Aston Martin DB5 – James Bond Jnr.

When we were kids, all we had to play with was a stick and our imagination. Now though, it seems you can buy your little bundles of joy an, ahem, Aston Martin. Needless to say, this has made us quite jealous. We would have happily traded our stick for one of these. Just look at all the wonderful detail; the chrome, the little wire wheels, it’s adorable. 

The little DB5 Junior is the result of a collaboration with Aston Martin and The Little Car Company that has taken some fifteen months to bring to fruition. Designed by scaling down 3D scans of the real DB5, the smaller version is a faithful recreation. It has all the right badges, the dash is filled with Smiths gauges as per the original car, there is a two-thirds scale steering wheel and the interior is trimmed in black leather. It is an exquisite recreation. 

As for power, this is where the DB5 Junior, as it’s officially known, differs significantly. Rather than relying on internal combustion, the two-thirds scale car is actually electric. This electric powertrain delivers 5kW/6.7bhp to the rear wheels, and will shunt the little Aston all the way for 30mph, which is ample for people who prefer Coco Pops rather than coffee for breakfast. 

The chassis is, as you would expect, something of a work of art, too. An aluminum honeycomb, it’s incredibly rigid whilst also being slimline. Furthermore, when paired with the composite body, the whole thing tips the scales at a racy 270kg.  

The car sits on double wishbone suspension at the front as per the original, with the roll centre and camber again matching the original geometry. At the rear there is the period-correct live axle, with authentic upper and lower trailing arm suspension and Panhard rod.

Power is transmitted to the ground through 10” wire wheels with four-wheel ventilated disc brakes, complemented by regenerative braking. A removable battery pack is stored under the opening bonnet, giving 10-20 miles (16-32km) driving range, depending on driving style. A second battery can be added, and each pack can be swapped for a replacement in a matter of seconds.

The junior car also has three integrated selectable driving modes:

• A Novice mode with just 1kW / 1.3 bhp of power for less experienced drivers with a 12mph (19kmh) top speed. In this mode a remote kill switch is included allowing the car to be remotely disabled at up to 30m. And if an enthusiastic novice disappears outside that 30m range, the car will automatically shut down and come to a gentle halt.
• An Expert mode is provided for more experienced drivers with 5kW / 6.7bhp of power and a 30mph (48kmh) top speed.
• Race mode is a “Balance of Performance” (BOP) setting which allows the acceleration and top speed of the vehicle to be aligned with other Little Car Company models for competition on an even playing field.

And finally, for the ultimate driving experience, a rally-style hydraulic handbrake is included. While strictly not necessary, it does add to the fun for the bigger kids amongst us. But if that’s not enough, there is also a Vantage model. Vantage mode, operated by a hidden ‘missile’ switch which doubles the power output to 10kW / 13.4bhp and increases the top speed to a still unconfirmed level. This output is now delivered to the wheels through a Limited-Slip Differential (LSD) to improve traction at high speed. Performance is further enhanced by the lightweight carbon fibre body and a second battery pack, doubling the range to 20-40 miles (32-64km) depending on driving style.

Marek Reichman, Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer of Aston Martin, said: “I’m thrilled to see this new, exquisite interpretation of what is, perhaps, our most iconic model join the Aston Martin family. Our partners, The Little Car Company have gone into meticulous detail to truly replicate the stunning form of the original DB5. I very much look forward to seeing these fun tributes to the timeless DB5 go into ‘service’ with owners of all ages around the world.” 

Ben Hedley, CEO of The Little Car Company, said: “It is an honour to partner with Aston Martin on this project, getting the opportunity to create a piece of history which will be passed down from one generation to the next. We are enormously proud of what we and the Aston Martin team have developed, and it is fantastic that we have made this iconic car accessible in a new way to a new generation of Aston Martin fans. As a child I would not have imagined any better way to learn to drive than in ‘The Most Famous Car in the World’.

Pricing for the DB5 Junior begins at £35,000 plus local taxes, while the more powerful DB5 Vantage Junior starts from £45,000 plus local taxes. Existing Aston Martin DB5 owners will be given first refusal on their DB5 Junior chassis number to match their full-size car. 1,059 Junior models are being built, and will be offered with matching chassis numbers of the real cars, should you wish!