Aston Martin DB5 Shooting Brake | Spotted
A Silver Birch DB5 is cool - but it has nothing on a Goodwood Green Shooting Brake
The Aston Martin DB5 has to be the most famous car in the world, doesn’t it? Everyone knows what it is because of you know who, movie producers better than most: it keeps coming back because they know people love to see it. Silver Birch examples carry a significant premium, owners have saved for entire lifetimes to restore them, and Aston Martin even made Goldfinger Editions as recently as this decade. And charged £3m each for them…
So yeah, thanks to a fictional character that the author originally had in a Bentley, the Aston Martin DB5 is recognised the world over. But perhaps the most interesting version is the least well-known. Monikers like ‘Vantage’ and ‘Volante’ are pretty well recognised. But DB5 Shooting Brake? That’s one for the connoisseurs.
The back story is a good one, David Brown commissioning a one-off wagon from the factory to carry his polo gear, hunting kit and dogs. Hard to think of much better for the job than a longroof DB5. Only trouble was that a few customers saw (or heard about) the DB SB, and wanted one of their own. And the factory didn’t have the capacity to make them. So an arrangement was reached with Radford to cater for the demand, and those who wanted to spend 50 per cent more on top of a DB5 RRP could have their dream wagon.
It’s reckoned that a dozen were converted in-period, with all 12 believed to have survived the past 60 years or so. Not surprising, really; there was a time that DB5s could be picked up for a pittance - here’s the £900 story again - but that’s unlikely to have happened with coachbuilt specials.
Though for sale in Luxembourg, this Goodwood Green example is right-hand drive and registered in the UK. Appropriately enough given the colour, it’s believed to have spent most of its early life not far from the motor circuit, and has plenty of service receipts from specialist RS Williams. The stunning restoration, including the colour change from grey to green, appears to have taken place when it was owned by an Aston collector in this century.
We don’t use ‘stunning’ lightly, either. Because if you think the outside is good, the inside might be even better, carpet and upholstery beautifully done. The engine bay, as expected, is pristine. The dogs will never want to get out, even at their favourite walk.
Since all DB5s are now extremely valuable, so are the esoteric estates that weren’t built at the factory. In 2021, a trio of Shooting Brake, Vantage and Volante were offered at £4m; if we assume a convertible is the most desirable (i.e. more than a million), and a Vantage a bit less than seven figure, then the £875,000 being asked for this would suggest that values might be softening just a tad. Or that three-car asking price was a bit much.
Whatever, the Shooting Brake is a fascinating bit of Aston history, and a hugely appealing DB5 despite not being the obvious spec. What a car for a Euro road trip on the way home, too…
But this?
Well I’m probably swimming against the current but I think it looks dreadful, it’s strange looks probably exacerbated by the roof which just looks wrong, lacking the sort of curvature that would have made the design much more cohesive.
But this?
Well I m probably swimming against the current but I think it looks dreadful, it s strange looks probably exacerbated by the roof which just looks wrong, lacking the sort of curvature that would have made the design much more cohesive.
The fact that it's bloody ugly doesn't help it's case either.
I think this is incredible, would have this over a standard one all day long.
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