DB5 Junior - Small Scale Classic!

The Aston Martin DB5 is one of the most famous cars in the world. Very rare and very expensive, the car is highly desirable but is out of reach for all but the richest people. Fortunately, a company in Bicester in the UK is working with Aston Martin to produce a very special electric interpretation of this iconic car. Roadster! was extremely privileged to receive a special invitation to visit the factory, take a look behind the scenes and get behind the wheel of The Little Car Company’s new Aston Martin DB5 Junior!

The Little Car Company was established in 2019 with the aim of making beautiful cars that can be shared and enjoyed across different generations. It’s “junior” cars are smaller scale interpretations of famous full scale classics, produced in partnership with the most elite car manufacturers in the world. Its team of engineers building its cars have years of experience of building cars for McLaren, Williams, Jaguar Land Rover, Ariel, Radical, Aston Martin, Ginetta and Lotus, making them experts engineers! 

Roadster’s experience of The Little Car Company began before we had even arrived at the factory. The Little Car Company has an amazing website with details all of the cars it makes. The website includes a car configurator which can be used to experiment with a range of different car colours and seat options.  Roadster! had great fun playing around with the configurator to build its perfect car… an Aston Martin in Goodwood Green with Oxford Tan seating!

Our tour of the factory started by taking a look at the DB5 Junior production line. Working with Aston Martin, the DB5 Junior has been developed using a full 3D scan of an original 1963 DB5. Everything has been shrunk to 66% of the original size. Roadster got to see the computer station where the cars are designed, and got to see the DB5 Junior from the ground up, including the  “bathtub” chassis used for the framework of the car. 

The car uses a removable battery for power and an electric motor to drive its rear wheels. It has 10 inch wire wheels with four-wheel disc brakes. As an official Aston Martin, the car features iconic paintwork, authentic Aston Martin badges and an individually numbered chassis.

There are three models available: the entry level DB5 junior, with 5kw peak power and a 30km range; the DB5 “Vantage” Junior , featuring carbon fibre bodywork, 10kw of peak power and an additional battery pack increasing the range to 60km; and finally the “No Time To Die” James Bond version!

After our tour of the factory Roadster! was given the chance to get behind the wheel of one of these beautiful cars. The car is absolutely stunning, with all of the style, elegance and sophistication of the original Aston Martin DB5. It’s bodywork features meticulous paintwork, gleaming chrome, and amazing wire wheels. 

Inside the car features comfortable leather seating with a reversible bolster cushion for smaller passengers, and a lovely polished mahogany wood and aluminum quick release steering wheel. The original DB5 dashboard has been recreated at a smaller scale, with Smith's precision gauges just like the original.

The pedals are laid out like a conventional car, with the accelerator on the right, and the brake on the left, with the steering column between the two. The rally-style, hydraulic “fly-off” handbrake takes some getting used to - Aston Martin insisted on its inclusion to be true to the original DB5. 

The car accelerates like a go-kart, and the reduced height and scale make 20mph feel very fast indeed!

The car is plenty big enough for an adult and a junior to sit together - a proper family “Bonding” experience!  Driving it is certainly a lot of fun!

Sam from Roadster! gets the low down from The Little Car Company…

Q: Why are your cars so small?

A: It’s partly about being given permission by the car companies to make official tribute cars, but it’s mainly because we want our cars to be enjoyed by car fans young and old!

Q: Who are your cars for?

A: Anyone who wants them! We make our cars for adult car collectors and some see them as art works. Some customers want a small version to go with their full size car, and of course these cars can also be driven by children from the age of 14, so these cars are for sons and daughters. The cars are not road legal so people need to have access to private roads or race tracks in order to drive them around. 

Q: How did you get together with Aston Martin?

A: Well The Little Car Company began when Bugatti asked us to make the Type 35. For our next car we wanted to choose something that really stood out. As one of the most famous cars in the world we thought the DB5 was perfect and fun so we approached Aston Martin, showing them our Bugatti. Aston Martin had already built a junior car for the Royal Family so didn’t need much convincing!

Q: How did you choose the range of colours for the DB5 Junior? There are so many!

A: We wanted to work with the Aston Martin DB5 car colours that were originally available, as many customers want junior cars to park alongside their full sized cars. Aston Martin helped us get the range of available colours just right!

Q: Are your cars toys?

A: That’s a really good question Roadster! What do you think? We don’t think they are toys at all!

Roadster! agrees. Everything about this company is exquisite with meticulous attention to detail. 

These cars are works of art and are really very special indeed… They aren’t toys!

Roadster! Would like to extend its deepest thanks to Kimberley and all at The Little Car Company /Hedley Studios for allowing us to visit the factory and find out all about its cars.

(This article is an edited version of an article first published in Roadster! Issue 01 - December 2022)