Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[REPORT: BMW using money saved from F1 pullout for more product placement]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/24/report-bmw-using-money-saved-from-f1-pullout-for-more-product-p/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/24/report-bmw-using-money-saved-from-f1-pullout-for-more-product-p/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/24/report-bmw-using-money-saved-from-f1-pullout-for-more-product-p/#commentsFiled under: ,


Piece Brosnan with the BMW Z8 in The World is Not Enough

You wouldn't know it if you weren't a serious film buff or marketing exec, but Propaganda GEM is responsible for a big share of the products you see placed in films. The entertainment marketing agency represents such brands as Audi, Lamborghini, Nokia, Panasonic, Bang & Olufsen and Casio, to name just a few. And it has a new client: the BMW Group.

Following such films as I, Robot and Iron Man, Propaganda has helped Audi significantly increase its profile in Hollywood. But the agency will be terminating its 13-year relationship with Audi (and, we'd expect, Lambo along with them) in order to take on BMW (together with Mini, Rolls-Royce and BMW motorcycles), spearheading a new marketing initiative for the Bavarian automaker.

Having temporarily stolen the James Bond spotlight from Aston Martin and Lotus in the mid-Nineties and launched The Hire film short series in 2001, BMW is no stranger to product placement, but the tie-in with Propaganda promises to take things to the next level. Apparently Munich's marketing budget has increased recently, thanks in large part to the termination of the company's Formula One program this year. BMW's sponsorship of the 2012 Olympic Games in London will only be the tip of the proverbial iceberg, as we can expect to see its products and those of its subsidiaries in more movies, television shows, music videos and video games in the near future. Thanks for the tip, Adam!

[Source: Variety]

REPORT: BMW using money saved from F1 pullout for more product placement originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2009 Infiniti G37 Convertible - Click above for a high-res image gallery

As enthusiasts, many of us are quick to dismiss convertibles as the preferred conveyance for hapless poseurs (BMW M3 cabrio) or fake-bake hairdressers (Toyota Solara). And with good reason. When you lop the top off a coupe, the result is often a floppy, overweight chassis that provides all the dynamic delights of a rubber nine-iron and a granite golf ball. Such executions fail to please on almost every level, and that's before you start dealing with complex roof mechanisms, awkwardly styled rumps and abysmal trunk space.

As a whole, convertibles aren't for everyone, but they do fill a need and a niche. And they sell. Almost half of all two-door BMW 3 series models are purchased with a retractable roof, and it's a segment that Infiniti hasn't played in for years (anyone remember the M30 convertible?). As Nissan's luxury arm continues to push into the European market, it's back in the game with the 2009 Infiniti G37 Convertible. But who is it for? Someone who's simultaneously sultry yet demure; assertive yet relaxed; commanding yet delicate. Someone compelling. Someone like Moneypenny.


Gallery: First Drive: 2009 Infiniti G37 Convertible


Photos Copyright (C)2009 Damon Lavrinc / Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading First Drive: 2009 Infiniti G37 Convertible, MI6's sultry secretary has a new ride

First Drive: 2009 Infiniti G37 Convertible, MI6's sultry secretary has a new ride originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Apr 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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For all the museums throughout the world, it's remarkable that it has taken this long to create one devoted solely to James Bond, when even Britney Spears got her own permanent exhibit years ago. But the omission has been redressed, with Englishman Peter Nelson opening The Bond Museum tomorrow in Keswick, northwestern England.

Exhibits include the jet pack from Thunderball, the mini jet from Octopussy, the Cagiva from Goldeneye and, of course, lots and lots of cars: a DB5 (Goldeneye, Tomorrow Never Dies), Vanquish (Die Another Day), Lotus Esprit S1 from The Spy Who Loved Me, and the 1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1 are part of 19 cars in total that will be on display. If you're in Cumbria this weekend, go get your Bond on, and don't forget to send us some pictures...

