August 22, 2019

Auto News

Aston Martin sports car from 'Goldfinger' sells for $6.4M

A silver 1965 Aston Martin DB5, an exact replica of the star vehicle Sean Connery drove in the iconic James Bond film Goldfinger, has been sold at auction in California for more than $6 million.

Listed as "The Most Famous Car in the World," it is equipped with 007-esque gadgets like revolving license plates, (prop) machine guns on the front, a bulletproof shield and nail dispensers, Sotheby's official Alain Squindo said. The car sold Thursday did not actually appear in Goldfinger, but rather it was created to promote its sequel, Thunderball (1965).

"They made four cars for the movies -- three survive today," Aston Martin specialist Barney Rupreht said. "This is about the only one that has fully-functional gadgets as original, fully engineered, still working."

The Sotheby's website said the silver sports car had three private caretakers and went through a total restoration that was completed in 2012. The refurbishment included all 13 of its original special-effects modifications. The auction house said it's probably the "most iconic and recognizable" Aston Martin ever built, particularly for the James Bond movie franchise.

"Though John Stears' revolutionary Oscar-winning work on the original Star Wars movie of 1977 was yet more than a decade away, his ingenuity was already evident in the modifications that he made for the special-effects Aston Martin," the Sotheby's website said.

"The smash success of Goldfinger was also a success for Aston Martin, which received free promotion around the world and saw DB5 sales surge to fuel an unprecedented level of production."

Car Care Tip

Change your spark plugs

How often you need to change your gasoline-powered engine's spark plugs depends on a variety of factors, including the kind of car you drive. Spark plugs normally last about 30,000 miles but check your owner's manual or ask your local dealership if you're not sure.

Changing a spark plug is not as intimidating as it might sound; it's little more than a bolt that shoots electricity. You first need to remove its source of electricity (a wire or a coil pack depending on your car's age) and anything installed over the engine.

Remember to adjust the gap using a spark plug gauge and, if possible, use a torque wrench to tighten the new plugs as precisely as possible. Overtightening a plug can have serious and correspondingly costly consequences.


Learn from your old spark plugs

Take a close look at your old spark plugs before discarding. Old plugs reveal a lot about the condition of an engine.

An oily deposit on the tip of the plug can signal worn valve guides or tired piston rings. If the tip of the plug is white, the air-fuel mixture is likely too lean. If the tip of the plug is black, the engine is probably running too rich.

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Thanks for reading,

The Editor

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