1957 Aston Martin DB Mk III

A green 1957 Aston Martin DB Mk III (also known as DB 2/4 Mark III) arriving at the 2022 San Marino Motor Classic at Lacy Park.

Thanks to James Bond, many people can easily identify a DB5 (and its predecessor, the similarly styled DB4) as an Aston Martin. But outside of the car enthusiast community, few are familiar with the direct predecessor of those cars. The Mark III's hatchback shape isn't what we usually associate with classic European grand tourers, and I confess that without seeing that iconic front grille, I too may not have correctly identified this car.

In case you didn't know, Mr. Bond actually drove a DB Mk III in the novel version of "Goldfinger", although the film opted for the now-iconic DB5. It's not hard to see how the Mk III's styling evolved into what many consider the most famous Bond car of all time. And the green paint on this example leaves no doubt about its British heritage. This car serves as an important early example of Aston Martin's "DB" series, which solidified the brand's reputation as a builder of ultra-luxury grand tourers and continues today with the new DB12.

Do you think the "Goldfinger" movie should have featured a DB Mk III like the novel did? Leave a comment on YouTube and let me know!