AUTOMOTIVE 53
SIXTIES ICON
The year was 1963 . Aston Martin was riding a wave of popularity and its DB4 had been selling consistently well 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 .
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 fictious owner in particular springs to mind , of course , and there ’ s no doubt that the decision by film-makers EON Productions to put the world ’ s most wellknown secret agent behind the wheel of the new DB5 in a series of James Bond movies over the course of more than half a century has cemented its place in the automotive hall of fame . 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 the 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 coachbuilt 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 .
ISSUE 61 2023 THE ART OF LUXURY