Amid the global coronavirus pandemic, the automotive industry has been full of news detailing factory shutdowns, shuttered dealerships, plummeting sales and profit margins, and executive firings. But one piece of good news recently emerged from Aston Martin, as the company has taken a leap of faith to reopen a factory—and not just to resume production of its modern supercars, but to begin a new project that should sound somewhat miraculous to fans of the automotive industry and cinephiles around the globe. That's right, Aston Martin has begun building a limited run of 25 James Bond-inspired DB5 continuation models.
Connery Would Approve
Arguably the most famous film car in the world, the Aston Martin DB5 is also one of the most valuable cars in the world. And what better way for Aston Martin to raise its profile after a rough few months for the automotive industry than to announce that production has resumed at its Newport Pagnell factory, former company headquarters but now home to the Heritage Division that will oversee this project. The batch of 25 examples will be built in coordination with EON Productions in homage to the DB5 that stole the show in 1964's third installment of the James Bond franchise, Goldfinger.
Gadgets Galore
The cars will each require about 4,500 man-hours to produce, a figure which probably ballooned in scale given that Aston Martin remains committed to maintaining safety protocols to help prevent the spread of coronavirus through social distancing and mask-wearing. And yes, the cars will be equipped with faux versions of all the spy gadgets that helped establish the DB5 as the world's greatest espionage sports car—Academy Award-winning special effects director Chris Corbould is lending a hand to get everything looking proper.
Aston Martin Works President Paul Spires said, "We are making, perhaps, some of the most desirable ‘toys’ ever built for 25 very lucky buyers worldwide. Creating the DB5 Goldfinger Continuation cars and working with EON Productions and special effects supervisor, Chris Corbould, is something truly unique and a real career highlight for everyone involved here at Aston Martin Works.”
Source: Aston Martin