[Source: Wired]

Car-laden James Bond Museum opens in the UK originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 04 Apr 2009 10:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bondenglandetceuropejames bondJamesBondlifestylemuseumthe bond museumTheBondMuseumukSat, 04 Apr 2009 10:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Q-Car: Autoblog drives James Bond's DBS from <em>Quantum of Solace</em>]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/04/q-car-autoblog-drives-james-bonds-dbs-from-em-quantum-of-sola/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/04/q-car-autoblog-drives-james-bonds-dbs-from-em-quantum-of-sola/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/04/q-car-autoblog-drives-james-bonds-dbs-from-em-quantum-of-sola/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Click above for high-res image gallery of the Quantum of Solace DBS

Your English-manor-garden variety Aston Martin DBS has 510 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque. The 6.0-liter V12 that powers it will pull the coupe to 60 in 4.3 seconds. It costs $305,000, and it is a special car. But we drove one that was even more special. We drove one of the Aston Martins that was in Quantum of Solace, driven by the man who plays The Man. We didn't even have to break into some supermax-like vault-within-a-vault to get to it. Aston Martin delivered it to us for a day of spy play, yet that didn't make the experience any less thrilling. Follow the jump for the story.


Gallery: Aston Martin DBS from Quantum of Solace


Photos copyright (C)2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading Q-Car: Autoblog drives James Bond's DBS from Quantum of Solace

Q-Car: Autoblog drives James Bond's DBS from Quantum of Solace originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Click above for a gallery of the Esprit S1 from The Spy Who Loved Me

Hey, if you missed the For Yor Eyes Only Lotus Esprit sale a couple of years ago, your shot to own another Bond-driven Lotus is on the horizon. In December, Bonhams will auction one of the two 1976 Lotus Esprit S1s used in The Spy Who Loved Me. The film is well known for the car/motorcycle/helicopter chase that culminates with the Lotus flying into the drink and turning into a submarine (one of those famous prop cars sold last year); and the Stromberg hench-babe giving chase in a JetRanger turning into a charcoal briquette.

A look at the photos Bonhams includes with its listing make it pretty clear that the interior used in the chase sequence's dialogue scenes between Roger Moore and Barbara Bach did not match the one in the actual car being auctioned. The proud new owner of this one will surely revel in the splendor of its green-and-red plaid motif! Bonham's expects this Esprit to fetch more than £80,000 -- a healthy premium over what less famous S1s go for on the open market.. Still, we'd fork it over in about two seconds if we had that kind of walking around money. For some of us, this car was our first exposure to the Esprit, and it looks as good as ever. (Even better with Barbara Bach riding shotgun...)

Follow the jump to relive The Spy Who Loved Me's chase sequence.

Gallery: 1976 Lotus Esprit S1 - The Spy Who Loved Me


[Sources: BBC, Bonham's]

Continue reading Bond's The Spy Who Loved Me Lotus Esprit hits the auction block

Bond's The Spy Who Loved Me Lotus Esprit hits the auction block originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Nov 2008 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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After Daniel Craig's triumphant return as James Bond in Casino Royale, my family and I were really looking forward to seeing his sophomore effort in Quantum of Solace. We were among the guests at a Ford preview screening of the new Bond flick last night, and after we walked past the gorgeous Aston Martin DBS placed in the lobby (talk about product placement), the movie got off to a promising start. The opening chase sequence with Bond's DBS being pursued by a crew of Alfa Romeo 159s was classic 007. In fact, the first third of the movie was actually quite promising. Unfortunately, my wife, who is a film buff, noticed something during the opening credits that is usually a bad omen: three different screenwriters. That's typically a sign that other writers had to be brought in to fix the original script.

In this case there were a number of plot elements that seemed to pop up and then be forgotten, while others seemed to appear with no explanation. It's almost as though the three writers were each assigned one act to write and not allowed to read the work of the other two. Given that Ford hosted this screening, it should come as no surprise that Ford vehicles figured prominently. Fortunately, having multiple brands in the family allows for some extra variety in the movie vehicle fleet. While the Ford Edge dominated after the opening, Volvos, Range Rovers, and Jaguars also appeared. Now that Aston Martin, Land Rover and Jaguar have been divested, it seems unlikely that Ford will be a part of the next Bond Film. What about the stuff besides the cars? Read on after the jump.

