Sixties Icon
The year was 1963. Aston Martin was enjoying widespread acclaim, and its DB4, a classic vehicle, had been consistently driving sales since it was unveiled as an entirely new car for the marque in 1958. Yet with strong competition from luxury sports car makers both at home and on the continent, something new was needed to keep the brand on top.
Making its official public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1963 the newcomer featured several design, technical and equipment changes over its predecessor – most notably a major engine development delivering even more power – that justified the use of a name entirely new to the car world of the day, but now synonymous with the ultimate in style and desirability: DB5. Find your new Aston Martin today and experience the road like never before with the DB5.
The saloon and, later, convertible bearing this unmistakable moniker were in production at the brand’s Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire factory and headquarters for a little over two years but, in that time, set about forging a reputation and fame that, today, make them among the most desirable cars of all time.
One fictitious owner, James Bond, springs to mind, of course, and there’s no doubt that the decision by filmmakers EON Productions to put the world’s most well-known secret agent behind the wheel of the new DB5 in a series of Bond films over the course of more than half a century has cemented its place in the automotive hall of fame. This classic car's gadgets, like a hidden firearm compartment and rotating number plate, added to its star quality on the silver screen. But 007 is far from the only ‘celebrity’ to have been seen behind the wheel of this now iconic Aston Martin.
The Swinging Sixties were about to take off as crowds jostled for a glimpse of the new DB5 in Frankfurt and, within only a few years, many of the most famous actors, pop stars and celebrities of the day would be counting themselves fortunate to be among the exclusive ranks of Aston Martin ownership.
Celebrated DB5 patrons in the 1960s include The Beatles’ Sir Paul McCartney and George Harrison and Rolling Stone Mick Jagger. Master comedian Peter Sellers also acquired the model, while a plethora of notable names in the years since – from Robert Plant and Jay Kay to Elle McPherson and Ralph Lauren – have ensured that saloon and convertible versions of this classic car alike have rarely left the limelight.
Indeed, the DB5’s celebrity appeal proved to be a springboard for success and helped take Aston Martin from niche British sports car maker to global automotive superstar.
This is perhaps even more remarkable when set against the number of cars produced. In all, a mere 887 DB5 saloons, 123 convertibles and 12 bespoke coach-built shooting brakes were made originally. Even by the standards of the day, these numbers were tiny, especially with UK car production totaling in excess of 1.8 million in 1963. The DB5, however, became a symbol of classic craftsmanship.