The last time James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 came to Secaucus, Bill Clinton was running for re-election. But Auto Expo 2003 will still feature the classic Bond car in its upcoming show at the Meadowlands Expo Center.
Although an Aston Martin has been featured in numerous James Bond flicks, the original DB5 car appeared in only two James Bond films – Goldfinger in 1964 and Thunderball in 1965 – and later in another film called Cannonball Alley. No other car has captured the imagination of that silver birch Aston Martin DB5.
The hand-built 1963 prototype, complete with its assortment of gadgets, was slated to be among the cars featured at the auto expo from Jan. 18 to 27.
The car, equipped with smoke screens, oil slick, machine guns, ejector seats and other marvelous special effects invented by two-time Oscar winner John Stears, is one of only 33 Aston Martin handmade prototypes ever built, and one of only 10,000 cars built by the Ford-owned company since 1920. The Aston Martin DB5 was the first of its kind, loaned to the EON Production Company that made Goldfinger. The car is now valued in excess of $4 million.
It was first unveiled by Sir David Brown at England’s Earls Court Motor show in 1963, though had been around for several years earlier. Producer “Cubby” Broccoli, Kenny Adma and Stears installed the equipment to fit the plot of the movies. In 1980, after nearly a 15-year hiatus, the car returned to the silver screen in a James Bond movie called Cannonball Alley.
Four Aston Martin DB5 “007” models were created in the 1960s, and two were used in the filming of Goldfinger and Thunderball – one model was called “Effect,” because it was used for filming scenes in which the gadgets were used, and the other was called “Road” because it was used in filming driving shots.
Two additional Aston Martin replicas were built to act as stand-ins to help satisfy public appearances throughout the world. But over the years, the owners of each claimed to own the original car.
The presentation of Aston Martin at this year’s Auto Expo is designed to coincide with the release of the new James Bond film, Die Another Day. The car features dazzling options including bumper-mounted machine guns, a bulletproof rear plate, exterior tire cutters and a passenger-side ejection seat.
Along with the Aston Martin, the Auto Expo will also feature the James Bond 007 Underwater Lotus Espirit, which appeared in the feature film, The Spy Who Loved Me.
The show will also feature the 50th anniversary Special Edition Corvette, the Cadillac XLR, the Ford Mustang and numerous other vehicles, including Hummer and Lincoln Aviator. And the show will offer special appearances by The Amazing Spiderman, Spongebob and Jimmy Neutron.
The Auto Expo was to be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Jan. 18; from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Jan. 19; from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Jan. 23 and 24; from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Jan. 25 and finally from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Jan. 26.
Tickets cost $8 for adults, and $4 for kids under 12. Children under 4 will be admitted free. For more information or directions, call (201) 223-1000.