Did this really happen?  Did the ‘Evening with Aston Martin’ sale in Monterey, curated by RM Sotheby’s as part of their annual Monterey sale, really sell an Aston Martin DB5 for over £6million?

The headline lot, was the 1965 Aston Martin James Bond DB5 – originally commissioned and used in the promotion of the James Bond film Thunderball – crashed through the estimates and sold for a final price of $6,385,000 upon the fall of the auctioneer’s gavel. The initial estimate of $4,000,000-$6,000,000,  underlines the continued popularity and admiration for this world-famous automotive and silver-screen icon and sets a new record for the most valuable DB5 at auction.

Another surprise highlight of the day included a 1965 DB5 Shooting Brake which sold for a final price of $1,765,000.

Andy Palmer, President and Group CEO Aston Martin Lagonda, said: “The interest among collectors and enthusiasts worldwide underscores the enduring global appeal of this great British sports car company.

Aston Martin Lagonda has stood tall at the pinnacle of the British automotive world for over a century. Recognised today for our excellence in design, engineering, craftmanship and style, we of course would not stand in this position without a rich history of iconic models that have helped shape and define what this brand means today.

Thanks to RM Sotheby’s, this event has been, without question, a highlight on the Aston Martin heritage calendar in 2019 and I, for one, look forward to seeing many more sales in the future, in partnership with our exceptional heritage division, Aston Martin Works.”