Aston Martin DB5 at 60: Celebrating Six Decades of the World’s Most Iconic Car.
Aston Martin is leading the charge in commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Aston Martin DB5, widely regarded as the world's most renowned automobile.
In September, Aston Martin will commemorate 60 years since the debut of its groundbreaking new model. The car has helped establish Aston Martin as one of Britain's most desirable luxury brands, and it has become a symbol of British design, culture, and ingenuity. It was in September that Aston Martin released its first mass-produced car.
The DB5 is still one of the most iconic cars in the world, even after 60 years. It was the crown jewel of Aston Martin's display at the Goodwood Revival festival in Sussex over the weekend, together with the DB12, the first Super Tourer in the world. Today, in honour of Aston Martin's historic anniversary, images of the two models together have been presented to pay tribute to the company's storied past and promising future.
Reflecting on the enduring appeal of the DB5 as it marks its 60th anniversary, Aston Martin’s Executive Chairman, Lawrence Stroll, himself a DB5 owner, said: “The David Brown era gave us so many great Aston Martin sports cars, but none more recognisable, revered, and desired as the DB5, which laid the foundations of our identity as a British luxury brand synonymous with style, performance, and exclusivity.
“It is only right that, as it turns 60, we take a moment to look back and reflect on this car’s incredible role in our storied 110-year heritage. We’re incredibly proud that the DB lineage continues today with the critically acclaimed DB12, which, like those that came before it, is a celebration of all we love about British hand-built sportscars, with a new injection of the latest technology and highest levels of performance.”
Time period: 1963, Sales of the DB4, Aston Martin's first all-new model since 1958, had been strong, and the company was riding high. However, something novel was required to keep the brand on top in the face of intense competition from American and European manufacturers of premium sports cars.
Introduced to the public for the first time at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1963, the DB5 boasted a number of improvements over its predecessor in terms of design, technology, and equipment, most notably a major engine development that delivered even more power.
Saloons and convertibles with this distinctive nameplate were manufactured at the company's headquarters and factory in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, for just over two years, but during that time they achieved the level of notoriety that places them among the most sought-after automobiles of all time.
Of course, one fictional owner comes to mind, and there is no doubt that the decision by film producers AEON Productions to place the world's most well-known secret agent behind the wheel of the new DB5 in a series of James Bond films spanning more than half a century has cemented the new DB5's place in automotive history. However, 007 is hardly the only "celebrity" to have been spotted driving the now-famous Aston Martin.
Crowds pressed to have a look at the new DB5 in Frankfurt as the Swinging Sixties were ready to take off, and within a short period of time, many of the most well-known actors, musicians, and celebrities of the day would consider themselves privileged to be among the elite ranks of Aston Martin ownership.
Sir Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Mick Jagger were among the famous 1960s customers of the Aston Martin DB5. Numerous other well-known people, including Robert Plant, Jay Kay, Elle MacPherson, Ralph Lauren, and many others, have purchased the model over the years in addition to master comedian Peter Sellers.
The DB5's popularity among famous people was a major factor in elevating Aston Martin from a small but respectable British sports car manufacturer to a household name throughout the world.
When compared to the total number of automobiles manufactured, this feat becomes even more impressive. Only 887 DB5 saloons, 123 convertibles, and 12 one-off shooting brakes were ever produced. Even by the standards of the time, these figures were incredibly small, especially considering that in 1963 the United Kingdom produced over 1.8 million automobiles.
The DB5 on exhibit in Germany was equipped with a new 4.0-litre (3,995 cc) heavily revised version of the 3.7-litre dual-cam straight six that powered the DB4, producing a then-remarkable 282 horsepower in standard configuration.
To suit the sophisticated and demanding needs of today's consumers, a number of technological and equipment improvements were meticulously developed, including the introduction of electronic windows and the provision of air conditioning as an option.
With a top speed of over 150 mph, the Aston Martin brochure of the day boasted: "The DB5 is the fastest regular 4-seat GT car in the world." Aston Martin's legendary performance was in keeping with the car's sleek design, which was the work of Italian coachbuilder Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera.
British automotive magazine Autocar used that staggeringly outstanding figure in its initial road test of the new model to conclude that "this is a car which cries out to be driven, to be driven well, and to be driven far."
The DB10 was the granddaddy of all grand tourers, paving the way for the DB12 to come along and once again establish Aston Martin as the undisputed king of performance, dynamics, engineering, and technology.
