Aston Martin DB5: photo, specifications

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

Magnificent and luxurious cars - that's what the British company "Aston Martin" produces. In the middle of the twentieth century, the famous spy car of all time was born (pictured Aston Martin DB5). Today, this creation of the British is the subject of a collection, which indicates the we alth of the owner.

The origins of the model

The British company Aston Martin produces very expensive sports cars. The firm is a division of the Ford Motor Company.

Back in 1914, two designers, Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford, assembled a sports car with a 1.4 liter engine. The year before this event on Aston Clinton Hill, Martin had won an amateur race with a Singer-10. The name of the English company came from this significant event (Aston Martin).

It was the first generation sports car of the concern, which made an impression on the public.

Second Generation

In 1919, the company developed a draft of the second Aston model, although the car began to be produced only in January 1920.

BIn the middle of the 20th century, the company was bought by David Brown, who at that time owned a large company producing agricultural machinery. A year later, the Aston Martin-Lagonda DB1 sports car was released. The letters in the name mean the initials of the owner of the concern - David Brown.

"Lagonda" was also the property of a British businessman and it was their engines that were on the first models. A total of 15 DB1s were produced. After a year of waiting, the updated DB2 model was released, which increased the engine size to 2.6 liters and produced 105 horsepower.

The second generation of David Brown has competed in many racing competitions in the 3 liter class. At the same time, it achieved excellent results and proved itself from the side exclusively as racing cars. It is worth noting that it was the DB2 version that gave rise to the streamlined body of Aston Martin, subsequently there were few changes in appearance. A distinctive feature was the trapezoidal grille, covered with chrome.

Change to older brother

The next version of Aston was produced for three years from 1953 to 1956 and was called DB-3S. The model turned out to be an excellent sports car, and the special DBR-3 won a huge number of awards in various types of racing. In the same years, the company released several cars for Formula-1, but they did not enjoy much success, unlike the company's racing cars.

The next generation of DB4 was significantly different from its older brothers. The model acquired an aluminum engine with 6 cylinders and a volume of 3.7 liters. At that time, this monster produced 240 horsepower. The 4th generation turned out to be the company's most successful development in the Gran Turismo category. The DBS Aston Martin topped out at 257 kilometers per hour, and it's worth considering that this is a 4-seat sedan.

DB-4GT in the back of Zagato, which appeared in 1960 in the amount of 19 cars, has survived to this day. And all cars delight their owners with their elegance and sporty character.

Everyone's favorite

Three years later, after the release of version 4, the company is launching the production of the Aston Martin DB5 1964 generation. The sports car differed from its older brother only in the presence of a 4-liter engine, whose power reached 282 "horses".

Further, the company increased the production of its machines. New models received more powerful motors. Changes in appearance, as well as the technical equipment of Aston Martin, did not stand aside. Modern design and body style allowed the company to win the hearts of many motorists.

Absolutely everyone liked the car, its attractive appearance and memorable chrome details remained in the minds of passers-by for a long time.

But our article will not focus on modern super-powerful coupes of the British company. Let's take a closer look at the 55-year-old Aston Martin DB5.

Car interior

The salon at that time was not distinguished by luxury and high cost of materials. The pile upholstery of the floor looked very interesting and practical. The seats were very comfortable and allowed the driver to spend long hours behind the wheel without much difficulty.

To say that the dashboard is beautiful is an understatement. The luxury of shiny elements indicates the high cost of the model. The whole tidy is strewn with round dials of various pointers, which are very striking. The chrome trim on the indicators looks pretty stylish.

The soft illumination of the sensors looks very discreet and does not underestimate the interior.

Despite the presence of two doors, Aston Martin DB5 has a 4-seater saloon. But in the back row, passengers are not particularly comfortable due to the low roof of the Grand Turismo sedan.

The main feature was the presence of power windows and air conditioning, which at that time were considered a luxury item.

Appearance

DB5 continues the traditional performance of the 3rd generation Aston Martin body. The smoothness and dynamism of the lines amaze with their consistency. The proportions are observed to the smallest detail. The nameplate with the company symbol flaunts on the front of the car and immediately makes it clear that we are not just a sports car, but a real British citizen.

Stylish bumpers, sparkling front and rear, are not only an element of beauty, but also a kind of car security system. In the event of a collision, they transfer the impact energy to the supporting structure of the frame.

Even then, the car acquired a branded radiator grille, the shape of which has come down to our time. The elegant round headlights area continuation of the front fenders, on which the side rear-view mirrors are located. The rear optics are made in the form of three separate lamps, framed by metal rings.

There is a small air intake on the hood, which does not spoil the appearance, but only adds expressiveness. The abundance of chrome parts will not allow you to take your eyes off this sports car. Even the multi-spoke wheels are chrome plated.

Specifications

Weighing 1,500 kilograms, the Aston Martin DB5 accelerated to “hundreds” in 7 seconds. Such dynamic performance is achieved using a 4-liter engine with two overhead camshafts. The power figures were simply amazing - 282 horsepower allowed to compete on the track with all the famous race car manufacturers.

Initially, the motor worked in conjunction with a four-speed manual transmission. But then the company abandoned this design and developed a new 3-speed automatic transmission. Simultaneously with the "automatic", models with a 5-speed manual were also produced.

Thanks to the three-carburetor design, the car accelerated to 233 km/h. A little later, the Aston Martin DB5 Vantage received a 325-horsepower unit at its disposal.

The low seating position of the car provided excellent handling and stability on the road. It was a pleasure to drive it, many enthusiastic looks followed the driver. A significant improvement in the technical characteristics of the 1963 Aston Martin DB5 was the use of an alternator andadvanced exhaust system.

Racing past

Practically all models of the company took part in racing competitions. Back in 1924, during the race at Monza, Renwick bought for 6,000 pounds a car that had been wrecked at these competitions, the one and a half liter engine of which became the main power unit of all Aston Martin models. The company followed the path of engine improvements by increasing power and applying new technologies.

From 1934 to 1936, the Ulster was a success at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The DB5 we are reviewing has not distinguished itself in the history of the company with significant victories in major competitions. But at the same time, the car could show itself on the streets of the city as an aggressively tuned sports coupe.

Modern models very often perform at eminent racing competitions. Basically it's a version of the DBS and DB9 with engines going beyond the 500 horsepower mark.

Working in movies

A year after the release of the Aston Martin DB5, he appeared in a James Bond film. The famous actor was sitting behind the wheel - Sean Connery in the title role. It was after this film masterpiece that the model became famous among motorists. Many dreamed of owning the car of the best movie spy.

Subsequently, the DB5 appeared in such films as "Thunderball", "Casino Royale" and "Tomorrow Never Dies". But few people know that initially the older brother claimed the role of the vehicle of the protagonist -Aston Martin DB3. But during filming, Bond got behind the wheel of a 5th generation British sports car for the first time.

Undoubtedly, the Aston Martin DB5 will be remembered for many years to come. After all, the first association with a car will be associated with a film about a spy. Everyone would love to be in Sean Connery's shoes and enjoy a great racing coupe.

Recently, James Bond's famous Aston Martin DB5 was sold at an American auction in Arizona for a mind-blowing price of $2,090,000.