James Bond’s most famous Aston Martin is the DB5, which made its film debut in Goldfinger (1964) and has since appeared in eight Bond films, according to Aston Martin’s own archive. Aston Martin says almost half of the 25 Bond films made up to No Time To Die featured one of its cars, more than any other brand. Other Bond Astons include the DBS, V8 and Volante, V12 Vanquish, DB10, DBS Superleggera and Valhalla.
Key takeaways
- The DB5 is the signature Bond Aston, introduced on screen in Goldfinger (1964). Aston Martin counts No Time To Die as its eighth Bond film appearance.
- Aston Martin says almost half of the 25 Bond films made to date (as of 2021) featured one of its cars, more than any other brand.
- In Ian Fleming’s novels, Bond drove an Aston Martin DB Mark III, and the films chose the then-contemporary DB5.
- No Time To Die (2021) was the first Bond film to feature four different Aston Martin models: the DB5, the classic V8, the DBS Superleggera and the Valhalla.
- The DB10 was built exclusively for Spectre (2015). Only 10 were made, and eight were used in the film.
Which Aston Martin did Bond drive in the books?
Bond’s Aston Martin story begins on the page. Aston Martin’s own history says that in Ian Fleming’s novels, which were first released in the early 1950s, Bond drove an Aston Martin DB Mark III, a car Fleming introduced in Goldfinger after a fan’s suggestion. The same account notes that Bentley was the first car Bond drove in the books.
When Goldfinger was filmed in 1964, the producers needed something more contemporary, so they chose the DB5. That decision started a partnership that has lasted for decades. It also means the car most people picture when they think of Bond is not the one Fleming described.
Why is the DB5 the definitive Bond car?
The DB5 was an advanced grand tourer for its time even without Bond’s gadgets. Aston Martin says it had an all-aluminium six-cylinder engine producing 282 bhp and could reach 145 mph. The film version added machine guns, an ejector seat and revolving licence plates, and those gadgets made the car synonymous with 007.
Its screen record is also remarkable. According to Aston Martin, the DB5 featured in Goldfinger, Thunderball, GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, Casino Royale, Skyfall and Spectre, with No Time To Die being its eighth Bond film appearance. Few film cars have stayed on screen across so many eras of the franchise.
Which other Aston Martins has Bond driven?
Aston Martin’s archive lists several other models, each tied to a specific film. The table below follows the company’s own rundown. Each car is paired with the film in which it appeared, so the list doubles as a quick guide to the brand’s screen history.
| Aston Martin | Film | Notes from Aston Martin |
|---|---|---|
| DB5 | Goldfinger (1964) and seven later films | Machine guns, ejector seat and revolving plates in the original |
| DBS (1969) | On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969) | Draped in flowers for Bond’s wedding; a brief background cameo in Diamonds Are Forever (1971) |
| V8 and V8 Volante | The Living Daylights (1987) | Timothy Dalton’s Bond; the Volante is “winterised” into a hardtop V8 by Q |
| V12 Vanquish | Die Another Day (2002) | Adaptive camouflage that let it turn invisible; autocannons, rockets and ice-gripping spikes |
| DBS (2006) | Casino Royale (2006), Quantum of Solace | Rolled seven times for a Guinness World Record; four hand-built prototypes supplied |
| DB10 | Spectre (2015) | Built exclusively for the film; 10 made, eight used |
| DB5, V8, DBS Superleggera, Valhalla | No Time To Die (2021) | First Bond film with four Aston Martin models |
What stands out about each of the later cars?
The 1969 DBS is a quiet entry. Aston Martin says it was not a typical gadget-laden Bond car and instead played a part in the wedding scene in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, with George Lazenby’s Bond. It then had only a very brief cameo in Diamonds Are Forever, where it can be seen in the Q Branch workshop.
The V8 reignited the pairing after almost two decades. In The Living Daylights, Dalton’s Bond used missiles, lasers, a head-up display and rockets in a mountain chase while on the run from the KGB and local police. Aston Martin adds that the car first appears as a V8 Volante owned by then chairman Victor Gauntlett, so Bond technically drives two different models in the film.
The V12 Vanquish and the 2006 DBS belong to the Brosnan and Craig eras. In Casino Royale, Aston Martin says it became the first Bond film to have two different Aston Martins actively featured, and the DBS continued into Quantum of Solace, where it starred in a chase around Italy’s Lake Garda. The DB10 followed in Spectre to celebrate 50 years of Aston Martin and Bond, with Aston Martin saying it influenced the design of the later Vantage.
What did No Time To Die add?
No Time To Die brought four Aston Martin models together for the first time in a Bond film. They were the DB5, the classic V8, the DBS Superleggera and the Valhalla, which Aston Martin then described as its forthcoming mid-engined hypercar. The mix covers heritage and modern performance in one film.
That lineup is a neat summary of the partnership. The DB5 recalls Goldfinger, the V8 recalls Dalton’s era, and the DBS Superleggera and Valhalla look forward. For readers who only know one Bond Aston, the film shows how many different cars the brand has contributed over the years.
FAQ
Which Aston Martin is James Bond’s most famous car?
The DB5, which debuted on screen in Goldfinger (1964). Aston Martin counts No Time To Die as its eighth Bond film appearance.
How many Bond films feature Aston Martin?
Aston Martin says almost half of the 25 Bond films made to date, as of 2021, featured an Aston Martin, more than any other car brand. The company’s wording is “almost half”, and we have kept it rather than inventing an exact count.
Did Bond drive an Aston Martin in the novels?
Yes. In the novels, Bond drove an Aston Martin DB Mark III. The films used the then-contemporary DB5 instead.
Which Aston Martins are in No Time To Die?
The DB5, the classic V8, the DBS Superleggera and the Valhalla. It was the first Bond film to feature four different Aston Martin models.
What was the Aston Martin DB10?
A car built exclusively for Spectre (2015) to mark 50 years of Aston Martin and Bond. According to Aston Martin, only 10 were built and eight were used in the film.
Will the next Bond drive an Aston Martin?
We have not seen an official announcement confirming it, so we will not guess. This guide covers the cars that have already appeared on screen.
