Aston Martin reveals full-sized Corgi model of James Bond’s DB5

ASTON MARTIN has revealed a life-sized reproduction of Corgi’s famous 1965 die-cast model of the DB5 from the James Bond film Goldfinger.

The exhibit, which went on display on August 31 at Battersea Power Station, London, is intended to celebrate Aston Martin’s involvement with the Bond franchise since 1964’s Goldfinger, right up until the latest instalment, No Time To Die. The launch coincides with a screening of Aston Martin’s No Time To Die TV slot.

Aston’s full-sized Corgi model features a box 5.66m long, 2.7m tall and 2.7m deep, housing one of Aston Martin’s DB5 Goldfinger Continuation cars, painted, of course, in Silver Birch.

The display at Battersea was unveiled by Aston Martin’s Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman, alongside Chris Corbould, special-effects co-ordinator on fourteen Bond films who also helped create the Goldfinger Continuation series.

The Goldfinger Continuation is part of a series of 25 DB5s, built by Aston Martin Works, the company’s heritage division. Each example features working gadgets as seen in Goldfinger including rotating number plates, a bullet-proof rear shield, extending front overriders and pop-out machine guns.

The .303 Brownings don’t fire real bullets, and there’s no ejector seat either, despite the removable roof panel.

Nor are the Goldfinger Continuation cars road legal — the constabulary tends to look down on revolving number plates — so owners have to confine their Bond cosplay to private estates.

The upcoming No Time To Die, which is released in the UK on September 30, features a whole cast of Aston Martins including a DB5, V8, DBS and the forthcoming Valhalla hypercar. The featured DB5, however, isn’t the original Bond car.

The real Goldfinger DB5, as featured in the 1964 film, is shrouded in mystery. It was bought by an American movie-memorabilia collector in the 1990s and disappeared from a Florida aircraft hangar in 1997. It remains missing.

Corgi’s model of Bond’s DB5 with its working gadgets has proven remarkably resilient with over 20 million sold, and it remains in production today. Originals from 1965 can fetch up to £500. Writing for Sunday Times Driving, The Grand Tour host James May called the Corgi DB5 the most significant car ever made: “Childhood is formative, and those of us who love cars loved them first as die-cast toys,” he said.

Speaking at the reveal, Marek Reichman said: “We are really honoured to be marking the start of the No Time To Die campaign today with this exciting unveil. Aston Martin’s relationship with James Bond spans decades and the DB5 is, without question, the most famous car in the world by virtue of its 50-plus year association.

“Working with EON Productions and Chris Corbould to build 25 of the DB5 Goldfinger Continuations was a truly unique project for everyone involved at Aston Martin. Now, to work with Corgi — another quintessential British brand — and to see James Bond’s most cherished car sitting inside a to-scale toy box in central London is quite outstanding.”

The exhibit runs at Battersea Power Station until October 1.

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