Bicester Heritage, UK, Business News: Aston Martin and The Little Car Company announce the DB5 Junior, a two-thirds scale electric junior car, has received the final seal of approval from Aston Martin’s High Performance Development Driver, Darren Turner. The outstanding quality of both the design and engineering of the DB5 Junior means that it can proudly wear the Aston Martin wings.
Carried out on the test track at Bicester Heritage, the three-time Le Mans class-winner and Aston Martin Works Racing Driver put the DB5 Junior through its paces, subjecting it to the same meticulous and thorough testing procedures as its full size counterpart. Included in the testing, Turner monitored both the performance and handling on the Bicester Heritage test track, examining every detail on the vehicle from the responsiveness to weight distribution.
The DB5 Junior was born out of a partnership between Aston Martin and The Little Car Company to produce an all-electric two-thirds scale version of the brand’s most iconic car. Using an official 3D scan of an original DB5 to ensure complete accuracy and authenticity, the DB5 Junior has been intricately handcrafted to include as much detail as possible from the original car.
Darren Turner, High Performance Development Driver for Aston Martin, said: “The DB5 Junior is certainly no toy. The quality and attention to detail on the car is amazing!
“Driving the car was epic; a real surprise actually. I wasn’t expecting so much performance from the vehicle and the handling was very authentic. Despite its reduced size, it still has all the charm and characteristics of an original DB5.”
Just 1059 examples of the DB5 Junior will be built to ensure exceptional exclusivity, and to match the original production number of the original DB5 between 1963 and 1965.
Ben Hedley, CEO of The Little Car Company, said: “We’re extremely honoured and proud to have had the DB5 Junior put through its paces by Darren Turner, confirming its status as an official Aston Martin. This achievement is testament to the hard work of the phenomenal team we have at The Little Car Company and reinforces that the DB5 Junior is worthy of bearing the Aston Martin wings.”
With an electric powertrain that delivers 5kW / 6.7 bhp to the rear wheels, drivers will be grateful for the integrated bucket seat. Power is transmitted to the road through 10″ wire wheels with four-wheel ventilated disc brakes, complemented by regenerative braking. A removable battery pack is stored under the opening bonnet, giving 10-20 miles (16-32km) driving range, depending on driving style. A second battery can be added, and each pack can be swapped for a replacement in a matter of seconds.
The junior car also has three integrated selectable driving modes:
· A Novice mode with just 1kW / 1.3 bhp of power for less experienced drivers with a 12mph (19kmh) top speed. In this mode, a remote kill switch is included allowing the car to be remotely disabled at up to 30m. And if an enthusiastic novice disappears outside that 30m range, the car will automatically shut down and come to a gentle halt.
· An Expert mode is provided for more experienced drivers with 5kW / 6.7bhp of power and a 30mph (48kmh) top speed.
· Finally, Competition mode is a “Balance of Performance” (BOP) setting which allows the acceleration and top speed of the vehicle to be aligned with other The Little Car Company models for competition on an even playing field.
Finally, for the ultimate driving experience, a rally-style hydraulic handbrake is included. While strictly not necessary, it does add to the fun for the bigger kids among us.
The Vantage version of the original DB5 was known for its performance upgrade. For those who want more from their DB5 Junior, the DB5 Vantage Junior takes the pace up a level, too. While this elite model has the three driving modes of the standard car, there is also a fourth; Vantage mode, operated by a hidden ‘missile’ switch which doubles the power output to 10kW / 13.4bhp and increases the top speed to a new level that is yet to be confirmed. Performance is further enhanced by the lightweight carbon fibre body and a second battery pack, doubling the range to 20-40 miles (32-64km) depending on driving style.
Aston Martin and The Little Car Company have recently launched an interactive online configurator for users to configure their very own DB5 Junior, here: www.thelittlecar.co/db5junior/configurator
Prospective buyers, who wish to secure one of the limited-edition DB5 Juniors, can visit www.thelittlecar.co/db5junior to place a fully refundable deposit on a first come, first served basis. When these build slots are full, a waiting list will be put in place.
Pricing for the DB5 Junior begins at £35,000 plus local taxes, while the more powerful DB5 Vantage Junior starts from £45,000 plus local taxes. Existing Aston Martin DB5 owners will be given first refusal on their DB5 Junior chassis number to match their full-size car.
For those looking to take their DB5 Junior even further, The Little Car Company can upgrade the DB5 Junior to a No Time To Die Edition. Complete with Aston Martin and 007 badging, Silver Birch paintwork and Smiths instruments, each car features a number of iconic Bond gadgets including mini guns, cycling digital numberplates, smoke screen and skid mode.
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