vehicle information
Aston Martin DB5 driven by James Bond
Owned by MI6
Featured In Goldfinger (1964) and Thunderball (1965)
film information
This is the classic James Bond car. Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 marks the first of many times Q-Branch modifies high-performance cars to add deadly gadgetry. Bond becomes impatient whilst receiving his briefing from Q regarding all the gadgetry the car has to offer.
Bond starts to the use the Aston Martin DB5’s gadgetry when he tracks Auric Goldfinger to his Austrian factory. After planting the Large Homing Device in the back of Goldfinger’s 1937 Rolls Royce III, he follows his target through Switzerland by following the display hidden behind a vent in the dashboard. Bond disables Tilly Masterson’s car by using the Aston Martins tyre slasher hidden in the nearside rear wheel hub.
Bond uses the majority of the Aston Martins gadgetry during the car chase from Goldfinger’s factory. Armed with front and rear bulletproof windows, Bond and Tilly avoid getting shot by Goldfinger’s pursuing henchmen. Bond proceeds to use his ‘armchair’ control panel to activate an oil slick from the rear light cluster. After still being pursued by Goldfinger’s henchmen Bond uses a smoke screen emitted from the rear to confuse the pursuers. When he runs out of road his presses a button for the rear bulletproof shield to lift into place. Bond also uses the DB5’s hidden .30 calibre machine guns hidden behind the indicator lights. Most famously, Bond uses the Aston Martins ejector seat by pressing a red button hidden underneath the gear stick lever - this engages and fires the passenger-side ejector seat!
Although not used by Bond, the Aston Martin featured revolving number plates valid for England, France and Switzerland, hydraulic overriders, front and back and a hidden weapons tray underneath the driver. James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 is also fitted out with rear water cannons in Thunderball. Bond uses these effectively to severely douse pursuers emerging from Jacques Boitier’s mansion in the pre-credit sequence of Thunderball. §
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