DEERFIELD BEACH, FLORIDA — Few automobiles have ever enjoyed the celebrity status of the Aston Martin DB5. More than six decades after Sean Connery first drove one across the movie screen in the 1964 James Bond classic Goldfinger, the British grand tourer remains one of the most recognizable cars in the world.
For entrepreneur and automobile enthusiast Elliott Broidy, the DB5 was more than a beautiful machine. It was a childhood ambition that eventually became a remarkably detailed restoration project.
Today, his 1964 Aston Martin DB5, chassis number 1750/R, is back on the road in South Florida. And unlike many valuable classics that spend their days hidden beneath protective covers, this particular Aston Martin is driven regularly.
From Goldfinger to a Childhood Dream
The story begins with a young boy watching James Bond behind the wheel of a silver Aston Martin, surrounded by the gadgetry that made the fictional British secret agent famous.
That boy was Elliott Broidy, who later became chairman and CEO of Broidy Capital Holdings. The memory of the DB5 stayed with him for decades, eventually inspiring the purchase and restoration of an authentic 1964 example.
The original DB5 had all the ingredients of a timeless grand touring automobile: sleek British coachwork, a powerful six-cylinder engine, fine leather upholstery and just enough sporting character to make it considerably more exciting than an ordinary luxury sedan.
Approximately 900 DB5 saloons were manufactured between 1963 and 1965, helping explain why the model remains so desirable among serious collectors.
A British Restoration Worth Doing Properly
Rather than purchasing a completed show car, Broidy elected to rebuild an original example to his specifications.
His representative in the United Kingdom, Gil Holt, located the automobile and assembled a team of British restoration specialists.
Originally delivered in British Racing Green with a maroon leather interior, the DB5 was stripped to bare metal and refinished in Silver Birch, the color forever associated with James Bond's famous Aston Martin.
Shaun Hayward of Hayward Classics in Kent handled the bodywork and paint, while Matthew Hill Coach Trimming in West Sussex restored the cabin with gray Connolly leather.
More Power Beneath the Famous Bonnet
The original Aston Martin DB5 used a 4.0-liter inline-six engine, but Broidy's restoration included a significant mechanical upgrade.
British specialist Aston Engineering installed a 4.7-liter Vantage-specification six-cylinder engine with fuel injection, giving the restored automobile considerably more performance than its original configuration.
A DB4 GT exhaust system helps preserve the distinctive sound expected from a classic Aston Martin.
The mechanical changes extend beyond the engine. The automobile received power steering, upgraded brakes and suspension, air conditioning and Borrani wire wheels. A conversion to left-hand drive also makes the vehicle better suited to American roads.
Air conditioning is hardly something James Bond needed on a chilly English assignment, but in South Florida, it is a particularly sensible addition.
A Few Special Gadgets for 007 Fans
No Bond-inspired Aston Martin would feel entirely complete without at least one nod to the fictional inventions of Q Branch.
Broidy's car includes an ejector-seat-style button that operates a bespoke retractable compartment beneath the passenger-side dashboard, designed to hold a pistol.
It is a theatrical touch rather than an actual passenger-ejection system, but it adds a little cinematic character to a car already loaded with movie history.
Importantly, the alterations were designed to preserve the DB5's traditional appearance. The exterior retains the elegant lines that made the original automobile famous.
Built to Drive, Not Just Display
One of the more interesting aspects of the project is Broidy's decision to use the automobile regularly.
Collector automobiles of this caliber frequently appear at concours exhibitions, private collections and auction previews. Broidy's DB5 has instead become a functioning grand tourer.
He has even driven the car at England's celebrated Goodwood racing circuit.
There is something refreshing about an enthusiast who spends years restoring a valuable automobile and then actually puts miles on the odometer.
Motor1 Takes the Aston Martin for a Spin
Automotive publication Motor1 recently examined the restoration in its feature, From Goldfinger to Goodwood: How One Man Built His Dream James Bond DB5.
Journalist Jeff Perez interviewed Broidy and drove the car on public roads in Deerfield Beach, Florida, evaluating how successfully its modern upgrades blended with the original driving experience.
The review praised the balance between classic character and modern usability, finding that the alterations had not fundamentally changed the personality of the automobile.
"It's absolutely lovely."— Motor1, describing the restored DB5
For Broidy, the automobile represents the fulfillment of a promise made to himself while watching a James Bond film many years ago.
Why the Aston Martin DB5 Remains a Collector Favorite
The DB5 occupies an unusual position in automotive history. It is admired for its engineering and design, but its popularity also owes much to an extraordinary association with motion pictures.
Many beautiful automobiles have appeared on screen. Few have become inseparable from a fictional character in quite the same way.
The DB5 also belongs to an era when the great European grand touring cars were designed to cover long distances with considerable speed and comfort. It was a gentleman's express with a competition pedigree, not merely a vehicle for arriving at the theater.
Its continued appeal combines rarity, craftsmanship and the sort of silhouette that looks just as good today as it did in the 1960s.
A Piece of British Motoring History Finds a Home in Florida
South Florida is already a playground for Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Bentleys and a growing collection of rare European performance cars. Yet a Silver Birch DB5 stands apart from the usual exotic-car lineup.
Its appeal is quieter than that of a modern supercar, but no less dramatic to anyone familiar with automotive history.
Broidy's restoration also demonstrates an increasingly popular philosophy among classic-car enthusiasts: preserve the visual identity and character of an important automobile while making carefully considered mechanical changes that allow it to be used more frequently.
For a car made famous by an international secret agent who rarely seemed to stay in one place for long, a life spent actually being driven seems particularly appropriate.
