Goldfinger Mustang 

The "BEN HUR Style" Goldfinger Chase Scene

© Wolfgang Kohrn

	Ken Adams - the famous production designer of many Bond films liked monumental movies...and he liked sports cars as well. ..so probably that is why he intitiated the famous Ben Hur style chase scene in the Swiss Alps at the Furka pass. Together with his special effects team members of John Stears, Joe Fitt and script writer Paul Dehn they thought about a tire-shredder action sequence within a breath-taking mountain-valley chase with the DB5 and the Mustang convertible. The Furka pass scene starts with the Mustang easily overtaking the DB5 challenging James Bond to follow, but after intuitive pedal movement by Bonds foot, he calms down again and explains it as "Discipline 007, Discipline". Mustangers just know it was reasonable. Ok, maybe.... After Tilly Masterson (actress Tania Mallet) has placed her gun shot from a pass turn above Bond watching Goldfinger further down, Bond thinks he was the target, but it was indeed Goldfinger (Gert Froebe). After the shooting Bond tries to catch the fleeing lady by car. Well - stopping a Mustang in full speed is not that easy and takes apparently some "miserable2 tools like a tire shredder spinner with sharp knives. Yellow card for Bond from the Mustang Gang.
	The DB5 is well-known as the most famous movie car. 4 have been used for Goldfinger, 2 for promotion only and 2 in the movie. All 4 are in collectors ownership as of today. Bet Luxford worked as a technician on the DB5 and drilled the first hole in the roof of the Aston to remove the co-drivers part of it. Still the Mustang apparently had more fans at the roadside in the movie and later in real life in terms of "affordable sports car. When the DB5 passes the Mustang in a sharp turn - probably only due to its smaller turn diameter ability - you can spot those waving tourists alongside the road. Cheering was a natural attitude for spectators, when spotting Mustangs in those days. The driving in most critical scenes was done by Andrew Cowan, a scottish race driver and co-driver of the later Tour de France '64 winner Peter Procter. He just happened to be with the Alan Mann team at the Monte Carlo rallye and jumped in after Guy Hamilton had expressed his disagreement with Tania Mallet sitting behind the wheel. (See the Actress part of this website). Andrew had to wear a blonde wig in those scenes. It is hard to see this on the DVD, but there are some apparently edited action scenes that are a further proof.
	The actual tire shredder close-up scenes were filmed in the Pinewood studios back in England. Director Guy Hamilton had ordered 2 car halfes of the DB5 and the Mustang to be built in plastics and put on metal rails. Fixed that way they were drawn towards the camera with the Furka pass film projected in the background. You can easily spot the mock-up quality on the DVD or in these pics. Look at the lower edge of the fender and the final shot of the completely destroyed side of the Mustang. That is no metal, that is simple plastic. Same for the DB5, note the not really chromed bumper version. The whole sequence filming including building of the mock-ups took almost 6 weeks at Pinewood Studios.
	In the sequences filmed at the FURKA pass you can see that the damages are indeed not that disastrous. While the intial pictures show maybe just some colour treatment, somebody, probably Alan Manns team, just took some tools to create some body metal damage and tire puncture. At least we hope that the car is still around and we are pretty sure to find it soon with your help. Verifying the car is possible with Alan Mann's help easily.

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