Aston Martin DB5

History

In 1963 Aston Martin needed to renew its flagship model, the DB4, but without having to upset the line, still valid, and the mechanics, always performing; therefore they opted for a nice renewal of the existing model.Interior of a 1965 Aston Martin DB5 Volante
Compared to the DB4 model, the 6-cylinder in-line twin-shaft engine, all in light alloy, was modified by increasing the displacement to obtain greater operating flexibility. In fact, the increase in volume, which went from 3670 to 3995 cm 3 , did not greatly increase the power but the engine torque had an increase of 5% to the benefit of regularity and progressiveness. The engine was always powered by 3 carburetors SU that produce a power of 282 hp (210 kW ), bringing the car to a maximum speed of 240 km / h (149 MPH).

PERFORMANCE (325 hp)
max power (DIN): 282 hp at 5,500 rpm
max torque (DIN): 288 1b ft, 39.7 kg m at 3,850 rpm
max number of engine rpm: 6,000
specific power: 70.6 hp/l
max speeds:
43 mph, 69.2 km/h in 1st gear
66 mph, 106.3 km/h in 2nd gear
95 mph, 152.9 km/h in 3rd gear
117 mph, 188.4 km/h in 4th gear
141 mph, 227 km/h in 5th gear
power-weight ratio: 11.5 lb/hp, 5.2 kg/hp•
acceleration: standing 1/4 mile 16 sec, 0— 50 mph (O —80 km/h) 6.4 sec
speed in top at 1,000 rpm: 25 mph, 40.2 km/h.

The drivetrain was updated with the ZF 5-speed gearbox, first optional and then standard from chassis # 1340, and an increased Laycock clutch with an easier-to-operate diaphragm spring. The suspension adopted new adjustable rear shock absorbers on 2 Armstrong Selectaride calibrations. The braking system was improved with the adoption of a new Girling dual circuit braking system, more efficient than the previous Dunlop. The alternator took the place of the dynamo .

Reclinable seats, wool pile carpets, electric windows, dual fuel tanks, chrome wire wheels, oil cooler, magnesium-alloy body made using the superleggera patent technology, full leather trim in the cabin, and even a fire extinguisher were all standard features on the DB5. All variants have two doors and are configured as a 2+2. A Borg-Warner DG three-speed automatic transmission was also offered. The original four-speed manual (with optional overdrive) was standard equipment at first, but it was quickly replaced by the ZF five-speed. Shortly before the DB6 replaced the DB5, the automatic option was modified to the Borg-Warner Model 8.

Aesthetically, the DB5 differed from the DB4 for the front with fairing headlights, which however had already been seen on the DB4 GT "short wheelbase" (only 100 specimens) and on the DB4 Vantage and the DB5 trim on the front fender and on the rear hood. However, this configuration of the front was also modified for better use; the headlight frame is wider to avoid water infiltration and the presence, in some models, of orange direction indicators on the nose

Other small details were modified such as the double filler for petrol refueling, the tinted windows , the electric windows , the courtesy lights, the hydraulic jack and, on request, the Webasto sunroof and the Blaupunkt radio .

The dimensions of the DB5 are identical to that of the DB4, but the new version has a higher weight.

Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera, an Italian coachbuilder, created the design. It was an evolution of the final series of DB4 and was released in 1963. The DB series was named after David Brown, Aston Martin's CEO from 1947 until 1972. The following are the main differences between the DB4 Series V and the DB5: The all-aluminum engine was increased in size from 3.7 to 4.0 litres. Except for some of the very first DB5s, a new durable ZF five-speed transmission and three SU carburettors This engine, which had been offered on the Vantage (high-powered) version of the DB4 from March 1962 and could drive the car to 145 mph (233 km/h), became the regular Aston Martin power unit with the debut in September 1939.

VARIATIONS AND OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES
limited slip final drive; electrically adjustable lever dampers while running on rear suspension; air conditionlng system; 3,540 axle ratio; Laycock Nornnanville overdrive/top,0s820 ratio;
4-speed mechanical gearbox (1 3,124 2.920, 2 1.982 1.850, 3 1.335 1.250, 4 1.069 rev 2.430), 3.310 axle ratio; Borg-Warner automatic gearbox, hydraulic torque convertor and planetary gears; engine max power 325 hp at 5,750 rpm, 81,4 hp/l
specific power.

DB5 convertible

Only 123 convertible DB5s were built (all with Touring bodywork), and they didn't get the name "Volante" until 1965. From 1963 to 1965, the convertible model was available. Only 19 of the 123 DB5 Convertibles produced were left-hand drive at the time. A factory Vantage engine was originally fitted to 12 cars, and at least one more convertible was later factory fitted with a DB6 specification Vantage engine.

