Secrets of the Aston Martin DB5 replicas revealed

A replica Aston Martin DB5 rolls off the truck in preparation for Bond 25 filming

Earlier this month, Aston Martin invited writers to have a look at its No Time to Die fleet, including information about the DB5 replicas featured in No Time to Die.

Both Esquire and the PistonHeads website did writeups. Previously, the blog has taken shots from some readers for referring to the DB5s in the movie as replicas. But the articles make clear there are key differences between the replicas Aston Martin made for the film and the original DB5s made in the 1960s.

Why replicas were needed: Bond’s DB5 was going to be involved in a lot of stunt driving. Having actual DB5s, more than a half-century old, perform the task was too risky.

Esquire: “(T)he biggest challenge of all for Aston Martin came when Eon requested no less than 8 dynamic original DB5s capable of extreme stunts, including the Matera chase seen in the trailer, plus another unrevealed sequence… it soon became clear to the Aston team that the original DB5 simply couldn’t handle the demands of such a shoot, when cars need to deliver on cue, again and again. Any mechanical issue would hold up production and given the intensity of the driving, it was far too risky.”

How the replicas vary from the original: They may be hard to spot at a distance, but there are differences.

PistonHeads: The replicas included “roll cages, hydraulic handbrakes and fire extinguishers.”

But that’s not all. Again from PistonHeads: “The radiator grille of the replica comes fractionally further forwards, the bezels around its headlights are different, the silver strips down the front wing vents are fractionally longer and it also has guttering, something the original car is missing. You’ll also notice the windscreen doesn’t quite fit at the edges. From the outside and ten feet away, though, the only obvious difference – visible only from some angles – is the presence of a hefty roll cage in the stunt car.”

Esquire also provided this detail of the manufacturing process of the replica cars. “They (the Aston team) began by laser-scanning an original DB5 which the design team then smoothed off to make it symmetrical (because a 60 year-old hand made car simply isn’t).”

No time to lie: PistonHeads, referring to the DB5 replica, said an Aston representative refused “to say where the powertrain has been donated from.”

Aston Martin might want to consult with star Daniel Craig. (You know, the Daniel Craig who supposedly designed one of your cars.) In June 2019, Craig told Prince Charles the replica has a BMW engine. It begins around the 1:50 mark of this video. He also told the prince how the replica cars have carbon fiber bodies and new suspension components.

Bond 25 questions: The end of filming edition

No Time to Die logo

No Time to Die wrapped up principal photography this week. Naturally, the blog has some questions.

Does it seem like there’s been less publicity than other Bond movies?

Compared to the films earlier this decades, yes.

Skyfall and SPECTRE each had a series of video blogs. A crew member would describe his or her responsibilities, for example. One of the SPECTRE vlogs showed preparations for a car chase. Another highlighted the preparations for a big explosion.

Also, with SPECTRE, some news outlets were given access to do stories about the car chase. The Associated Press posted a short video. The Mail on Sunday ran a story with behind-the-scenes details about the chase sequence.

Not so much with No Time to Die.

There was a single promotional video in June showing filming in Jamaica. A visit by Prince Charles in June to the set generated a lot of TV images. In one video, star Daniel Craig can be seen explaining how the Aston Martin DB5s in the film are replicas, with carbon fiber bodies and BMW engines.

On the other hand, cast and crew members (particularly director Cary Fukunaga) made social media posts. And when the crew went to Matera, Italy, tourists took many smartphone videos that spread quickly.

When will things change?

No Time to Die added to its publicity efforts on Saturday when Empire posted a story with an image from the movie.

The entertainment publication said the image is part of its 2020 Preview issue out next week.

What’s next?

There still isn’t a trailer. The James Bond & Friends podcast said months ago there was a rough cut of a teaser trailer. For whatever reason, that has stayed under wraps. No word on when it will come out.

Based on Empire’s story, there may be articles by other outlets that have been prepared but are embargoed until closer to the movie’s April release.

Ready or not, the DB5 reports for service again

A replica Aston Martin DB5 rolls off the truck in preparation for Bond 25 filming

Italian news outlet Sassilive had a story about Bond 25 getting ready for filming in Matera, Italy. The article included a photo gallery, including a picture (see above) of an Aston Martin DB5 coming off a truck.

So, ready for not, the DB5 is back. Again.

Most people won’t care that the car (actually one of several) is an expensive replica of the DB5. Carbon fiber body. BMW engine. New suspension components that were never included in the DB5s that Aston Martin made in the 1960s.

Regardless, Eon Productions is turning to one the most iconic images of its James Bond film series. The question is whether this may be one time too many.

The original DB5 was introduced in Goldfinger and made a return in Thunderball. While other Aston models showed up in various Bond films, the DB5 wasn’t seen again in a 007 outing until 1995’s GoldenEye.

