Aston Martin DB5 celebrates its 60th anniversary

ABU DHABI: This September, the Aston Martin DB5 celebrates its 60th anniversary. The car has become a symbol of British luxury, culture, and craftsmanship. The iconic car made an appearance in Sussex at the Goodwood Revival festival alongside the DB12.

Aston Martin DB5 was launched for the first time at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1963. To help DB5 maintain its market position, the automaker gave it various upgrades, including a new engine. Over the years, the name "DB5" became the symbol of desirability and style.

It was manufactured at the Newport Pagnell facility in Buckinghamshire. It was equipped with a powerful 4.0-litre engine delivering 280 horsepower.

"The David Brown era gave us so many great Aston Martin sports cars, but none more recognizable, revered, and desired as the DB5, which laid the foundations of our identity as a British luxury brand synonymous with style, performance, and exclusivity. It is only right that, as it turns 60, we take a moment to look back and reflect on this car's incredible role in our storied 110-year heritage. We're incredibly proud that the DB lineage continues today with the critically acclaimed DB12, which, like those came before it, is a celebration of all we love about British hand-built sports cars, with a new injection of the latest technology and the highest levels of performance," Aston Martin Executive Chairman Lawrence Stroll — himself a DB5 owner — said in a statement.

The car became even more famous when James Bond drove it in various films, solidifying its presence in culture. During the 1960s, celebrities like George Harrison, Sir Paul McCartney, and Mick Jagger were privileged DB5 owners. Aston Martin's position in the market was elevated to an international sensation due to this celebrity endorsement.

Music icons like The Beatles' Sir George Harrison and Paul McCartney, the comedic genius Peter Sellers, and Rolling Stone's Mick Jagger owned this car. Robert Plant, Elle McPherson, Ralph Lauren, and Jay Kay were also high-profile owners of this car. 

Also read: Aston Martin DB12 Volante debuts as world’s first open-top super tourer