ALT-1 Aston Martin Db5
The Aston Martin DB5 is one of the most iconic cars of the 20th Century, due to its connection with the James Bond movies. It is memorable for the gadgets that were on the car rather than for the car itself.
The DB5 first appeared in 1963 and continued manufacture until 1965, when it was replaced by the DB6, exactly the same car with a Kamm tail at the rear.
In 1963 the DB5 was the next in line of the DB car range that stretched back to 1947 when David Brown Limited (whose initials continue to grace the cars even today as a mark of respect to the man who saved the car firm), bought Aston Martin, Lagonda and Tickford, and forged the Aston Martin Lagonda (AML) company.
The car was a much improved and updated replacement for the DB4. The major difference between the DB4 and DB5 was the increased engine capacity (from 3.7 litres to 4 litres), a 5 speed gear box and three SU carburettors which increased engine power.
There were only ever 1021 DB5s manufactured of these 123 were convertibles and of these only 19 were originally manufactured as left hand drive. This makes the DB5 one of the rarest cars available and is primarily the reasons why the cars command such a high price (alright a certain fictional figure also ensures a premium).
The biggest changes were in the perception of the DB5, with the redesign from the DB4, the 5 was now a more elegant vehicle, it had grown up from the boy racer to the more mature Grand Tourer.
The car was heavier and required a larger and more powerful engine to deliver the speed necessary of a Grand Tourer.
Due to the heavier weight, the DB5 was slightly more difficult to drive, the 5 speed gear box tamed the raw engine power and placed the power into the wheels, the additional weight affected handling. While it was no slouch as a sports car, it was more suited to the long distance driving across Europe, on the autobahns, and autostradas, than setting lap times around Brooklands and Le Mans.
When new in 1963, the DB5's top speed when new was 141 mph, and could go from 0 to 60mph in 8.1 seconds, while not in the supercar class of today was a fairly respectable performance in the early 60s.
The design of the DB5 has become a classic, it is included as the inspiration for many of the modern auto designers. Its simple, sweeping, elegant lines are testimony to what has become the classic sport car profile.
