The Aston Martin DB5 is one of the most iconic cars in the world thanks to its elegant and sporty design, as well as being one of the most powerful grand tourers of its time. But the DB5 also became famous because it was featured in various installments of the James Bond franchise. It debuted in Goldfinger in 1964, but it was also featured in Thunderball (1965), GoldenEye (1995), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), Casino Royale (2006), and Skyfall (2012). The DB5 is scheduled to return to the James Bond franchise in No Time to Die, the 25th installment that's set to debut in November 2020. As a result, the folks over at Carfection took the car for a spin and had a chat with 007 stunt driver Mark Higgins.

The Aston Martin DB5 was the British Ferrari of the 1960s

The redesign by Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera was sleeker and sportier and proved to be a hit with fans of expensive grand touring cars of the time. It was Aston Martin's answer to the Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso, and even though the DB5 wasn't built as a homologation car, it was viewed by many as a competitor to the Ferrari 250 GTO. It had the styling, it had the power, but it was a fancier proposition with a more stylish interior and better materials overall.

Unlike Ferraris of the era, which came with V-12 engines under the hood, the DB5 was powered by an inline-six engine. But the 4.0-liter unit was plenty powerful at 282 horsepower and 288 pound-feet of torque. It was only around ten horses behind the 250 GTO, while providing notably more torque. The DB5 returned impressive performance for the era. It needed only eight seconds to hit 60 mph from a standing start, while its top speed was rated at 145 mph, which is more than many common modern cars.

Aston Martin DB5 specifications

The Aston Martin DB5 appears in nine James Bond movies

Granted, the DB5 wasn't always Bond's main car, and some of its appearances are rather brief, but it's proof that this car is now an integral part of the franchise.

The DB5 debuted in Goldfinger in 1964 as Bond's personal car. It returns in 1965's Thunderball, and it's then showcased in the opening scenes of GoldenEye (1995), while racing a Ferrari. The DB5 makes brief appearances again in Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), and The World Is Not Enough (1999).

The British grand tourer returns as a main car in Casino Royale in 2006 and then in Skyfall in 2012. The car is destroyed in the latter film. The car is featured in Spectre of 2015 alongside the DB10, a vehicle developed specifically for this movie. In No Time To Die, delayed from April to November 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the DB5 is being driven alongside three modern Aston Martins: the DBS Superleggera, V8 Vantage, and Valhalla.

The Aston Martin DB5 is a million-dollar car

Thanks to its association with James Bond, the DB5 is one of the most expensive classic Aston Martins. The car that was featured in Goldfinger and Thunderball was auctioned for $4.6 million in 2010, while a car that was used to promote the Thunderball movie was sold for $6.4 million in 2019. While most of the DB5s that aren't related to the movie usually sell for less than $1 million, some examples changed owners for around $1.5 million in recent years.