models 3 .
The popularity of the brand benefits greatly from the film, indeed, this promotion “large scale” eclipses until the victory won at the 24 Hours of Le Mans 1959 , and the title of world champion builders conquered the same year 4 .
A model, the size of a pedal car, but driven by an electric motor, was offered to the children of Queen Elizabeth II . Property of his Majesty, it lent him for the exhibition Toys and Men , presented in 2011-2012 at the Grand Palais in Paris .
This model is part of a collection of ten stamps, called British Auto Legends, published in August 2013 in the UK by Royal Mail 5 .
Characteristics
Technical
The body is manufactured under license “Superleggera” in the factories of Aston Martin. The main difference between the DB4 and its replacement DB5 is at the engine . The latter, a six-cylinder in line double shaft, is indeed raised to a displacement of 4 L against the 3.7 L of the DB4, by boring (96 millimeters instead of 92) 6 . This new engine configuration gives it nearly 282 hp at 5,500 rpm to be propelled at a maximum speed of 230 km / h . Its torque reaches 390 Nm at3,850 rpm . The DB5 thus performs 0 to 100 km / h in 8.1 s .
The mechanics of the DB5 are equipped with a five- speed ZF gearbox , which replaces the old four-speed “David Brown” transmission. It seems that this new box is much more advantageous than the previous six . A three-speed ” Borg-Warner ” automatic transmission is also available
Design
The DB5 marked its era by combining an elegant dress and a powerful mechanical, a six-cylinder in line of 4 liters. Don Hayter sketches the general line of the car that is reviewed by Frederico Formenti responsible for the shaping of the DB4 at Carrozzeria Touring.
Offered in coupe and cabriolet , the DB5 displays the stylistic traits of the current and past Aston Martin, namely the chrome arrow on the front flanks, but also the grille in “T returned”. This last trait is also the most visible and characteristic of the brand. His line is not new, since it takes the line of the DB4 Vantage. The globes of the streamlined headlights, already present on the DB4 Vantage and GT, underline the curved forms of the automobile 6 .
The DB5 being somewhat cramped, David Brown decided to build a personal station wagon to carry his hunting equipment and his dogs. Against all odds, customers find the station so attractive that to meet the demand, Aston Martin will give the body “Harold Radford” the realization of a very limited series of DB5 station wagon. Apart from the copy of David Brown, twelve hunting wagons will be built from 1965 to 1967