Gallery: Quantum of Solace

Continue reading Autoblog goes to the movies: No solace in this quantum

Autoblog goes to the movies: No solace in this quantum originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 Nov 2008 10:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>james bondJamesBondmovie reviewmovie reviewsMovieReviewMovieReviewsquantum of solaceQuantumOfSolaceThu, 13 Nov 2008 10:34:00 EST<![CDATA[Bottom 10: Worst James Bond cars ever]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/27/bottom-10-worst-james-bond-cars-ever/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/27/bottom-10-worst-james-bond-cars-ever/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/27/bottom-10-worst-james-bond-cars-ever/#commentsFiled under: ,



Being somewhat of a national treasure, the James Bond image is understandably important to the Brits. It can really boost public morale to have Bond associate with the most beautiful women in the world, use the most incredible gadgets, and drive the world's finest cars. It can be equally devastating, then, to have Bond engaging in any of these activities with anything less than the best. So it comes as little surprise that Channel 4 has called out the Bond creators for some of their awful vehicular choices. They've assembled a Bottom 10, if you will, of bad cars that Bond has been forced to drive or co-pilot on the silver screen. The list includes everything from a Tuk Tuk to an Aston Martin DBS, but probably not the one you're thinking of. It's a fun read with a pretty spot-on analysis of the merits of each selection, but we're pretty sure some of the choices will be debated. Do you disagree with any of the selections? Think they're nuts for skipping something? Let us know.

Gallery: 10 Worst James Bond Cars


[Source: Channel 4]

Bottom 10: Worst James Bond cars ever originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As if being chosen to play the consummate British secret agent wasn't enough for Daniel Craig to brag about, the current 007 has been extended a free pass to drive Aston Martin's best cars any time he pleases. And he isn't limited to driving on the street. Aston has made its test track available to the faux agent. Craig must be quite the Ambassador to the brand to be granted such special privileges. Unfortunately, Mr. Bond seems to have no intentions of actually going out and purchasing one for himself, saying, "I could drive it faster and more furiously [on the track] than anywhere on the road. I live in London [and] it doesn't make any sense to drive an Aston Martin there. I've nowhere to park it." Yeah, we know how you feel, Daniel. That's the reason all of on the Autoblog staff don't own Astons too... nowhere to park.

[Source: Contact Music]

Daniel Craig gets free pass to drive Astons for life originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 Oct 2008 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The people behind the latest Bond films seem to have a knack for destroying perfectly good Aston Martin DBSs. First they rolled one (repeatedly) in shooting Casino Royale. Never missing an opportunity to total a perfectly good Aston, they crashed another one in a rock quarry for the opening sequence of the upcoming Quantum of Solace sequel, but not before a factory test driver tanked another one into Lake Garda in northern Italy. And while you might figure a totaled Aston would, naturally, be worth less than a new one, you've evidently underestimated the clout of the 007 mystique.

Daniel Craig, the latest actor to take up the James Bond mantle, has revealed that the tanked DBS was extracted from the Italian lake and sold to a collector for an outrageous £200,000, some 60,000 thousand pounds sterling more than the £134k price of a brand new (and functional) example of the top-of-the-line British supercar. Somebody evidently needs to explain to said collector that the DBS in question was not a working example of the submersible Lotus from For Your Eyes Only. Rinspeed's got that one covered.

[Source: What Car?]

