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No Time to Lose...
As Pride goes to press, the world’s number one secret agent was supposed to grab As Pride goes to press, the world’s number one secret agent was supposed to grab a Walther PPK and the keys to his Aston Martin to head out on his final mission with a Walther PPK and the keys to his Aston Martin to head out on his final mission with Daniel Craig in the role of 007. Sadly the film’s release has been delayed, but that hasn’t Daniel Craig in the role of 007. Sadly the film’s release has been delayed, but that hasn’t stopped Aston Martin being quick of the mark with a special edition of two of its cars. stopped Aston Martin being quick off the mark with a special edition of two of its cars. To celebrate the release of No Time to Die and the world’s most successful product placement, To celebrate the release of No Time to Die and the world’s most successful product placement, Aston Martin presents its flagship 007 edition, based on the DBS Superleggera... Aston Martin presents its flagship 007 edition, based on the DBS Superleggera...
Words: Rob Davis. Words: Rob Davis.
HAVE YOU HEARDthe new Bond film theme? It’s sung by the gloomy Millennial Billy Eilish, presumably the first sulky YouTuber in the queue at the recording studio that day. In the past Bond films had themes by true musical legends - Shirley Bassey or Carly Simon. Now it seems they’ll let any sullen embryo who’s penned a song bemoaning the thin layer of foam on their Starbucks coffee contribute the films’ soundtrack.
If the success of the new Bond film No Time To Die is judged against its the quality of its soundtrack it’ll be a poor end to Daniel Craig’s excellent tenure as Bond. If, on the other hand, its success it judged against the secret agent’s new set of wheels, it’ll be considered a roaring success. That’s because although 007 is still taking his DB5 out for special occasions, his daily driver is this; Aston Martin’s more modern DBS Superleggera.
And to celebrate cinema’s most successful product placement, Aston Martin has released two 007-themed special editions, one based on its smaller Vantage grand tourer and one based on its DBS. It’s a silly car. It’s not for women; they’re far too sensible. It’s not for men; even they’re too sensible. It’s for silly little boys who never quite grew up... that’s why I love it. The Vantage-based 007 Edition costs £161,000 and has nerdy Bond details such as an embroidered radio frequency of 96.60 (FM), the Russian police frequency Bond used to evade police in The Living Daylights. Its carbon fibre seats also feature cello ‘f-holes’ based on the film’s instrument played by Kara Milovy, and a set of matching skis are available along with a ski rack referencing the winterised AM V8 used in the 1987 film. The Superleggera, meanwhile, will set you back an even more worrying £279,025 and just 25 examples will be made. The car features subtle 007 branding with flashes of red stitching, ceramic grey exterior paint roof, plus mirror caps, splitter, diffuser and rear Aeroblade II in black tinted carbon fibre. The 007-Edition Superleggera also has the firm’s handbuilt 5.2-litre V12 twin turbocharged engine fettled (by Q Branch?) to achieve 900Nm torque, making it the most torque-rich roadgoing Aston Martin ever produced. >>
007 Motoring Heaven: Our Three Favourite Bond Cars...
In Ian Fleming’s novels, James Bond drove a Bentley Blower. Otherwise known as the four and a half litre, 720 Blowers were made between 1927 and 1931 and a decent example today can fetch £1.5m at auction. Bond purchased his ‘nearly new’ in 1933 and the car subsequently featured in the Casino Royale, Live & Let Die and Moonraker books, with 17” wheels and none of the optional extras that Bond uses in the film adaptations. n
James Bond’s DB5 first appeared in Goldfinger, which was released in 1964. The car was sold between 1963 and 1965, replacing the DB4. 1,059 examples were produced, with half a million pounds a realistic outlay for putting one in your own garage. Some convertible versions were made which now command over £1m. Aston Martin is still producing ‘Continuation edition’ DB5s with modern mechanicals over the same body, created in mild steel and painted in Silver Birch. The Continuation editions feature 4.0 naturally aspirated six cylinder engines with five speed manual gearboxes and a price tag of £2.75m. n
Meanwhile, James Bond’s motoring history also included a 1977 spin in this white Lotus Esprit. And of course, it had a party piece in its ability to convert into a submarine at the push of a button. Believe it or not the car was actually lost for the best part of a decade. In 1989 a Long Island resident paid $100 for a storage container and whatever was contained inside. Upon opening the container, there was Bond’s Lotus, dented but intact and covered up by blankets. Needless to say when it was sold on, it was for significantly more than $100 and most recently, Tesla founder Elon Musk purchased the car for £616,000 in a London auction. n >> Still not convinced by the car? Fine, then how about the small engraved panel which provides lasers, missiles, rocket motor and outrigger controls, as well as the allimportant self-destruct button? All controls are integrated nearly into the centre armrest which is covered in leather with a 007 buckle. Sadly, none of the above are functional, and even if they were, imaging declaring those as optional extras on your car insurance policy... as we’ve said, this is a silly car. And yet, beyond the aesthetics of the 007 Superleggera in particular, there’s the justification that the rarity of the car should ensure it holds its value and becomes a sought-after collector’s edition even more desirable than the ‘standard’ Superleggera.
Personally I’m not overly enamoured with special edition cars, but let’s face it, if you’re in the market for a DBS, it may as well be a Superleggera and if you’re in the market for a Superleggera, it may as well be this 007 edition... let’s not start being bashful now.
Quite beyond the 007-bells and whistles, even the standard DBS is one of the prettiest cars on the market, and serves a triple purpose, being simultaneously - and in equal measure - a luxury car, a fierce performance car but also a car that achieves not only brute force but great precision and nuance in the driving dynamic it delivers. Double wishbone front suspension, a multilink rear axle and a wider track than a DB11 all help to provide not only power, but the means to enjoy secure handling that almost defies the laws of physics.
