THE driver of a vintage Aston Martin turned plenty of heads in a quiet village near Bolton yesterday with its rumbling engine, instantly recognisable design and ‘personalised’ registration plate.

The DB5 – widely recognised as being James Bond’s vehicle of choice spanning several decades – was spotted cruising through Edgworth, outside The White Horse pub, before turning around and making its way back down in the opposite direction around ten minutes later.

The coupe, typically valued at anywhere between £600,000-£3million, also had a particularly recognisable number plate: 4007 JB.

The car rose to fame in the James Bond films based on novels by Ian Fleming, following secret agent 007 in his various missions to save Britain - and the world - from tyranny.

The Aston Martin DB5 was recently dubbed the ‘most famous car in the world’ by luxury item auctioneer Sotheby’s, who sold one of two models owned by Eon Productions, used in Thunderball and Goldfinger, for a staggering $6,385,000.

The Bolton News:

As legendary Bond weapons-master Q explained to Sean Connery’s 007, the snow shadow grey–painted DB5 in the films was equipped with front and rear hydraulic over-rider rams on the bumpers, a Browning .30-caliber machine gun in each fender, wheel-hub-mounted tire slashers, a retractable rear bulletproof screen, an in-dash radar-tracking scope, oil-slick, caltrop, and smoke-screen dispensers, revolving license plates, and a passenger-seat ejection system.

Was this your car seen driving through Edgworth? If so, get in touch by email here.

Also equipped, although never used during the film, was a telephone in the driver’s door to communicate with MI6 headquarters, as well as a hidden compartment under the driver’s seat containing several weapons.

“Ejector seat?” Bond exclaimed with a smile. “You’re joking!”

“I never joke about my work, 007,” retorted Q, deadly serious.

The smash success of Goldfinger was also a success for Aston Martin, which received free promotion around the world and saw DB5 sales surge to fuel an unprecedented level of production.

Whoever the driver of Lancashire’s DB5 was, they are likely to be a serious collector to attain such an immaculate example of the most iconic car of all time.