Bond fan buys totaled Aston for $120k over list originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Oct 2008 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Click the image above to view the video

Jack White, one half of the Whites in the White Stripes, wrote and produced the new theme song for Quantum of Solace, sung by White and Alicia Keyes. Turns out that White also -- unwittingly and unhappily -- wrote the new theme song for Coke Zero. Coca-Cola has used an instrumental version of "Another Way to Die," as well as a couple of Astons, to promote its diet drink that tastes like a diet drink even though they say it doesn't. In our opinion, the commercial gets a resounding "meh," but the song is thoroughly groovy. Follow the jump to check it out. Thanks for the tip, Marcus!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Coke Zero (Zero Seven) commercial features new Bond theme

Coke Zero (Zero Seven) commercial features new Bond theme originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Sep 2008 18:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Click above to view trailer after the jump

The trailer for the latest Bond film is out, and you could be disappointed: they pushed the release date of the film in the U.S. back a week. If you can get over that, you'll find that everything else is two minutes and twenty-eight seconds of "Holy %$#@! that was awesome!" It's almost like they took that ridiculous (as in: good) intro from Casino Royale and turned it into an entire film. If there's enough storyline to keep us interested and tie it all together, well, then this movie is going to be the best payback tale since The Professional. Check out the trailer after the jump.

[Source: The Drum]

Continue reading VIDEO: Quantum of Solace trailer #2... oh yeah...

VIDEO: Quantum of Solace trailer #2... oh yeah... originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Sep 2008 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Click above for a high-res gallery of the Ka in the movies

Ford's new Ka mini-car will be making its official debut at the Paris Motor Show in early October, but it already has a bit part in the next James Bond movie. Since the success of Casino Royale and the walk on part played by the then-new Mondeo, Ford has taken up the automotive product placement mantle in all Bond movies for the foreseeable future. Unlike the Mondeo, which Bond picked up from a Caribbean rental car counter, the Ka, which shares a platform with the Fiat 500, will apparently be tossed around by the super spy's feminine counterpart. Ford hasn't given any indication that it will bring the Ka to the US market, but given recent announcements about globalizing its products, a Stateside Ka certainly can't be counted out. In the meantime, we can see if the Ka can fly like an Aston Martin DBS when Quantum of Solace hits theaters in November.

Gallery: 2009 Ford Ka - Bond movie


[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Ford Ka gets role in new Bond movie

Ford Ka gets role in new Bond movie originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ford kaFordKajames bondjames bond 007james bond carJamesBondJamesBond007JamesBondCarparisparis 2008paris motor showParis2008ParisMotorShowquantum of solaceQuantumOfSolaceThu, 14 Aug 2008 20:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Our kind of recycling: Full-size cardboard Aston Martin DB5]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/02/our-kind-of-recycling-full-size-cardboard-aston-martin-db5/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/02/our-kind-of-recycling-full-size-cardboard-aston-martin-db5/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/02/our-kind-of-recycling-full-size-cardboard-aston-martin-db5/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Even "normal" Aston Martin DB5's are priced in the stratosphere, but Mr. Bond's up-armored version would likely command a premium, were the provenance verifiable. Just like foam, clay, and dynoc make very convincing styling bucks for automakers, cardboard in the right hands can take a pile of Two Buck Chuck shipping vessels and create '60s Aston gold. Creating rather than destroying, perhaps someone should tip off the dude who's smashing musclecars together in pursuit of some kind of artistic expression?

Replicating something of great value and pop culture weightiness out of essentially worthless material without the help of any wooden or metal frame is a skillful trick. Even more skillful is the bang-on accuracy of artist Chris Gilmour's renderings. Toss a coat of paint on that thing, and you's swear that Q Branch built it. There's even a full complement of machine guns, Ben-Hur knockoffs, and a big ejector seat button in the shifter. Looking at the pictures, we expect you to talk.

Gallery: Cardboard James Bond Aston


[Source: Chris Gilmour via Jalopnik]

Our kind of recycling: Full-size cardboard Aston Martin DB5 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 02 Aug 2008 10:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We have to admit, when we heard the next Bond film was going to be called "Quantum of Solace," we kind of scrunched our faces a little bit. Still, Casino Royale was so good that we figured we'd give it the old innocent-until-proven-guilty treatment. Well, now we've seen the trailer, and it looks so bloody good we're all verklempt. We clapped at the end. And then we watched it again.

