Aston Martin
DB5 LHD EU-Spec
Key Facts:
- Very rare original LHD European model, believed to be one of 27 ever built
- Fully matching numbers
- Restored in Italy with works finishing in 2021
- Over 150k Euro spent on restoration by current caretaker
- Currently finished in Birch Silver, originally delivered to Belgium in Dubonnet Red
- Bought from Aston Martin Works by the current owner in 2018
HISTORY
The Aston Martin DB5 was introduced to the world in 1963, and became an instant icon, thanks to its time-defying styling and performance. Described by Autocar as ‘a car that defies definition’, it wasn’t a cheap purchase, at £4,248.
But of course, what the DB5 is most famous for, is giving Aston Martin the desirable and legendary image that it has today, thanks to its appearance in the first James Bond movie, Goldfinger, starring alongside Sean Connery. Also finished in Birch Silver, the DB5 brought an international attention to Aston Martin and is therefore one of the most recognizable vehicles ever made.
Beneath its neatly tailored lines, streamlined headlamps, and smartly styled rear end, the DB5 represented the very peak of British automotive design. Power came via Aston Martin’s sublime 4.0-litre, 283-horsepower, triple-SU-fed straight-six engine—an enlarged version of the all-aluminium powerplant that lay at the heart of the outgoing DB4 GT Vantage. Allied to that was a four-speed manual gearbox—soon upgraded to a slick five-speed ZF unit—driving a live rear axle.
The British machine was one of the leading grand tourers of the 60’s, being fast, comfortable and luxurious – a reputation that it more than lives up to this day.
Our DB5
The Aston Martin DB5 chassis number DB5/1892/L was built in LHD European specification on the 5th of February 1965 and delivered to its first owner, Mr. Pierre Warnand from Brussels in Belgium. According to the build sheet, the car was equipped with a KPH speedometer and was finished in the exterior colour of Dubonnet red over a black leather interior. Straight away, its first owner enjoyed it quite a bit, with a recorded service from October 1965 where the car had travelled just shy of 11,000 km. The current owner bought the car directly from Aston Martin Works in 2018 and kept it in his collection ever since. At Aston Martin Works, maintenance work has been carried out at the total cost of almost 100,000 GBP, where every part was checked and replaced if judged necessary. Subsequently, the owner imported his newly acquired DB5 to Germany and registered it. After enjoying the DB5 as is for a few months, he decided to give the car the restoration it deserved. His several positive experiences restoring cars by Italian artisans brought him to the decision of sending the Aston to Italy in 2019 where, over the course of two years, it was extensively restored. Having owned several classic Italian exotics, his extensive knowledge of the car restoration business in Italy meant he only chose the absolute best people to work on his cherished British saloon. The body was restored to as-new condition by Marchesi, Maserati specialist Tralli took care of the mechanical aspects, Elettrauto Gatti William restored the electrics, and well-known Tappezzeria Luppi covered the interior in resplendent new leather of the correct type. In total, over 150,000 Euros were spent on making the DB5 as good as it can be. During the restoration, the current owner decided to change the original colour of Dubonnet red to the equally stunning shade of Silver Birch. The restoration works carried out are fully documented thanks to countless pictures and invoices and show the craftsmanship, time and passion that went into making this one of the best DB5 money can buy. Chassis 1892L retains its original drivetrain, thus matching numbers engine and gearbox.
The DB5 is probably the most iconic car to ever come out of Aston Martin and the car that gave the brand its affiliation with James Bond, as it was the first model to ever figure in the secret agent’s movie, starting it all with Goldfinger in 1964. Of only 220 LHD cars ever built for the world, 193 were sent to the USA and only 27 were built in European specification. How many similar cars have survived to this day is a question we will never have an answer for. In all cases, chassis 1892L represents a unique opportunity to acquire a beautifully, freshly restored-matching numbers example, of one of Aston Martin’s most important and greatest models.
