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To
many of the modern generation, who also are thriller enthusiasts, Secret
Agent 007 working for Her Majesty's Secret Service, James Bond, is synonymous
with various BMWs, both of the four and two-wheeled kind. However this
was a pure sign of the times thing because Ian Fleming, the creator of
the fictional spy hero had always thought it fit to see Commander Bond
beat the evildoers driving British machinery. It was a different thing
that BMW came up with much needed finance to bail 007 out and kit him
up in style with a range of 7-series limos and M3 sports cars and R1150C
cruisers... the last was endless.
It
has now however been announced that Commander Bond will once again be
reunited with his favourite make of automobile from the next 007 movie
onwards and that will be the might new Aston Martin Vanquish, the V12
powered brute of a supercar which can run with the likes of the Ferrari
550 Maranello and more than hold its own against the Prancing Horse.
Ian Fleming put James Bond on the road in a variety of Bentleys, including
a Blower Bentley of the 1930s which saw him battle Commies and Nazis driving
assorted Mercedes and other nondescript machinery. But the quintessential
Bondmobile has to be the Aston Martin DB5 which debuted in the classic
film Goldfinger in 1965.
But this was no ordinary DB5, MI5's legendary boffin Q had killed out
Bond's car with a few unique accessories which could prove useful in the
heat of battle. And knowing 007's penchant for action this was one hairy
sports car which packed a great deal of firepower.
In Goldfinger the DB5 had a standout role, almost rivalling the
suave and debonair Sean Connery as secret agent 007 himself. The car packed
in .30 caliber Browning machineguns front and rear with which to either
cut down fleeing infidels or escape from them if outnumbered. Also to
make things difficult for his pursuers, Bond could squirt indecent amount
of oil from the confines of the cockpit, there being a special oil reservoir
in the boot.
Then there was a metal shield which shot up from just outside the rear
windscreen. Its purpose was to prevent any bullets whizzing through into
the cabin. This was added protection for the Bond CB5 also came with bulletproof
windows. And if, God forbid, any of the KGB agents did come alongside,
Q had a trick to dispose them off: the spin off wheel caps would spring
open with a Ben Hur type tyre shredder.
And to fox the bad 'uns the car had revolving number plate holders at
both ends.
But the piece de resistance was of course the ejector seat should
Bond's companion get crazy ideas. This one feature was executed to perfection
in Goldfinger and it went on to acquire great proportions in the
007 legend. The DB5 also played a role in the next Bond movie Thunderball
though in not as great a detail as in Goldfinger. No other Bond mobile
has ever dazzled with the techno-wizardry which the DB5 packed and let's
hope the secret agent's return to the marque with the Vanquish will be
in this vein. |
