It is perhaps the most coveted classic car of all time – forever immortalized on screen in the James Bond film franchise.
And now buyers with deep pockets can get their hands on four rare examples of the Aston Martin DB5.
The vehicles go on sale today at classic car specialists Hilton & Moss, and unsurprisingly they’re all on demand, so it’ll take deep pockets to get your hands on one.
Recent 007 DB5s have sold for more than £1 million, and it’s well documented that Bond movie bikes destroy their usual values, so high-rollers just need to inquire.
William Garrett, managing director of Hilton & Moss, says they are offering Aston Martin DB5 buyers ‘something rarely offered in the rarefied world of Aston Martin DB5s: the luxury of choice’ with an extraordinary line-up of four DB5s running simultaneously are for sale
Aston Martin DB5s don’t come cheap, with a recent Bond DB5 stunt car costing more than £2 million.
In what is believed to be a world first, the DB5s – which range from a perfectly restored iconic James Bond ‘Silver Birch’ car to a ‘shell’ car ready to be rebuilt from the ground up – will all be available at the same time. .
Interested buyers can view the beautiful vehicles in the Hilton & Moss Hertfordshire showroom. It is an extremely rare opportunity for classic car collectors to have complete choice when it comes to considering ‘the most famous car in the world’.
First launched in 1963, the DB5 made its Bond debut in 1964’s Goldfinger, with its most recent 007 appearance in 2021’s No Time to Die, charming legions of fans in the process.
The DB5 has an incredible legacy. It was a further developed version of the popular sporty DB4, which heralded the new era of Aston Martin.
Not only is it one of the most exquisite cars ever made, but it is also one of the rarest, as only 1,059 examples were hand-built over two years. And only 65 high-performance Vantage models were made.
The DB5 has an aluminum body designed by Italian coachbuilder Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera and a 4.0-liter straight-six engine designed by Tadek Marek. The standard version had 282bhp, rising to 314bhp in the high-end Vantage specification.
Customers had the option of a modern five-speed manual gearbox (an improvement over the DB4’s four-speed gearbox) and could expect a top speed of 150 mph (240 km/h) on the standard version.
William Garrett, managing director of Hilton & Moss, said: “We are privileged to offer this truly historic selection of four Aston Martin DB5s for sale at once, something no dealer has ever done before.
‘With this sale, Hilton and Moss is offering customers something rarely offered in the rarefied world of Aston Martin DB5s: the luxury of choice.
‘As a world leader in the sale and production of exceptional cars, we are known for offering remarkable opportunities in the automotive sector, but even for us this is something very special.
‘It is truly a sight to behold to see the four examples of the DB5 – an icon that is both loved and coveted – standing next to each other.’
The DB5 has become ‘the most famous car in the world’ thanks to its legendary status as the car of 007 himself. He first appeared as the favorite engine of fictional MI6 agent James Bond in Goldfinger, piloted by Sean Connery in the 1964 film
The DB5 has made many memorable Bond appearances, most recently in 2021’s No Time To Die. It also had a starring role in Daniel Craig’s Skyfall, which saw Bond M drive through the Scottish Highlands in the iconic classic
Before Bond’s fame, the DB5 had an almost unparalleled legacy. It was a further developed version of the popular sporty DB4, which heralded the new era of Aston Martin. Only 1,059 DB5 examples were hand-built over a two-year period. And only 65 high-end Vantages were made
The jewel in the Hilton & Moss DB5 range is the car finished in the iconic ‘James Bond’ specification with gloss Silver Birch paint.
The interior is a rich black Connolly leather interior and the car has been completely body-off restored in recent years.
Having also been treated to a handful of carefully selected, discreet enhancements, including an upgraded suspension, a Becker Mexico Retro in-car entertainment system, air conditioning and selectable power steering, it is in exceptional concours condition.
The engine was recently rebuilt by Aston Martin Works to the factory Vantage specification of 4.2 liters, at a cost of £57,000.
It was originally purchased new in September 1965 by actor and comedian Dick Emery.
The ‘Silver Birch’ Bond-spec DB5 is the crown jewel of the four-car line-up, but beautifully flanked by a ‘Pacific Blue’ race-ready DB5 and a light green ‘California Sage’, sympathetically restored from 1964
For a racing collector and driver, the second DB5 – finished in Pacific Blue with a black interior – may be even more exciting. It has long been owned by enthusiasts, taking to the road, FIA sprints, hill climbs and rallies around the classic car circuit.
After being meticulously maintained both inside and out by brand specialists, it has just undergone a no-cost interior revitalization.
And thanks to a conversion of the inline six-cylinder to a ‘fast road’ 4.2-litre, the fitment of a transforming Harvey Bailey Handling Kit and a complete conversion of the five-speed gearbox, it is now one of the best driving DB5s around .
Original delivered new in 1965.
In third place is a light green ‘California Sage’, sympathetically restored example – a real eye-catcher. This ZF-equipped 1964 5-speed car was supplied by Brooklands of Bond Street in June that year and has remained in Britain ever since.
The ‘Silver Birch’ DB5 interior is a rich black Connolly leather interior and the car has been treated to a full body-off restoration in recent years. It is in exceptional condition. The engine was recently rebuilt by Aston Martin Works to the Vantage factory specification of 4.2 liters at a cost of £57,000 alone
The three restored DB5s have been worked on at the highest level of classic car craftsmanship, with the interior in absolutely perfect condition – no expense spared is the level buyers can expect
For a collector who wants to realize his DB5 dreams in a uniquely individualistic way, the fourth DB5 is a kind of blank canvas from Aston Martin. It’s an unparalleled opportunity for a wealthy customer to specify their own perfect DB5
The fourth DB5 is a kind of blank canvas from Aston Martin. It’s an unparalleled opportunity for a wealthy customer to specify their own perfect DB5.
Hilton & Moss – world-class restorers and coachbuilders – can rebuild this model from the ground up, exactly to the new owner’s wishes. The restored chassis and body have already been meticulously prepared in Hilton & Moss’ body shop.
It was first delivered in July 1964 and then went to the US before spending 30 years in dry storage.
Now it’s up to the true Aston enthusiast to make one themselves.
Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on it, we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow a commercial relationship to compromise our editorial independence.