The youth behind the soundtrack may be mumbling dolefully, but at least the film’s cartrack sounds absolutely perfect to us! n
ASTON MARTIN 007 EDITION
Price: £279,025 (deliveries Jan ). Drivetrain: 5.2 V12 twin-turbo with 8-speed auto gearbox; RWD. Performance: 0-62 mph: 3.4 seconds. Top Speed: 211mph. Economy: 23mpg, 285g/km CO2 . Equipment: Leather, front and rear parking sensors and camera. Lasers, missiles and rockets, self- destruct (NB: Some of the latter might not be completely functional...).
Top Down Processing Whoever says the Germans don’t have a sense of humour? It’s freezing cold outside, we’re about the face a harsh British winter, and BMW chooses now to reveals its new sunny-side-up convertible...
Take a look outside. Not exactly top down weather is it? So why would BMW choose this month to release their new BMW 4-Series Convertible models? Well, perversely, convertibles are more popular in the UK than anywhere else in Europe despite our iffy climate. Also, order one now, and you’ll have it on your driveway just in time for spring, by which time you’ll be quite excited to lower the roof and enjoy some sunshine again. If you’re leaning towards soft-top motoring, you can do much worse than a 4-Series. For a start it has four seats and 385 litres of luggage space in the boot - for context a Ford Focus hatchback has 341 litres with the seats up - so it’s still quite practical. Also, the 4-Series is a slightly sexier version of the 3-Series which means bullet-proof build quality and a great driving experience. BMW 420d Convertible
Price: £45,785. Engine: 2.0, four cylinder twin turbocharger. Performance: 0-60mph 7.6 secs, top speed 146mph. Interior: Leather, sat nav, heated seats, cruise and climate control. n Still need convincing? The car is available from launch with a 2.0, four-cylinder petrol engine in 184hp or 258hp states of tune, or a 3.0V6 engine with 374hp. These are badged 420i, 430i and M440i respectively. A 2.0 four-cylinder diesel badged 420d will also be available from launch with two more powerful diesels to follow in late 2021. Go for the 420d. It’ll achieve 67mpg, and emit just 119g CO2, making it economical to run as well as being practical and stylish. Other noteworthy aspects? There’s plenty of equipment as standard. Front and rear parking sensors, a parking camera, navigation, a digital instrument cluster and power roof are all standard. Add the Driving Assistance and Parking Assistant Pro and the 4-Series will even steer itself into parking spaces and accelerate and brake on A-roads and motorways... giving you more time to enjoy some wind-in the hair motoring! n
Extended Ghost
ROLLS ROYCE LIMO GAINS LUXURY LONGER WHEELBASE VARIANT...
ROLLS ROYCE British luxury marque Rolls Royce has launched a new longer- wheelbase version of its Ghost luxury saloon. The car offers 17cm more space in the rear, plus a Rear Serenity Suite which takes its inspiration from a business jet cabin and provides adjustable seats with heating and massage function as well as luxury headrest and an electrically deployable footrest. The car also features a Champagne cooler with two cooling modes for operating at 6°c and 11°c for non-vintage and vintage Champagne respectively. Happily that means rear seat passengers needn’t trouble themselves with the first-world concern that the temperature of the Champagne in their Rolls is 5° out. Phew. The price? Over £300,000. n
Merc is in A-Class of its own
MERCEDES BENZ’S A-CLASS HATCH IS THE ONLY CAR TO APPEAL EQUALLY TO ALL DRIVERS FROM THE AGES OF 18-64...
Shogun Sport is a great value family 4x4 with seven seats...
MITSUBISHI Mitsubishi’s Shogun Sport is now one of the best value cars for those seeking a rufty-tufty, farm-friendly, 4x4 for towing and school runs. It’s now available from £29,975 with 0% finance on HP or 2.9% APR on a PCP, and comes with three years of free servicing. Seven seats come as standard so it’s familyfriendly and it has four wheel drive and low-range gears for tricky conditions. The car can also tow 3,100kg, making it great for lugging horseboxes around the county. n
MERCEDES The Mercedes-Benz A-Class the only car to appear in the top 10 choices of drivers in every age bracket from 18 to 64. That’s according to the online car supermarket www.buyacar.co.uk. The A-Class not only uniquely makes the top 10 for every age bracket, but beats every other model as the first choice for drivers aged 25 to 44. It remains the most sought after car for all drivers up to the age of 44, it’s the sixth most popular car in the UK for the 45 to 54 age bracket and is the fourth most popular vehicle among motorists aged between 55 to 64. n
MOTORING NEWS In Brief
SUBSCRIPTION
UK MOTOR INDUSTRY MOVES TO SUBSCRIPTION BUSINESS MODEL
Your next motor might not be purchased in the usual way... on HP, via PCP lease or cash purchase. That’s because the UK motor industry is beginning to introduce a subscription model for those seeking a new vehicle. Mycardirect has launched such a service and it is a purely web-based business whereby drivers can choose from a range of vehicles, including the latest electric and hybrid cars, and can select a subscription period that suits them, from one month through to 24. A single price includes the cost of the vehicle, tax, MOT, servicing, replacement tyres, windscreen, and optional insurance. Delivery of your vehicle can be in as little as 72 hours and there are no upfront payments. Drivers can also swap their car during their subscription, for instance, to a 4x4 in winter and a convertible car for the summer months. Typical prices are £610/month inc VAT for a Mercedes E-Class saloon, £899/month inc VAT for a Tesla Model 3 electric saloon car, and £1,263/month inc VAT for a Porsche Macan SUV. n For more information on the new subscription service, visit www.mycardirect.co.uk.