There's so much action in the trailer that we don't know how there's going to be room for story unless it's as long as Ben Hur, but right now we don't much care. There's only a brief glimpse of the DBS in the trailer at the very end, but whatever it's doing it looks suitably Bond-ish. We'll even admit that the 2-minute clip is good enough to forgive wrecking this Aston DBS, this Alfa, and another Aston DBS during filming. Now you'll have to excuse us while we go watch the trailer a third time. Come on, November 7. Check out the Quantum of Solace trailer for yourself after the jump.

[Source: Moviefone]

Continue reading Quantum of Solace trailer shows little bit of Aston, lot of movie

Quantum of Solace trailer shows little bit of Aston, lot of movie originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Despite a couple of disastrous and debilitating setbacks, filming of the next Bond flick, the Quantum of Solace, is back, with production continuing in the mountains of Carrara, Italy. Unfortunately, these newest shots from the set are further proof that the writers and producers have absolutely no regard for the hotness that is the Aston Martin DBS. To their credit, the death of the DBS was deliberate, as 007 is chased through a rock quarry by a handful of villains piloting Alfa Romeos. The 15-minute scene will make up the pre-credit sequence that is the staple of any good Bond film (they're always our favorite), right before they cue the cheesy retro-pop and cut to blacked-out babes wielding heavy artillery.

Thanks for the tip, Miguel!

[Source: MI6]

Enough is Enough: Bond crashes Aston DBS into wall originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 May 2008 19:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Click above for photo gallery

Devil May Care, the new James Bond novel set back during the Cold War in 1967, arrives on bookstore shelves May 28th. The book's author, Sebastian Faulkes, has written the story in the style of the late Ian Fleming to celebrate the 007 creator's centenary. As we first reported last September, MI6's greatest secret agent also returns to his Bentley-driving roots in Devil May Care. The car is the same one he drives in Fleming's Thunderball and On Her Majesty's Secret Service: a custom 2-seat Bentley R type Continental convertible with the 4&frac12;-liter engine from a Mk VI stuffed underhood. To celebrate Bond's return to Bentley, Penguin Books asked the automaker to design a very limited Special Series Edition -- just 300 copies will be made. (Anyone want to place bets on the aftermarket value of book #007?)

Devil May Care numbering plateUnder the supervision of chief designer Dirk Van Braeckel (the man responsible for the current Continental GT's lines), Bentley has delivered a leather-bound, heirloom-quality piece. The 'Flying B' hood ornament is featured on the cover and spine, and the outer leather is stitched in the same diamond pattern you'll find on the seating surfaces of a modern Bentley road car. The inside cover is also finished off in leather, but is styled in tune with cars of the era in which the story is set. The typeface used is the same one you'll find in a Bentley owner's manual, and each individually-numbered book comes with a matching-number pewter die-cast R type model and a similarly-snazzy book block. The numbering on each book, by the way, is featured on a metal plate supplied by the same firm who does the engine plates for the cars. Finally, all books come with a plexiglass slipcase.

As you might expect, this mega-exclusive book is also mega-expensive. £750 will put one on the bookshelf, where it would surely look nice next to the divorce papers you'll be handed shortly after its arrival. If you're a Bond completist, recent lottery winner, or a Bentley fanatic, you can order the super special edition via Penguin007.com, where they've got all manner of Bond info, a countdown clock ticking off the seconds to the book's release and a link to the Special Series Edition minisite. You regular folk (we know you're out there) can meet us at Amazon, where the pricing's a bit more in tune with blogger pay.

[Sources: Bentley, Penguin Books]

Bentley, Bond and Books: Special Series Edition of Devil May Care originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 May 2008 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filming of the latest Bond flick, Quantum of Solace, has been put on hiatus after two stunt drivers were injured during filming. The crash apparently took place while performing a chase sequence where one driver in an Alfa Romeo crashed into a wall while chasing Bond's Aston Martin DBS along the Gardesana, a curvy road that lines Lake Garda. The man behind the wheel of the Alfa was flown to the hospital in a helicopter and is in serious condition, while his passenger sustained only minor injuries.

