https://www.driving.co.uk/news/james-may-why-the-corgi-james-bond-aston-martin-db5-is-the-most-significant-car-ever/ When we consider the high-tech air superiority fighters which patrol the world's skies so effectively today, it's often hard to believe that the first aircraft in this series of aerial dominators first took to the skies almost 110 years ago, one which whilst still primitive in design was intended to prey on other aircraft.

Being part of the Corgi Model Club is more like a flexible membership rather than a subscription. There is zero commitment. In addition, we have introduced a number of initiatives to make collecting our models as easy and cost effective as possible: One of the most famous cars in the world thanks to its association with James Bond, the Aston Martin DB5 was first released in 1963. A luxury grand tourer built for long distance yet high speed driving, the car was evolved from the Aston Martin DB4 Series V with the addition of a new and more powerful engine constructed entirely from aluminium. The car won the inaugural Toy of the Year award from the National Association of Toy Retailers in 1966. But demand remained huge long after Goldfinger left cinemas. An upgraded edition was launched in 1968 with cleaner castings, an authentic silver finish, and a new feature in the form of miniature tyre-slashers in the rear wheel centres. It sold more than 1.2m units and was in the Corgi catalogue into the early ’70s.As we find ourselves at that point in the year when he have to start thinking about the presents we're going to need for a special day which is now less than six weeks’ away, we thought it might be a nice idea to ask a couple of the Corgi team to nominate which models they would love to see waiting for them under the tree this year, just in case we decide to go down the Secret Santa route. As it was, the baddie’s supersonic upward trajectory was arrested only by the ceiling (unless you played with your toys outside, in which case he was in your neighbour’s garden), from where he would fall to the dark and heavily patterned carpet that characterised the 1960s and 1970s and become invisible. He was, you remember, less than an inch long and not even a complete man, all of his legs below the shins having being sacrificed to make way for the mechanism. From the Hoover bag he made his way to the dustbin and a rubbish tip far, far away.

In 1977, Bond-car mania exploded once more when Corgi issued its ingenious model of the submarine Lotus Esprit, this time coordinated in advance in partnership with Eon Productions to hit the shops the week the film opened.By the time Goldfinger was released at in 1965, the James Bond movies were already renowned for having beautiful women, exotic locations, and lots of action. In Goldfinger, the producers introduced a new element to the series, by giving Bond a sleek, powerful and very dangerous car. Stories and advice about our beloved classics Are these the 23 ugliest cars ever made? Alan Mann unveils electric Ford Mustang restomod Goodwood Revival's cutest race? Yes and no › More here... Corgi’s first involvement with moving-image merchandising had been straightforward. Peter Katz, Mettoy’s regional sales manager for Scandinavia, was talking to a Swedish wholesaler one day when he asked if there was anything Corgi could do for the territory that would boost sales. He was told: “Well, a popular programme in Sweden is The Saint, and he drives a Volvo P1800; can’t you sell that as The Saint’s Volvo?” Whilst Aston Martin has touched so many, spare a thought for poor ole Roger Moore. The only actor to portray James Bond without getting to drive the famous Aston Martin… Welcome to the latest edition of Corgi Die-cast Diaries, your regular blog review of all the news, updates and topical stories from the captivating world of Corgi die-cast model collecting.

Marshall was tasked with creating the customised Chrysler Imperial used by the masked crime-fighter as he graduated from comic strip to half-hour TV show: “In the comic it had a drone in the boot, and I spent a week experimenting. I thought we could mould it like My first job was designing a plastic roof for a horsebox,” he says. “But I loved experimenting; I designed a lorry with a working tail-lift in 1962 and, although they never made it, it got the attention of [Mettoy founder] Philipp Ullmann.” WHAT’S THE best car in the world? That is easy: it’s the Ferrari 458 Italia. It’s beautiful and exciting and occupies a perfect central position on a spectrum representing at one end total transport pragmatism and at the other unusable and unaffordable exoticism. The 458 is in the sweet spot. Making for an ideal present for the sophisticated Bond fan in your life, this beautiful model is now only available in limited quantities and may well have been returned to Q Branch by Christmas. The real reason is this. It may not seem it when compared with the iPad, but by the standards of 1965 the Corgi Bond DB5 was a gadget-laden miracle. Rival toy makers were amazed by how much functionality Corgi had worked into a 1:46 scale model a mere 4in long.

But the most significant car of all time? That’s a bit harder, and it was the brief for my Cars that Changed the World walk-through exhibition at last week’s London Classic Car Show. With space for just a dozen cars, ruthlessness was demanded. So I’m afraid the Jaguar E-type was out, and so was the Austin 7. The Range Rover as well, and the Audi quattro, the “Blower” Bentley, the Ford Escort RS1800, the Citroën DS and many other cars suggested to me, thank you. And the Volkswagen Golf GTI. Sorry. This was a dream toy for kids of all ages and sizes. It’s only issue was its colour. ‘ Why was it painted gold’ instead of silver like in the movie? Apparently, Corgi’s marketing team didn’t like the proposed silver finish from the movie and decided to paint it gold to reflect the movie’s title instead. Release So there you have it - if you're looking for the perfect diecast gift for your Hellraiser or if you know a Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, Corgi might just have the answer for you this year. Gifts built to last The Batmobile was even more successful than the Bond Aston, selling five million near-identical examples and helped enormously by Batman’s near-permanent place on Saturday morning children’s telly of the 1960s and ’70s.