Corgi Celebrates 70 Years With James Bond Aston Martin DB5 Classic Collection

Corgi is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year with a very special James Bond release: three generations of the famous Corgi Aston Martin DB5 together in one collector's set.

The new Corgi Toys James Bond Aston Martin DB5 Classic Collection (RT70007, available at Corgi) includes the gold 261 from 1965, the silver 270 from 1968 and the latest 'Final Edition' version of the model, with improved detailing and more accurate colours.

The set is a celebration not only of 70 years of Bond but also a nice way to look back at a Corgi model that has been around almost as long as James Bond himself. And although there have been countless Bond car models released since then, it's hard to think of one that has had more impact than Corgi's original DB5.
 

James Bond Aston Martin DB5 No. 261

Corgi introduced the James Bond Aston Martin DB5 No. 261 in late 1965, after the real car had made its famous debut in Goldfinger and right around the time that Thunderball arrived in cinemas.

The timing couldn't have been better. Bond was becoming a worldwide phenomenon and the Aston Martin, complete with the modifications from Q Branch, was one of the stars of the films.

Corgi 261: the original DB5 model was painted gold with red interior and was slightly smaller than future generations

The great thing about this model: it had working gadgets. There were machine guns at the front, a bulletproof shield at the rear and of course the passenger ejector seat. Push a button and the roof panel opened and the passenger was fired out of the car.

The car immediately became immensely popular. Around 750,000 models were sold in the first seven weeks and Corgi struggled to keep up with demand. By 1968, more than 3.9 million examples had been sold.

So the James Bond DB5 can safely be called one of the most successful die-cast cars ever made, and probably the most famous Corgi model of all time. It also became something more than just a Bond toy. Original examples are now serious collectibles themselves, especially when the box, figures and instructions are still there.

Funny enough, the original Corgi DB5 is wasn't actually the right colour. Bond's DB5 in Goldfinger was Silver Birch, but Corgi's 261 was gold.

The Corgi No. 261 James Bond Aston Martin DB5 was released in a silver finish for the first time in 2024 (still available at Corgi).
 

James Bond Aston Martin DB5 No. 270

In 1968 Corgi introduced the James Bond Aston Martin DB5 No. 270.

This was a new and slightly larger version of the DB5 and, importantly, it was now silver. Corgi also added more gadgets, including revolving number plates and tyre slashers, while the famous ejector seat remained.

Corgi James Bond Aston Martin DB5 No. 270: slightly bigger than the 261, and now in silver but still with red interior.

The 270 is the second model represented in the new anniversary set and makes the idea behind this release quite interesting. Instead of three different colours of basically the same model, you get three stages in the development of the Corgi DB5.
 

James Bond Aston Martin DB5 2026 Final Edition

The third car brings the story up to date. The latest edition of Bond's DB5, the 2026 ‘Final Edition’, has a further refined body, enhanced interior and exterior details and correctly coloured components.

James Bond Aston Martin DB5 2026 Final Edition

RT70007 James Bond Aston Martin DB5 Classic Collection

All three model cars are now presented in a retro-inspired lidded presentation box as the 'RT70007 James Bond Aston Martin DB5 Classic Collection'. The packaging is a good fit for this particular release, which is as much about Corgi history as it is about James Bond and the DB5.

The box set with beautiful artwork features the official 007 and Aston Martin logos

The set forms part of the Corgi 70th Anniversary celebrations. Corgi was founded in 1956 and became known early on for adding details and working features to its models, including opening parts, suspension and increasingly cool action features. The gadget-filled James Bond DB5 was the perfect car for Corgi to show what it could do.

The success also helped establish a relationship between Corgi and James Bond that continues today. Over the decades there have been numerous versions of the DB5 as well as the submarine Lotus Esprit, and many other Bond vehicles, including the latest Triumph motorcycle and No Time To Die spy plane (click here to see Corgi's current offering of Bond vehicles).

The new RT70007 James Bond Aston Martin DB5 Classic Collection is part of a selection of Corgi Model Club releases now being offered outside the club as part of the 70th anniversary. According to Corgi, this set is available in limited quantities and won't be produced again after it sells out.

Order the new Corgi Anniversary set directly from Corgi (£99.99)

Sources: 
https://www.007.com/the-history-of-corgi-and-007/
http://www.corgi.free.fr/Pages/Story_Corgi_James_Bond_Aston_Martin_D.B.5.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corgi_Toys
https://uk.corgi.co.uk/products/corgi-toys-james-bond-aston-martin-db5-classic-collection-rt70007