This news comes within days of the previous crash that put one of the DBSs used for filming into the same lake, and despite the fact that filming was about to be wrapped today, the set remains closed until an investigation takes place. Thanks to all who tipped in.

[Sources: CNN, MI6.co.uk]

Second crash at Bond filming proves MI6 hates Alfas too originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alfa romeoAlfaRomeoaston martinAstonMartincrashitalyjames bondjames bond crashJamesBondJamesBondCrashquantum of solaceQuantumOfSolaceThu, 24 Apr 2008 12:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Bond stunt driver takes plunge into lake in Aston Martin DBS]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/19/bond-stunt-driver-takes-plunge-into-lake-in-aston-martin-dbs/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/19/bond-stunt-driver-takes-plunge-into-lake-in-aston-martin-dbs/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/19/bond-stunt-driver-takes-plunge-into-lake-in-aston-martin-dbs/#commentsFiled under: , ,



At 6:30 this morning, a stunt driver shooting a scene for the upcoming James Bond flick, Quantum of Solace, lost control of an Aston Martin DBS while filming a chase scene and plunged into Lake Garda in Italy. The film's executive producer, Anthony Waye, said that the scene was being shot in the pouring rain, and although the DBS didn't survive it's unplanned excursion into the water, the driver sustained only minor injuries and was released from the hospital earlier this afternoon. MI6 declined to comment on the incident, but a spokesperson for the agency remarked that the submersible kit for the Aston was under development. Too little, too late Q.

Thanks for the tip MaTTia.

Gallery: 2008 Aston Martin DBS


[Source: Reuters.it - translated]

Bond stunt driver takes plunge into lake in Aston Martin DBS originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 19 Apr 2008 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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click the pic to view a video about the Q Celsius tire

Studded snow tires can be a godsend when the going is on glare ice. When roads have been cleared, though, they chew up pavement and can produce some exciting though unanticipated handling characteristics. Japan's ban on studded tires led directly to a new generation of snow tire technology like Bridgestone's Blizzak line. Q Tires, taking its name from James Bond's high-tech quartermaster, has developed a new set of tires called Celsius with studs that can be deployed or retracted with a dashboard switch. Two air chambers in the tires allow the studs to extend or retract without leaking off much inflation. Q Tires is preparing to send its product out into testing soon, and part of that process involves making sure that it doesn't run afoul of any state regulations that prohibit studded tires of any sort for all or part of the year. If the tests prove successful, the tires will likely command a 30-percent premium over other black, round and rolly-things. The increased cost is mitigated by the fact that a separate set of winter tires, and the attendant seasonal mounting chores, are eliminated. Of course, none of this will matter to that knucklehead trying to climb hills in the middle of a blizzard with low-profile summer tires.

[Source: Detroit News]

Q Tires testing Celsius retractable-stud snow tires originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Few would argue that actor Daniel Craig revived the James Bond series with the movie Casino Royale in 2006. That film featured the Aston Martin DBS as Bond's personal whip, though he was caught driving what was then Ford's brand new Mondeo family sedan from the airport to the hotel, as well. It appears another one of Ford's more pedestrian offerings will make a cameo in the next Bond film titled Quantum of Solace that's scheduled to debut on November 7, 2008. The new cast member will be the next generation Ford Ka small car. The video after the jump shows the car (around 2:24 in) being used in filming. No doubt another Aston Martin will appear as well, despite the fact that Ford has sold off the brand. After all, how could Craig stay in character driving an entry-level three-door hatchback the entire film?

[Source: Motor Authority]

Continue reading Bond trades in Mondeo for next-gen Ka

Bond trades in Mondeo for next-gen Ka originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 24 Mar 2008 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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