James Bonds 1965 Aston Martin DB5 in the 1995 film will be going on sale at the Bonhams GoodWood Festival of speed. The 007 car made its silver screen debut in the movie GoldenEye will go on sale and is expected to fetch anywhere between 1.2 million to 1.6 million pounds or Rs 14.65 crores. The car shot to fame after the famous opening scene car chase, in which Bond and his Aston take on the arch-villainess Xenia Onatopp in her Ferrari 355 through the hills above Monaco. It last came to the market in 2001, at which point it became the most valuable piece of Bond memorabilia ever sold.
One of the total of three cars used in the filming of GoldenEye. One was used for close-up shots, and two were stunt cars for that car chases with the Ferrari 355. Both the stunt cars were bought in relatively poor condition and restored by renowned UK specialist Stratton Motor Company. One of these stunt cars is up for auction with the chassis number DB5/1885/R. After filming, it was used to promote the film, and then later by Aston Martin to publicise the DB7, appearing at the Detroit and Los Angeles motor shows, driven onto the stands by Sir Stirling Moss. This particular car has also been on display at both the National Motor Museum and the Bond in Motion exhibition at Covent Garden.
It was bought by its current owner, entrepreneur Max Reid, on 14 February 2001, after fierce bidding at a Christie’s London sale of more than 250 Bond film sale lots.”I had two reasons for the purchase,’ said Max Reid at the time. ‘It’s a great present for my wife and it will be wonderful publicity for my business as well. This is the first auction I have been to but I am a big fan of James Bond.’ said Max to Autoclassics.com
‘The DB5 is one of the most recognisable and desirable British classic cars in the world,’ said Sholto Gilbertson, Bonhams Motor Cars department director said. ‘It is also the ultimate Bond car. Every fan remembers Pierce Brosnan tearing through the hills in this car, and it must be up there as one of the most thrilling Bond car chases in history. This Aston Martin is something very special indeed.’
