Evolution of Q: Goldfinger-spec DB5 vs 2021 recreation – Autocar

The standard DB5 is truly special, but we suspect that future buyers will all wish theircars could feature similar enhancements to this one. Our only substantive complaint is with the cars Fern Green paintwork; we struggle to see such a drab hue catching on.

While this car hasnt caused us to substantially revise the conclusion we reached inour earlier DB5 road test, its impressive arsenal has given cause to amend it slightly. Because this is a mans mans car: one that savages, chastises and frequently bites.

Fast-forward to 2021...

While earlier Aston Martin Continuation cars were designed to be almost exact copies of the hallowed originals, the DB5 Goldfinger Continuation threw up a much greater challenge. The gadgets that made the original film car famous were theatrical props that neededto work only once; those fitted to the Continuation had to be able to operate repeatedly. They would also need tobe non-lethal. Gaydons lawyers were apparently very insistent on that point.

Theres an almost full set of gadgets, created under the supervision of Chris Corbould, an Oscar-winning special-effects designer who has worked onno fewer than 15 James Bond films, including No Time to Die. They include machine guns, rotating numberplates, on-board radar, a bulletproof rear screen, an oil slick and a smokescreen, plus the front and rear bumper rams,which were referenced but not used in 1964s Goldfinger film.

The original film car used blank-firing guns, which were an impractical solution for the Continuation, because they would be too loud and indeed illegal in many territories. Instead,its barrels simulate fire with ultra-bright LEDs and a motorised recoil action, accompanied by a loudspeaker soundtrack thats much more subdued than real gunfire. For similar reasons,the oil slick actually fires water andthe tyre-slashers come in a display case and cant actually be fitted tothe car. And although the asymmetric sunroof aperture is present, the Continuation doesnt feature an ejector seat. Disappointingly, pressing thered button beneath the gearlevers folding flap doesnt do anything;some passenger-startling under-seat vibration would have been a nice touch.

Continue reading here:

Evolution of Q: Goldfinger-spec DB5 vs 2021 recreation - Autocar