James Bond and the Aston Martin have enjoyed a beautiful relationship that has lasted for 11 films and more than 50 years of movie history.
The Aston Martin DB5 first appeared in third Bond film Goldfinger – and quickly became as important to 007 as guns and girls.
Coloured in distinctive silver birch, special effects wizard John Stears added a vast array of gadgets to the car, including machine guns and an ejector seat.
The partnership pushed sales of the DB5 through the roof, with the Corgi model of the car going on to become the most popular toy of 1964.
An enhanced version of the car appeared in Thunderball a year later, with a jet-pack and water canon added to the equation.
Since then Aston Martins have made regular appearances in Bond films, with Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig all debuting in models. Indeed Craig’s Casino Royale was the first film to feature two versions – the DB5 and the DBS.
The car has also appeared in multiple 007 games, where additional gadgets have included lasers, rockets, and surface-to-air missiles.
The iconic partnership has not only seen the Aston Martin become the most popular of all the Bond cars, but also made the brand synonymous with luxury, sophistication and cool.
And you can play at being Bond in Forza Motorsport 7, out now on Xbox One, with the 1964 DB5 fully playable, and liable to leave you both shaken and stirred.