Replica Aston Martin DB5 raises big money for UK charities at auction

Classic Aston Martins tend to sell infrequently and draw massive sums when they change hands. The DB5 and other James Bond-related Astons are even pricier. That made the recent Sixty Years of James Bond charity auction an exciting event to watch because Christie’s partnered with Aston Martin to move a few movie star cars.

Daniel Craig used the car as James Bond in the film, No Time To Die, racing through the streets of a small town in Italy and eventually deploying machine guns. The car retained many upgrades from its time on the silver screen, including said machine guns, a dispenser for replica bombs and more. It also still wears the body damage it sustained in the film.

The ChristieÂ’s auction raised GBP2,922,000 ($3,186,031 at todayÂ’s exchange rate) for several charities in the UK, including The PrinceÂ’s Trust, The Prince of WalesÂ’s Charitable Fund, and three other charities that support current and former members of the countryÂ’s Special Forces.

Aston Martin’s ties with the Bond franchise go back decades, and the company’s cars have featured prominently in several films.  The vehicles are typically either built from the ground up as stunt cars with tube frames and replica bodies or are heavily modified versions of genuine Aston Martins. Either way, movie cars are light years away from anything an everyday buyer can obtain.

ChristieÂ’s auctioned off other Bond cars, memorabilia, and props. The list of autos included a 1981 Aston Martin V8 that starred in No Time To Die. It also had screen time with CraigÂ’s Bond behind the wheel, but the final bid landed at a much more modest GBP630,000 ($687,928). An Aston Martin DBS Superleggera 007 Edition also crossed the auction block. The car is one of just 25 examples built by Aston in conjunction with the carÂ’s appearance in No Time To Die. It raised GBP403,200 ($440,274) for the Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales.

Related video:

By Chris Teague