If you’ve ever dreamt about giving supervillains the slip while driving James Bond’s legendary Aston Martin – and you have a few million dollars to spare – you might be in luck this summer.
The Aston Martin DB5 is a legend, and it’s even more so when it’s linked to James Bond.
That is certainly the case with this 1964 Aston Martin DB5, which was once owned by Sir Sean Connery, the man who played James Bond.
The car was originally delivered to a Mr. White on July 7th, 1964, and will be auctioned by Broad Arrow Auctions this August. Connery then purchased it from RS Williams, an Aston Martin expert.
Because this was Connery’s only DB5, the auction is being marketed as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. “Dad used to talk about wanting his own DB5, for no other reason than he loved the car,” his son Jason explained, “and I think in hindsight it did reflect something in his life that was unique and captured a moment in time.”
The automobile is being auctioned on behalf of the Connery family, with an estimate of $1.4 – $1.8 million (£1.1 – £1.4 / €1.3 – €1.7). That’s a lot of money, and the Sean Connery Philanthropy Fund will get a “substantial share” of the proceeds.
According to Detroit’s Broad Arrow Auctions, the 1964 Aston Martin DB5 owned by the late actor Sean Connery will be auctioned on August 18 and is estimated to fetch between $1.4 million and $1.8 million.
Who is Sean Connery?
Connery, who died in 2020, starred in seven films as British super-spy James Bond from 1962 and 1983. The Aston Martin DB5, a premium sports automobile produced by the British automaker between 1963 and 1965, is the car model most associated with the Bond character, having appeared in eight Bond films, beginning with Sean Connery in “Goldfinger” in 1964.
The DB5 is a rare and sought-after automobile because just 1,100 were made by Aston Martin. The fact that this car once belonged to the late Scottish actor adds to its rarity and value.
According to his son, Connery didn’t drive this precise Aston Martin DB5 in any Bond films because the vehicles used for filming were often laden with props, but he bought his own version of the car and enjoyed driving it.
“For no other reason than he liked the car, Dad used to fantasize about acquiring his own DB5, and I suppose in hindsight it did reflect something in his life that was unique and captured a moment in time,” Jason Connery said in a statement earlier this month.
The car has been painted in the Snow Shadow Grey color to resemble those driven by Bond on the big screen, according to Broad Arrow.
The listing is sparse on details and misidentifies the car as a 1962 DB4, but it states the model is in “very presentable condition,” and that Connery had RS Williams give it a “mechanical refresh” as well as a full repainting to its original Snow Shadow Grey color after purchasing it.
It has been “well-maintained” since then, with “RS Williams recently performing a complete service and inspection in preparation for the auction.”
While that isn’t much to go on, the car appears to be in excellent condition as the body looks flawless and the chrome shines like new. A red Connolly leather inside is also visible, along with a wood-rimmed steering wheel and a five-speed manual transmission.
The latter is mated to a 4.0-liter straight six that produces 282 horsepower (210 kW / 286 PS) and torque of 280 lb-ft (379 Nm). This allowed the car to accelerate from 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in 7.1 seconds before reaching a high speed of 142 mph (229 km/h), according to Aston Martin.
Interestingly, the winning bidder would have the option to ride in Sir Jackie Stewart’s Aston Martin DB5. The two were lifetime friends, according to Broad Arrow Auctions, and “had a long history of charity work together stretching back over four decades, and the Connery family has continued to support their father’s efforts and loyalty to his friend.”
