Rare estate version of James Bond’s famous Aston Martin car goes under the hammer for $1.5million 

Rare estate car version of James Bond’s famous Aston Martin goes under the hammer for $1.5million

  • The Aston is only one of four left-hand-drive versions of the  estate model
  • Converting DB5 coupe to a shooting brake was an expensive process
  • It has an internal space of 40 cubic feet but can still hit speeds of 150mph
  • RM Sotheby’s say it’s ‘perfect combination of elegance, luxury and practicality’

A rare Aston Martin that would be more suited to a family holiday than a James Bond movie will be on sale this month for $1.5m in Monterey, California. 

The DB5 Shooting Brake is an estate version of 007’s iconic coupe and is one of only 12 examples made by the British car giant.

It is also one of just four models built in left-hand-drive making it one of the rarest Aston Martin cars in the world today. 

In the Sixties the process of transforming the DB5 into a Shooting Brake was incredibly expensive and would have cost about twice the average price of an English house. Only 12 were ever made after David Brown requested them. 

‘It was an enormously expensive process, which, at the time, cost about twice the average price of an English house,’ said a spokesman from RM Sotheby’s, the auction house selling the car.  

‘Perhaps the sum was appropriate, as the work involved rebuilding the car from the windscreen back’ 

The DB5 Shooting Brake, an estate version of James Bond’s inconic coupe, is going up for sale in California for a whopping $1.5 million. This model, one of twelve but with the added rarity of built in left-hand-drive, makes it one of the rarest Aston Martins in the entire world today

Though the estate looks like it would suit a peaceful family holiday in the Swiss alps rather than a James Bond spy mission, it can still hit top speeds of 150mph with its 4.2 litre engine

Though the estate looks like it would suit a peaceful family holiday in the Swiss alps rather than a James Bond spy mission, it can still hit top speeds of 150mph with its 4.2 litre engine

The Shooting Brake differs from the DB5 by relpacing the iconic sloping back end with a chunky boot and additional rear seats. The nose is the same as Sean Connery's motor.

The Shooting Brake differs from the DB5 by relpacing the iconic sloping back end with a chunky boot and additional rear seats. The nose is the same as Sean Connery’s motor. 

The quirky motor has the same stylish front end as the car made famous by Sean Connery in Goldfinger but the rear is a completely different story.

Rather than the instantly recognisable sloping shape, it has a box-like big boot and rear seats.

The oddity was built in 1965 and has had just three owners since new, all of whom have lived in Switzerland. 

It remains in superb condition.

The auction house has described the Shooting Brake as ‘the perfect combination of elegance, luxury and practicality.’

The Shooting Brake has only changed hands three times since it was brand new in 1965 and all of its previous owners have been from Switzerland. It was converted from the DB5 with extensions being made at the back which, at the time, cost 'about twice the average price of an English house,' according to RM Sotheby's auction house

The Shooting Brake has only changed hands three times since it was brand new in 1965 and all of its previous owners have been from Switzerland. It was converted from the DB5 with extensions being made at the back which, at the time, cost ‘about twice the average price of an English house,’ according to RM Sotheby’s auction house

The Shooting Brake conversion involved taking the car apart and rebuilding it from the windscreen backwards with structural changes then taken to the roof and chassis.

The Shooting Brake conversion involved taking the car apart and rebuilding it from the windscreen backwards with structural changes then taken to the roof and chassis. 

They say it is the rarest of all the DB5 variants and are expecting offers between $1m and $1.5m.

A spokesman from RM Sotheby’s said: ‘This DB5 was ordered new with the Shooting Brake conversion. 

‘Inside, the Shooting Brake was modified to hold all the equipment David Brown [Aston’s owner] could want. 

The interior is also almost identical to its original with a black leather interior consisting of four seats, a stylish black dashboard and a classic wooden steering wheel

The interior is also almost identical to its original with a black leather interior consisting of four seats, a stylish black dashboard and a classic wooden steering wheel

 ‘With rear seats that folded down, the car offered a full payload space of more than 40 cubic feet.

‘Even with this extra space, it was still claimed the shooting brake was still more than capable of a top speed of 150 mph and braking from 100 mph to a complete stop in just six seconds.’

The Aston has silver bodywork with chrome trim, two doors and chrome wire wheels.

Inside is a black leather interior consisting of four seats, a stylish black dashboard and a classic wooden steering wheel.

It is powered by a 4.2 litre engine, and despite having a load size of more than 40 cubic feet, is capable of speeds of around 150mph. 

 

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