Tempting as it must have been to reference Q's handover of the famous DB5 to Sean Connery in Goldfinger, Aston Martin's press office has played a resolutely straight bat when announcing a new limited 'Bond Edition' version of the
DB9 GT
. So. No tracking system, no bulletproof screen, no tyre slashing hub caps, no oil slick sprayer, no machine guns in the indicators and, no, you don't get an ejector seat either. Poor old Q.
"The watch? It's Bond, James Bond. By Omega..."
You do though get an Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra 150m James Bond Edition (that'll trip off the tongue when comparing timepieces over G&Ts in the clubhouse) and - get this - a 21-inch Globe Trotter trolley case with embossed leather luggage tag. It'd be nice to think this includes a strip of gold sovereigns, a throwing knife and a talc dispenser that sprays tear gas but we'll not be holding out hope. Also included are various 007-themed embellishments, including, we're promised, "a special Bond Edition start up screen on the new model's AMi II touch sensitive infotainment system." Please don't let that be the Bond theme tune. Please.
Some fight over #007 of the 150 surely
The cynics among us will see this as a way of garnishing up 150 DB9 GTs to help see them out of the door before the arrival of the
new DB11
. And there's just a hint that with specials like this and the invitation for Afzal Kahn to transform a few DB9s into his handbuilt
'Vengeance' coupe
show Aston Martin is keen to find ever more creative ways of fulfilling those quotas of the old model before the new one comes on stream. As evidenced by the fact this car is being heavily plugged to coincide with the pending release of Spectre in which it very obviously plays no part whatsoever, Bond being chucked the keys to the first of the 'new' era Aston Martins in the shape of a movie-only special called the
DB10
Not to worry; the standard DB9 GT on which this car is based is a pretty fine thing and won't have you needing to explain to people, no, it doesn't have any of the gadgets while trying to impress them with your timepiece and ... branded luggage. Dun-dada-dun-dun-dundun, dun-dada-dun-dun-dun-dundun [repeat to fade, or until you locate the necessary fuse.]