The first Aston-Martin appeared in 1914, the name being derived from a combination of the name of the designer, Lionel Martin, and the site of the car’s first competition success at the Aston Clinton Hillclimb. The cars first appeared commercially in 1918. In the late twenties, the Company changed ownership and thereafter produced the first O.H.C. model, which had successes at Le Mans between the two world wars.
The Company was acquired by David Brown in 1947. Initially, production centered around a 2-litre push-rod engined car, the first of the famous “DB” series arriving later when a 6-cylinder O.H.C. Lagonda engine was installed in the earlier chassis. This type of car, the DBRI/300 won the 24-hour Le Mans race in 1959.
Since this time, the cars have gone under considerable development culminating in the DB5, a car which combines the comforts of a luxury touring car, coupled with the excellent high performance synonymous with the marque. The “Superleggera,” or lightweight, body is of light alloy construction around a small diameter multi-tubular framework, the whole mounted on a platform chassis.
The 6-cylinder, 4-litre engine is also light alloy with “wet” type liners. The hemispherical combustion chambers have two valves per cylinder, operated directly by short tappets from the twin overhead camshafts. Drive is via a hydraulically operated clutch and David Brown 5-speed gearbox on which top is overdrive. In standard form, the engine develops 282 B.H.P., while the optional “Vantage” engine (with three Weber carburetors replacing the standard S.U. pattern) develops over 300 B.H.P.
Suspension is independent at the front, utilizing coil springs and telescopic shock absorbers. The “live” rear axle also uses coil springs, but with piston type shock absorbers and is located by a Watts linkage and radius arms. Disc brakes are used all round and wire wheels are fitted as standard equipment.
The elegance and performance of such a car, with its 150 m.p.h. top speed potential, renders it an obvious choice for such a personality as Agent 007 James Bond, and the version driven by him has several additional "refinements" for a man of his profession.
Perhaps the most intriguing of these items is the special seat operated by a button on the gear lever by which undesirable passengers can be ejected through the roof panel to a height of 40 feet.
Forward attack is handles by the two short-barrelled .303 inch Browning machine guns which are concealed behind the parking lights, these being aided by the radar equipment mounted below the dashboard. The radar beam emitted from a previously-planted homing device in the opponent’s car is received by scanners in the special side mirrors.
For warding off followers, there is a smoke-screen unit alongside the exhaust system, while one taillight unit swings down to expose a high-pressure oil-ejecting device. Both these are operated by a pressure system housed in the trunk. The other taillight swingsdown to allow multi-pointed “commando Spikes” to be dropped in the path of oncoming vehicles. Further protection is afforded by the hydraulically operated bullet-proof screen which, when raised from the trunk, covers the rear window. For close-quarter combat, both the front and rear bumper guards may be extended hydraulically, projecting about 18 inches for ramming purposes. Extendable for 24 inches from either rear wheel are two three-bladed cutters which revolve in the opposite direction to the road wheels and cut the tires of offending vehicles.
The revolving license plates (with choice of British, Swiss, or French registrations) are a useful aid to disguise, while communications are handled by the radio telephone housed in the driver’s door panel.
The Airfix model is a faithful replica of this famous car and incorporates all the working parts of the original. The model may also be made as a standard DB-5.
