Guide: Aston Martin DB5 - Goldfinger & Thunderball
Goldfinger
Released on December 22nd 1964, Goldfinger was the third movie in the James Bond franchise. It centred around gold-smuggler, Auric Goldfinger (Gert Frobe) who sought to massively increase the value of his bullion by setting off a nuclear device inside Fort Knox.
Sean Connery once again played Bond. He starred alongside a Silver Birch Aston Martin DB5 equipped with a host of Q-branch extras that captured the imagination of filmgoers.
Launched in October 1963 at the London Motor Show, the DB5 was powered by a 282bhp, four-litre, dual overhead camshaft straight six engine with triple SU carburettors. With its five-speed gearbox, four-wheel independent suspension and all round disc brakes, the DB5 was a machine reserved for the motoring elite and was priced accordingly. At more than double the cost of a Jaguar E-type, Aston Martin charged about the same for a DB5 as Bentley did for their S3.
Movie producers, Henry Saltzman and Albert ‘Cubby’ Broccoli, thought a suitably modified DB5 would make the perfect accompaniment for Bond in their forthcoming release.
They asked Aston Martin owner, David Brown, if he would donate a DB5 for filming but the request was initially turned down. However, a deal was later struck that saw Aston loan two cars to the producers. They were numbered DP/2161/1 and DB5/1486/R.
Chassis DP/2161/1 started life as a Series 5 DB4 that became the DB5 development mule. Originally painted red, it featured heavily in promotional literature for the DB5 sporting the famous registration BMT 216A.
Chassis DB5/1486/R was a standard car taken from the production line.
Q-branch Modifications
The two DB5s were sent to John Stears and his special effects team at Pinewood Studios. Upon arrival, chassis DP/2161/1 was modified to accommodate a host of special Q-branch gadgets.
Concealed behind each front indicator was a Browning machine gun.
A retractable bullet-proof screen was added behind the rear window.
Tyre slashing extendable wheel spinners were installed along with hydraulic bumper over-riders that projected for use as battering rams.
The nearside rear light cluster housed an oil spray device and, on the opposing side, was a caltrops nail ejector.
Other modifications included smoke-emitting exhaust pipes, a radar scanner in the wing mirror and revolving British, French and Swiss licence plates.
The cockpit was home to perhaps the most memorable feature; a Martin-Baker ejector seat from a fighter jet. It was operated by a concealed button underneath the gear lever. Once depressed, the roof panel jettisoned before the ejector seat fired.
Other cockpit upgrades included an illuminated radar tracking display screen, a telephone in the driver’s armrest, a centre console-mounted weapons switchboard and an armaments draw under the driver's seat.
By contrast, DB5/1486/R was initially kept in standard form to be used for the high speed driving scenes. However, after filming was complete, it too was accessorised with all the Q-branch extras for promotional purposes.
On Screen
With its extra equipment, the DB5 proved extremely useful to 007 in Goldfinger.
It first appeared during an Alpine chase in which Bond used his tyre slashers to stop the Ford Mustang of Tilly Masterson (Tania Mallet).
Then, having tailed Goldfinger’s Rolls Royce Phantom III all the way to Switzerland thanks to the DB5’s radar tracking device, the Aston was used in a high-speed night-time pursuit where Bond made use of the oil dispenser and smoke screen to force Goldfinger’s henchman off the road. When Bond reached a dead end, he activated the retractable bullet-proof shield to block enemy gunfire.
Having failed to evade capture, Bond was told to drive the DB5 back to Goldfinger’s nearby HQ with an armed guard in the passenger seat – cue the ejector. Another chase ensued around the grounds of Goldinger’s industrial compound that saw Bond stick the DB5 into a wall after being dazzled by the reflection of his own headlights.
Goldfinger Release
Like the previous two 007 movies, Goldfinger was a massive commercial success.
Produced on a budget of $2.5m, worldwide box office takings were a staggering $124.9 million.
Thunderball
The DB5 also went onto star briefly in the subsequent 007 movie released in 1965: Thunderball. On this occasion Bond’s mission was to find two atomic bombs stolen by the terrorist organisation, SPECTRE.
Two additional Q-branch DB5s were ordered by the Swiss holding company of Eon Productions, Danjaq SA, at a reputed cost of $62,500 each (more than five times the list price of a standard DB5).
Equipped with near identical gadgetry to the earlier cars, they bore chassis numbers DB5/2008/R and DB5/2017/R.
For this latest film, two rear water cannons were added the list of Q-branch equipment.
On Screen
Thunderball saw the DB5 feature early on as Bond’s getaway car after he killed a SPECTRE operative connected with the murders of two MI6 agents. Having first used a jet-pack to escape the grounds, Bond landed by his waiting DB5, raised the bullet proof shield to protect himself from the fast approaching gunmen and then drenched them with the newly installed water cannons.
Bond was then sent to Shrublands sanatorium where he got wind of SPECTRE’s plot to steal an RAF Avro Vulcan bomber loaded with the two atomic bombs. Driving the DB5 on the motorway back to London, he was attacked by a gunman in a black Ford Fairline. The Fairline driver was then mysteriously killed by a masked motorcyclist who fired a rocket-propelled grenade and promptly disappeared.
Thunderball Release
Produced on a $9m budget, Thunderball took a record $141.2 million at the worldwide box office.
Subsequent Histories
After promotional duties were over, the four DB5s were sold off.
DP/2161/1 was returned to Aston Martin and, in 1968, had the Q-branch equipment removed. It was sold to Gavin Keyzar. Keyzar had the special parts re-instated and, in 1971, sold the car to an American collector. It later made a cameo appearance with Roger Moore in 1980’s The Cannonball Run.
In 1997, DP/2161/1 was stolen from Boca Raton Airport and has not been seen since.
DB5/1486/R also returned to Aston Martin and similarly had the Q-branch equipment removed. In 1968, it was sold to Jerry Lee, an American collector who retained it until 2010.
Danjaq SA sold both DB5/2008/R and DB5/2017/R to British collector, Anthony Bamford.
Bamford traded them both for a quick profit.
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Aston Martin - https://www.astonmartin.com & MGM Studios - https://www.mgm.com
