As a car company, Aston Martin has the benefit of being forever associated with the most famous fictional spy in the world. It's not a bad image to have. Now, the car credited with sparking that famous association is up for auction.
This 1954 Aston Martin DB 2-4, described as "the real Bond car," will be auctioned off by Coys at Blenheim Palace in England this weekend. It's an Aston, yes, but not one you've seen in any of the 007 films. But it's being called the inspiration for Bond's use of an Aston Martin in Goldfinger.
It goes back to Ian Fleming, the man behind the Bond novels, who worked in British intelligence during World War II. From the description:
The Aston Martin, a DB 2/4 Mk I Vantage, chassis number LML-819, was owned by Phillip Ingram Cunliffe-Lister, whose father was Lord Swinton, a close confidant of Winston Churchill, head of MI5 and the Security Executive during WWII, and Ian Fleming's boss. Moreover, the vehicle was regularly at Fleming's next-door neighbour in Kent, which was the same place where he based the HQ of Sir Hugo Drax in his Bond novel Moonraker.
So while Bond in the books often drove a 1930s Bentley, this particular car is credited with his use of a grey Aston Martin DB Mark III in the 1959 novel Goldfinger and later a DB5 in the movie based on the book.
Supposedly, anyway. Chris Routledge of Coys said this: "This could be one of the most important discoveries of all time, confirming the link between the undoubtedly most famous spy in history and possibly the world's most iconic sports car marque."
Interestingly, this Aston has several "gadgets" that appeared on Bond's car in the novel Goldfinger, including connections for a two-way radio, secret locker compartments and reinforced steel bumpers.
It's an insanely cool car, and a gorgeous one. Let's hope it finds a good home this weekend.
Update: The website Supercompressor has lots more photos and details of this classic Aston. It turns out that it was set up as a rally car, which explains all the "gadgets" on it. Insanely cool.