Any car fan, or James Bond lover, will know just how important the Aston Martin DB5 is. The iconic car has been in eight of the movies and is probably one of the most recognisable cars in the world. Today, if you wanted a DB5 you’d be looking at more than £1million to own the icon, but The Little Car Company has come up with a solution, sort of. If you’ve got £90,000 plus tax you can own a two-thirds scale electric version, mainly designed for kids to hoon about in.
That might sound, on the face of it, absolutely absurd. In fact I was incandescent with rage when I read the price. But then on closer inspection of the craftsmanship, included tech and the electric drivetrain I was instead filled with joy and love. This ludicrous little machine might end up in the hands of only the very wealthy, but it also looks like a labour of love for The Little Car Company.
Firstly, any DB5 you buy in the full size equivalent, will likely not come equipped with machine guns (with imitation bangs and flashes) – but the DB5 Junior does. It also has a smoke machine which pumps fog out of the exhaust pipe to give you cover as you make your escape, presumably from nanny. The number plate is also, in the spirit of the original, digital, allowing it to be changed to evade detection.
Not only that, but the DB5 Junior boasts 21.5bhp and a top speed of “more than 45mph”. I got that number from the website, yes, a kid’s electric car that can do very nearly 50mph. It does have modes which will allow you to restrict how fast it can go though, four of them in fact with one called “escape”.
The car also has a range up to 60km and will recharge in around 5 hours. Although the DB5 Junior is clearly aimed at kids, it’s not probably suitable for the very young. For one thing, they might crash or scratch it. For another, it’s 90 grand! But The Little Car Company suggests those aged 14 and up can use it with supervision. It’s also large enough to cope with a reasonably sized adult, so the fun isn’t just for kids.
Now, I know what you’re thinking, with a few small compromises this could be the ideal commuter vehicle. It’s electric, so exempt from road tax and congestion and low emissions zone charges. But I have devastating news, it’s not road legal. Although, looking at the spec I’m not sure why it isn’t, it has indicators which I assume work as well as lights. Perhaps it’s the machine guns, do concealed machine guns make a car illegal?
The limited production run of 125 cars will celebrate both Aston Martin and the new Bond movie, No Time To Die, which opens in cinemas on September 30. There’s a waiting list, which you can get on if you have a £5,000 fully refundable deposit. If there is a space you’ll be contacted to determine how you’d like the car set up. You can place your name on the list on The Little Car Company's website.
