Just I quick reminder from last week’s post: In many of my previous posts, I have highlighted a car make or model and focused on the historical significance that model had on not just the automobile industry, but the world. However, starting last week I have begun to focus on an individual car and elaborate on the role that the specific car and its owner played in history.

One of the most famous and lucrative movie franchises of all time is the James Bond series. Bond is the epitome of class. He is always cool, calm and collected and uses his sharp and cunning mind to complete every mission in style. It is only fitting for someone that awesome to drive one of the classiest, yet coolest cars ever made: The Aston Martin DB5.

If you look back on every Bond movie, you will notice that James Bond is always driving an Aston Marin DB5. It is a testament to the car that it stayed constant for all of the movies, despite the fact that the actor portraying Bond constantly changed. The Aston Martin DB5 first appeared in the Bond movie ‘Goldfinger’ and has been in every Bond film since.

The Aston Martin DB5 was designed by Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera, a private automobile coachbuilder based out of Italy. The design was then manufactured by the British automotive company Aston Martin.

One major reason that this car was chosen to be the Bond car was that the Aston Martin DB5 is a British luxury car. At risk of stating the obvious, James Bond is British, and because of this directors wanted a British manufactured car to be his vehicle of choice.

The Aston Martin DB5 has a front mounted engine with a rear wheel drive. The car sports a four liter, completely aluminum engine. This was a massive upgrade from Aston Martin’s previous model the DB4, which only had a 3.7 liter engine. This engine upgrade gave the Aston Martin DB5 a top speed of 145 miles per hour and got the vehicle from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 8 seconds. These numbers may not be as significant as other supercars, but what really makes this car perfect for the big screen is its appearance.

The DB5 really puts the luxury in luxury car. The Aston Martin DB5 has a sleek magnesium-alloy body that looks chrome when the sun hits it. It includes two reclining seats, wool carpet to cover the floor of the vehicle, electric windows, chrome wired wheels, and a full leather trim in the cabin. This car is truly the epitome of luxury and class, making it perfect for someone like James Bond.

The Aston Martin DB5 is one of the most luxurious cars ever manufactured and  is one of the quickest cars ever manufactured by a British automotive company. Despite the standalone prowess of this vehicle, it will forever be synonymous with James Bond and Hollywood. The Aston Martin DB5’s impact on movies and cinematography is what makes it one of history’s most influential cars.