DB9

Segment
Coupe

As one of the most iconic British sports cars ever made bolstered by its appearance in the 1964 James Bond flick Goldfinger, the Aston Martin DB5 is already a desirable classic. But this example is no ordinary DB5. No, it doesn't have mounted machine guns, tire slashers, or a passenger ejector seat, but it does have one famous previous owner. Heading to Bonham's auction in London next month is the 1964 Aston Martin DB5 owned by Sir Paul McCartney. Clearly, The Beatles frontman has impeccable taste in cars.

The car was registered just two years after the Fab Four's first hit single "Love Me Do." At this point the band was a cultural phenomenon, and this monumental success allowed the band members to indulge their passion for cars. The DB5 is thought to be McCartney's first ever Aston Martin, which he later replaced with his more well-known 1966 DB6. His bandmate John Lennon also famously had his 1965 Rolls-Royce Phantom V extensively customized, which was exhibited in London earlier this year alongside the debut of the new Phantom. McCartney's DB5 was less extravagant, finished in Sierra Blue with a black interior.

Power was sourced by a 4.0-liter inline-six engine producing 282 horsepower mated to a five-speed ZF gearbox. The car was also equipped with chrome wheels, Marchal fog lamps, Britax seatbelts, a Motorola radio, Armstrong Selectaride rear dampers, and a Phillips Auto-Mignon record player. He received delivery of the DB5 on September 22 1964 and, despite his busy schedule, drove it quite a bit, racking up around 40,000 miles before he sold it six years later in 1970. It's had several owners throughout its life including former Top Gear host Chris Evans, and has been pampered with multiple restorations. The most recent restoration job started in 2012 and was completed only this year.

The car has been repainted in Silver Birch to resemble James Bond's DB5, and now has a dark red interior with stitching on the back seat commemorating the fact it was once owned by Paul McCartney. The restoration wasn't just a cosmetic makeover, either. The inline-six engine's displacement has increased from 4.0 to 4.2 liters, and the compression has also been increased. The engine has also had a performance boost from 282-hp to 315-hp, while torque has increased from 280 lb-ft to 305 lb-ft. McCartney's DB5 is estimated to sell for between $1.6 million and $2 million when it goes under the hammer at Bonham's auction in London on December 2.