Aston Martin DB5
1963-1965 · Aston Martin DB5 — Grand Tourer, Inline-6, designed by Carrozzeria Touring.
The Story
The DB5 is, quite simply, the most famous car in the world. A 1963 evolution of the DB4 (4.0 six, 282 bhp, ZF five-speed), it would have been a footnote among great DBs – until special-effects man John Stears turned a DB5 prototype into James Bond’s gadget car for Goldfinger (1964), in Silver Birch, with ejector seat and revolving plates.
Ian Fleming had given Bond a DB Mark III in the novel; the film made the DB5 immortal. Four Goldfinger cars were built; one was stolen from Florida in 1997 and never found. A 25-car Goldfinger Continuation followed in 2020.
The Numbers
Benchmarked against its class
Each dial ranks this car within its Grand Tourer class — fuller means higher, and the tick marks the class midpoint.
Signature Colors
The Designer
Carrozzeria Touring
Milanese coachbuilder famed for ‘Superleggera’ construction (alloy panels over a tubular frame). Federico Formenti penned the DB4/DB5/DB6 – among the most beautiful GTs ever. Source: Wikipedia.
Studio Motors POV
The most famous car on earth and the definitive collector Aston – values are stratospheric for good reason. If a great one is offered, it’s always ‘the right time.’
The Engine
Aston Martin Tadek Marek I6 (3.7-4.0)
Market & Value
Values on cars like this move monthly. Our brokers price from real transactions.
What Reviewers Said About DB5
Worth Knowing About the DB5
3 Things You Didn’t Know
- 1. It's billed as the most famous car in the world – thanks to Goldfinger (1964) and 60+ years of Bond.
- 2. Ian Fleming's novel actually gave Bond a DB Mark III; the film switched to the DB5, making it iconic.
- 3. One of the four original Goldfinger DB5s was stolen from a Florida hangar in 1997 and has never been recovered.
5 Fast Facts
- 1. 1963-1965; 1,059 built (incl. 123 Convertible, 13 Shooting Brake).
- 2. 4.0 twin-cam six: 282 bhp (Vantage 314); ZF 5-speed.
- 3. Goldfinger (1964) + Thunderball Bond car; Silver Birch.
- 4. Corgi's DB5 model sold ~2.5 million in 1965 alone.
- 5. Goldfinger Continuation (25 cars, ejector seat) built 2020.
Provenance
Owners & what to look for
Famous Owners
The James Bond car (Goldfinger 1964, Thunderball). A Goldfinger DB5 owned by Anthony Pugliese III was stolen in Florida in 1997 (still missing). Many celebrity DB5 owners are rumoured but unverified – not listed.
Studio Buyer’s Brief
Saloon, Convertible or the ultra-rare Shooting Brake (12-13 built) – all blue-chip; Vantage-spec (314 bhp, triple Weber) and matching-numbers cars top the market. Check the alloy body for corrosion and originality. Demand outstrips supply.
Full Specifications
- Make / Model
- Aston Martin DB5
- Class
- Grand Tourer
- Production years
- 1963-1965
- Units built
- 1,059 (incl. 123 Convertible + 13 Shooting Brake)
- Variants
- DB5 Vantage; DB5 Convertible/Volante; DB5 Shooting Brake
- Engine layout
- Front
- Engine
- Inline-6
- Engine family
- Aston Martin Tadek Marek I6 (3.7-4.0)
- Displacement
- 3,995 cc (4.0L) straight-six
- Power
- 314 hp
- Torque
- 288 lb-ft
- 0–60 mph
- 7.1 s
- Top speed
- 145 mph
- Power-to-weight
- 209 hp/tonne · 10.5 lb/hp
- Transmission
- 5-speed ZF manual (3-speed BorgWarner auto optional)
- Drivetrain
- RWD (front engine) · Petrol
- Curb weight
- 3311 lb
Questions
DB5 FAQ
Is the Aston Martin DB5 really the most famous car in the world?
It is widely described as such. The DB5 earned that status from Goldfinger (1964), where a Silver Birch coupe — equipped with an ejector seat, revolving number plates, and machine guns by special-effects maestro John Stears — became James Bond’s car. The Corgi toy replica became the biggest-selling toy of 1964, and more than 20 million Corgi DB5 models have been sold across subsequent editions.
What happened to the original Goldfinger Aston Martin DB5?
One of the four DB5s built for Goldfinger was stolen in 1997 from a private hangar at Boca Raton Airport, Florida. It has never been officially recovered and is widely believed to be held in a private collection in the Middle East. Autocar has reported it is said to be worth approximately £18 million.
What engine does the Aston Martin DB5 have?
The DB5 uses a 3,995 cc (4.0-litre) twin-cam straight-six designed by Tadek Marek, producing 282 bhp in standard form and 314 bhp in Vantage specification with triple Weber carburettors. A five-speed ZF manual gearbox was standard, with a three-speed BorgWarner automatic as an option.
What is an Aston Martin DB5 worth today?
Standard Aston Martin DB5 examples trade for approximately $700,000-$1,100,000 in 2025. Bond-associated cars command multiples: a Goldfinger/Thunderball DB5 sold for $6,385,000 at RM Sotheby’s in 2019. The stolen Florida Goldfinger car is reported to be worth approximately £18 million.
Can you buy an Aston Martin DB5?
Yes. All 1,059 DB5s were built in 1963-1965 and trade as blue-chip classics on the secondary market.
The Aston Martin Lineup
Explore every Aston Martin
DB4 GT Zagato ’60DB5 ’63DB6 ’65DBS (1967) ’67V8 ’69
Lagonda ’76V8 Vantage (1977) ’77
V8 Vantage (Supercharged) ’93DB7 ’94DB7 Vantage ’99
V12 Vanquish ’01DB9 ’04V8 Vantage (2005) ’05DBS (2007) ’07V12 Vantage (2009) ’09One-77 ’09
Rapide ’10Vanquish (2012) ’12V12 Zagato ’12V12 Vantage GT12 ’15DB11 ’16Vanquish Zagato ’16Vantage ’18DBS Superleggera ’18
DBX ’20Valkyrie ’21V12 Speedster ’21V12 Vantage (2022) ’22Valour ’23Vanquish (2024) ’24Valiant ’24Valhalla ’25
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