Bond to the rescue... Aston Martin owners toast link with famous spy

Meeting at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, south east London, the Aston Martin Owners Club marked the 50th anniversary of the DB5.

The model was famously driven by Sir Sean Connery in Goldfinger, the third Bond movie released in 1964, forever linking Aston Martin to the world’s most famous secret agent.

Around 20 versions of the DB5 were on display at the meet yesterday, including the classic silver model used in blockbuster Skyfall, the latest Bond instalment.

Mark Donoghue, chairman of the club, explained how the DB5’s appearance in Goldfinger changed Aston Martin’s fortunes.

The 50-year-old said: “Aston Martin has had a terribly turbulent financial history over the years and because of the introduction of product placement of an Aston Martin in the film everyone in the world automatically recognised it as an iconic mark and something recognisible with style, charisma and James Bond.

“Aston Martin’s have style, they’re not flash like a Ferrari, they are beautiful to look at, they sound fantastic and it’s the epitome of a British sports car.”

Paul Spires, general sales manager for Aston Martin, added: “The DB5 is a terrifically significant car and they are coveted by their owners – we built only just over a thousand cars between 1963 and 1965 and every customer that owns one is passionate about their car, they love them to bits.”