On October 27, one of the most iconic automobiles of the 20th century will appear at RM Auctions: the 1964 Aston Martin DB5 driven by James Bond, "007".
As seen in the enormously popular Goldfinger and Thunderball movies, Bond's DB5 is well-known around the world by its original UK registration number, FMP 7B.
The example appearing at RM is one of only two - and the sole remaining - of the original "007" DB5s as featured on screen with the original Bond, Sean Connery.
It was originally loaned to EON Productions for the filming of the two Bond movies, and returned to the Aston Martin Lagonda factory after its subsequent promotional tour.
 Super suave car: the sole remaining of the original "007" DB5s |
Naturally, beneath the car's sleek and beautiful bodywork are a number of famous "Q" gadgets; including a bullet-proof shield, revolving number plates and an oil slick sprayer.
Mr Jerry Lee, an American radio broadcaster based in Philadelphia, convinced the factory to sell FMP 7B to him for $12,000 in 1969, thereby becoming its first and only ex-factory owner.
It has remained in his possession and has rarely been seen publicly over the past 40-plus years.
This week, our Story of... is a video charting the story of Bond's DB5 - today regarded as one of the greatest sports cars of all time.
The above film examines how the Bond films succeeded in making Aston Martin (even more) glamorous, and the famous Ferrari collector Lord Brockett takes it out for a spin...