Aston Martin used the last 37 Aston Martin DB5 chassis to create a new convertible variant from October 1965 until October 1966. These 37 cars were the first Aston Martins to be called "Volantes" and were known as "Short Chassis" Volantes. Although naming it a "Short Chassis" is a misnomer because the "short" refers to the following DB6, which has a longer chassis. When compared to the DB5, it is not "short," but rather the same size; however, these cars differ from the DB5 convertible variants in that they have DB6 split front and rear bumpers, as well as rear TR4 lights.

DB5 shooting brake

A prototype DB5 shooting brake was specially built for David Brown, an avid hunter and dog owner, and Harold Radford, a freelance coachbuilder, custom modified 11-12 more coupés for Aston Martin. Triumph taillights were utilised, and they were also used on the DB6 that followed.

DB5 Vantage

In 1964, the high-performance DB5 Vantage was released, with three Weber twin-choke 45DCOE side-draft carburettors and altered camshaft profiles, offering more top-end performance at the sacrifice of general flexibility, especially since the Webers are known as 'full-throttle' devices. This engine had a power output of 315 horsepower (235 kW). Only 65 Aston Martin DB5 Vantage coupés were produced.

Films and TV

The Aston Martin DB5 is most known for being the first and most well-known James Bond automobile in the movies. It was also used by actor Roger Moore in the film The Cannonball Run, when he played a James Bond parody role. Moore portrays Seymour Goldfarb, Jr., a man who believes he is both Roger Moore and James Bond, and who enters a crazy cross-country road race. In "The Noble Sportsman," a 1964 episode of Roger Moore's "The Saint" TV series, the registration number BMT 216A is seen on an Aston Martin DB5.

The 1983 reunion telefilm The Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E.: The Fifteen Years Later Affair includes a brief cameo by George Lazenby as "JB", a white-tuxedoed British man shown driving an Aston Martin DB5, who assists Napoleon Solo during a car chase. "It's just like On Her Majesty's Secret Service," enthuses a female character at the conclusion of the cameo. This special came out in 1983 the same year as Octopussy and Never Say Never Again.

In 2003, it appears in the action comedy film Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, driven by Bernie Mac's character, Jimmy Bosley. It is only seen once in which Bosley is driving a witness, Max Petroni (portrayed by Shia LaBeouf) to his mother's house, to be safe from the O'Grady Crime Syndicate.

The Aston Martin DB5 is one of the most famous cars in the world thanks to Oscar-winning special effects expert (also known as 'the Real Q') John Stears, who created the deadly silver-birch DB5 for use by James Bond in Goldfinger (1964). Although Ian Fleming had placed Bond in a DB Mark III in the novel, the DB5 was the company's latest model when the film was being made.

The original DB5 prototype was utilised in the film, with a normal car used for stunts. The two DB5s were displayed at the 1964 New York World's Fair to promote the film, and it was labelled "the most famous automobile in the world," and sales of the car skyrocketed. One of them was auctioned in Arizona in January 2006; the identical automobile was purchased from the owner, Sir Anthony Bamford, by a Tennessee museum owner in 1970. A automobile that was primarily used to promote the film is now on display at the Louwman Museum in the Netherlands. Aston Martin stripped the original DB5 prototype used in Goldfinger, chassis number DP/216/1, of its weapons and gadgetry and resold it.

Within the universe of James Bond, the same car (registration BMT 216A) was used again in the following film, Thunderball, a year later.

A different Aston Martin DB5 (registration BMT 214A) was used in the 1995 Bond film, GoldenEye, in which three different DB5s were used for filming. The BMT 214A also returned in Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) and was set to make a cameo appearance in the Scotland-set scenes in The World Is Not Enough (1999), but these were cut in the final edit. Yet another DB5 appeared in Casino Royale (2006), this one with Bahamian number plates and left-hand drive (where the previous British versions had been right-hand drive).

Another silver-birch DB5 with the original registration BMT 216A is used in the 23rd James Bond film, Skyfall, during the 50th anniversary of the release of the first James Bond film Dr. No.

On 1 June 2010, RM Auctions announced the upcoming auction of a DB5 used in both Goldfinger and Thunderball. The owner (Jerry Lee, president/owner of WBEB Radio in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) originally bought the car from the Aston Martin company in 1969. At the auction, the DB5 was sold for 2,600,000 Pounds Sterling.

Film appearances

The 007 James Bond Goldfinger Aston Martin db5

The Goldfinger DB5 with gadgets was sold on October 27, 2010 for $4.6m (£2.9m) to the car collector Harry Yeaggy. It features the pop out gun barrels behind the front indicators, the bullet shield behind the rear window and a 3-way revolving front number plate showing "GOLD FINGER" or "JB007" or "BMT216A".