The DB5 is one of the most famous sports cars to emerge from Britain and remains a firm favourite of auto enthusiasts across the world.

Although the likes of the Aston Martin Virage and newer DB9 have attempted to replicate its charms, the DB5 has held a special place, thanks largely to its elevation to the status of pop culture icon, after a number of movie appearances.

Anyone who watched hit Bond movie, Skyfall, last year will remember the scene in which 007's classic Aston Martin DB5 is destroyed in a fiery explosion, which would no doubt have elicited some winces from car fans.

If you thought that the production crew was insensitive or well funded enough to destroy a classic for the sake of a few seconds of footage, you will be relieved to hear that the DB5 explosion was a bit of cinematic trickery.

In fact, cutting edge 3D printing techniques were used to create scale models of the DB5 that were almost indistinguishable from the real thing. Thus what you saw engulfed in flames was not a $450,000 classic car, but an impressive knock-off, so you can breathe a long sigh of relief.