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‘Goldfinger’ Aston Martin DB5 Lego kit has fully functioning gadgets

Just as we predicted, Lego's James Bond-themed Aston Martin model kit is of the 1964 Aston Martin DB5 from "Goldfinger." A car that also featured prominently in other Bond films including " Casino Royale," "Skyfall" and " GoldenEye," among others. ( The real "GoldenEye" movie car just sold for a cool $2.6 million.) And while at first blush, it seems that the Aston's effortless class didn't quite translate as well to brick form as boxier vehicles such as the VW Bus and the Mini Cooper, we can easily forgive it. Why? Because it has all of the gadgets from the movie, and they all work! Working from the nose of the car, the turn signals drop out of the way to reveal the machine gun barrels. These disappear at the pull of the shift lever in the interior. Also in the interior are the hideaway tracking computer in the dash and the door-mounted car phone. Of course the best feature inside is the ejector seat. Pull on the rear bumper, and the roof lifts off and other mechanical bits fling the seat through the opening. Behind the rear window, there's the bulletproof shield that can be raised into position. Finally, all four wheels can have the tire cutters fitted, and the license plates swivel for different numbers. And for car enthusiasts, Lego has made sure that the model is simply a nice and accurate replica of a DB5. The hood is hinged at the front, and underneath is a detailed model of the car's double-overhead cam straight-six. It's modeled down to the triple carburetors. The doors open, naturally, as does the trunk, which has quite a bit of space. The Lego kit goes on sale Aug. 1 for $149.99. It consists of 1,290 pieces, and the finished model measures out to about 13 inches in length. Related Video: Featured Gallery Aston Martin DB5 Goldfinger Lego Kit View 41 Photos Image Credit: Lego Toys/Games TV/Movies Aston Martin Coupe Classics Lego aston martin db5

Aston Martin confirms its third mid-engine hypercar

Consider the rumors confirmed. Aston Martin will build a third mid-engine hypercar that's currently codenamed 003, following the Valkyrie (code 001) and track-specific Valkyrie AMR Pro (code 002). Aston Martin says 003 will borrow lots of technology from its forebears, including hybrid electric propulsion and carbon fiber-intensive construction. But there are some significant changes being baked into this third hypercar that will set it apart from the first two. First up, Aston Martin will use a turbocharged engine in 003. Both versions of the Valkyrie used naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12 powerplants co-developed with Cosworth. We don't have any power specifications for the turbocharged hybrid drivetrain of 003 yet, but we know the Valkyrie's V12 puts out as much as 1,130 horsepower from its gasoline-burning engine and electric motors. We can't say for certain, but we wouldn't bet against Aston pushing that figure further into the stratosphere with the turbo-enhanced unit that will power 003. Aston Martin also promises "active aerodynamics" that provide "outstanding levels of downforce in a road-legal car" to go along with "active suspension systems." Sounds like there's a good chance double-oh-three could be more advanced than its older siblings. That said, Aston says its third mid-engine hypercar is being designed for use on the road in addition to the track, with "more practical concessions to road use, including space for luggage." And all of that has our interest piqued. Something conspicuously absent from Aston Martin's latest hypercar announcement are any mentions of partnerships. Both Valkyrie models were designed with plenty of input from Red Bull Racing and its famous technical director, Adrian Newey. There's also no mention of Mercedes-Benz or its AMG division, from which the British automaker sources its current lineup of V8 engines. How much input will Red Bull have in 003? Will its turbocharged V8 be sourced from Mercedes-AMG? We'll just have to wait and see. What we do know, though, is that the FIA's Hypercar Concept racing series is sounding more interesting by the minute. And, if the sketch above is at all indicative of 003's actual production design, this third hypercar will be quite a bit different from the first two. Project 003 is expected to hit the road late in 2021. Global production will be capped at 500 units. Pricing, naturally, is not yet known, but if you have to ask, well, you know the rest.

This Aston Martin DB9 with 104,000 miles on it makes us happy

The typical Aston Martin DB9 for sale has something like 14,000 miles on it, but 4,000 is pretty typical and a "high-mileage" example would be less than 40,000. And remember, the DB9 went on sale 16 years ago, lasted until 2016, and there isn't as much correlation between age and mileage as there are with other cars. Also remember, Aston Martins usually sit in garages collecting far more dust than, quite obviously, miles. Which is why we're oddly proud of this 2005 Aston Martin DB9 for sale that has 104,854 miles on it ... and the original owner who had the audacity and awesomeness to drive it that much. Good job, buddy. The second owner, prior to selling it to selling dealer, put only 4,000 miles on it since 2015. This plucky Aston-that-could is painted in what seems to be California Sage green with a Cream Truffle interior. With all those miles, such a light-colored leather is definitely showing its age and there's plenty of wear on the driver seat (especially the side bolster), but it's actually not that bad. The leather seats of cars with far fewer miles can look much worse. In fact, the interior in general looks great for such a high-mileage car, a testament to its owner's maintenance and Aston's materials and build quality. As mentioned earlier, it's rare that the latter gets tested so rigorously.  Now, would buying an Aston Martin DB9 with 104,845 miles on it be a good idea? Sure doesn't seem like it. Then again, buying a used Aston Martin always seems like it would be an expensive proposition, and maybe actually being driven has kept it in better working order? Maybe? The CarFax does show consistent service over the years. Of course, that could mean it was breaking all the time, but would you really keep something around that was breaking all the time?  Ultimately, the problem here is the price: Motor Car Classics in New York is asking $39,900 for it. A quick scan of Autotrader reveals DB9s with exponentially fewer miles for around the same money or even less. That includes Volante convertibles. This 2005 is only $4,000 more and has 36,000 miles. This one is also $4,000 more, but has 14,000 miles. However, pricing cars like this is very difficult and certainly none of those other DB9s were as well loved and enjoyed as this audacious green trooper.