junior
junior

007 Junior car a dream come true

IS there a kid anywhere in the world who has seen James Bond in action in his Aston Martin DB5 and dreams of one day owning such a car?

Probably not. But those with rich daddies might be able to live their dreams.

Goodwood Road and Racing reports that the iconic DB5 will soon be back in the showrooms as  a ‘continuation model’ of sorts, and that you can have one from around  $64,000 Australian.

The DB5 Junior. is a two-thirds scale model of the real thing, able to accommodate the youngest of drivers plus an adult passenger, and in true 007 style is finished in Silver Birch with a black leather interior.

It’s a convincing dead ringer for the real thing, right down to the correct Aston “wings” badges. 

Aston provided the Little Car Company, which makes the model for the sports car firm, with digital scans of a real DB5 to ensure the design was spot on.

The 270kg model is based around an aluminium honeycomb chassis and composite body, with double wishbone suspension at the front and live rear axle. 

A 6.8PS (5kW) electric motor drives the 10-inch wire wheels while stopping from the model’s 30mph (48km/h) top speed is courtesy of four-wheel ventilated disc brakes. 

The battery pack is under the bonnet and can last for up to 20 miles, or 32km.

Like any modern grown-up car, it comes with selectable drive modes. 

There’s the Novice mode, which restricts top speed to 20km/h and comes with a kill switch – no, not a James Bond-style gadget but a remote control for anxious parents to disable the car while up to 30m away.

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More experienced steerers can opt for Expert mode while a Race setting introduces a balance of performance so DB5 Junior punters can take on drivers of other Little Car Company models – chief among them the Bugatti Baby II – on an equal footing.

There may be no secret agent gadgets but the 3m long, 1.1m wide convertible does come with an impressive array of features. 

Functional Smiths dials and 1960s style clock, a two-thirds scale replica of the 1963 car’s steering wheel (quick release for easy access) and working headlights, brake lights, indicators and a horn all feature. 

There’s also a boot for luggage and a rally-style hydraulic handbrake for stunt driving fun and games.

There’s a Vantage version. True to Vantage form, this gets less weight and more power, with a fourth drive mode – Vantage – unleashing twice the base car’s 10kW power. You also get carbon-fibre body panels, a slippery diff and extra battery capacity, doubling the range – depending on just how much of a lead-foot your offspring is.

A thousand and fifty nine DB5s were made in period and the Little Car Company hopes to shift the same number of junior versions. 

Owners of grown-up DB5s can ensure the model comes with matching colour and trim as well as matching chassis number, keeping the DB5 very much in the family.

There are options (including fitted luggage!) and plenty of ways to personalise the DB5 Junior.

But be warned these cars don’t come cheap: the base car is from $64,000 while the more powerful DB5 Vantage Junior starts from $82,000. 

Deliveries start next year.

 

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CHECKOUT: Bond car recreates the 007 legend

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