In that film, the DB5 appeared to be Bond’s personal car. Ditto for 1997’s Tomorrow Never Dies. A left-handed drive version then appeared in 2006’s Casino Royale, something he won in a card game.

But the DB5 — an original right-hand drive version — was back in 2012’s Skyfall. This time, director Sam Mendes made sure everyone knew it was (or at least it was supposed to be) the original Goldfinger car. And, indeed, every time I saw the film in the theater, it got a rise out of the audience.

The DB5 was blown up in Skyfall, a somewhat emotional moment. But all was forgotten in 2015’s SPECTRE when Q (improbably) had it rebuilt. And Daniel Craig’s Bond appeared to drive off into the sunset at the end of the movie.

Since then, we’ve gotten expensive Lego DB5s and even more expensive replica DB5s with replica gadgets that Aston Martin is selling for more than $3 million each. That’s a lot of money, especially they’re not legal to drive in actual traffic.

Regardless, the DB5 (at least a faux version) is back for Bond 25. Daniel Craig told Prince Charles the secrets of the Bond 25 DB5s when the prince visited Pinewood Studios in June. Now the replica DB5 will soon be at work when Bond 25 begins filming in Italy in a few weeks.

I never really thought I’d say this, but I’m getting tired of the DB5.

Yes, people collect vintage cars. But does it really make sense for Bond to drive what’s supposed to be a 55-year-old (or so) car on a regular basis?

Yes, the DB5 is an iconic Bond car — or at least it was. But is it getting used too much?

Haphazard Stuff, which does very amusing, detailed videos, recently did a long look at Bond 25. He examined the DB5 issue, starting at the 33:36 mark. You can see the video below. (If I did this correctly, it’ll go to the DB5 discussion when you click.) Anyway, some food for thought.

Bond 25: The week the optics changed

Eon’s Bond 25 logo

The Royal family this week, intentionally or not, gave 007 an assist with the optics of Bond 25’s production.

Prince Charles on Thursday showed up at Pinewood Studios and chatted with the likes of Daniel Craig, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris and director Cary Fukunaga on Bond 25 sets.

As is often the case, there were many media members in attendance, with video and stills being taken.

It wasn’t the prince’s first turn at doing this sort of thing, In the 1980s, he and his then-wife, Princess Diana, toured Pinewood during production of The Living Daylights.

Such visits are arranged well in advance. It’s not like Prince Charles would just show up at Pinewood.

Still, for one day at least, the images and stories generated from the visit washed away a lot of previously Bond 25 publicity concerning star injuries, script rewrites, the departure of Danny Boyle as director, an explosion that damaged the famous 007 Stage and tales of other problems.

The timing may have been coincidental. But for Eon Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Universal (the latter handling international distribution of Bond 25), the prince’s visit could not have come soon enough.

For those who wanted more, a video by 5 News provided some Bond 25 tidbits as the prince asked questions of the Bond 25 cast and crew.

To be sure, Bond 25 has a lot of filming to go. About a third has been completed. Also, making large, big-budget movies rarely is an easy endeavor.

Still, the topic of Bond 25 conversation has been changed, at least for a while.

Prince Charles picks up some Bond 25 secrets

Eon’s Bond 25 logo

At most mild spoilers, but go away if you’re spoiler adverse.

Bond 25 got a lot of publicity when Prince Charles visited Pinewood Studios today. In return, the Prince of Wales was briefed on some Bond 25 secrets.

5 News posted more than 20 minutes of video from the prince’s visit. The audio wasn’t the best but you pick up some of what he was told about.

Alterations to the Aston Martin DB5: Daniel Craig showed the prince a DB5 that was on display. Well, it turned out there was more than met the eye.

“Underneath here…is a BMW engine on a modern chassis, modern suspension,” Craig tells the prince. “We’ve had five of these made. This is carbon fiber.”

A tiny bit of plot: Ralph Fiennes, who plays M for the third time, talked to the prince about a scene filmed earlier in the day at the M office set.

“So what have you been doing today?” Charles asked.

“We’ve been giving him a hard time,” Fiennes responded.

“Oh really? Again?”

“Again, yeah. And he’s been giving me a hard time.”

“But I thought he was meant to be in retirement or something,” Charles replies.

Daniel Craig interjects at this point. “That’s right. But something drags me back in.”

“What the dreaded Felix Leiter?” the prince asks.

“Felix and the plot,” Craig answers.

Bond 25’s progress: Prince Charles asks if filming is about half complete. Craig answers that it’s about a third done.

Ralph Fiennes’ schedule: The actor tells the prince he works sporadically on Bond 25, mixing it with other acting commitments and an upcoming holiday. “I come in and out..My scenes are scheduled in bits.”

“He’s very busy, you see,” Craig tells Charles. “We’re very lucky to have him.”

After this, Prince Charles was taken to view some of the day’s footage of Craig in M’s office. It’s shown on video screens. He listens, holding up a headset to his right ear.

The video is below.