Aston Martin DBS: Pic of the Week
The Casino Royale Bond car completes a full house of DBS goodness
This week has not only seen the unveiling of a new DBS but the reemergence of an old one, too. That being the case, what better way to round it off than by completing the set with a POTW from the launch of the soon-to-be middle child?
From a faltering straight-six start the original DBS became a V8-powered success story for Aston Martin. The nameplate itself didn't see much of that glory, however, being dropped in favour of the AM V8 designation as early as 1972. Over three and a half decades later, though, it made a return, being reborn alongside the brand's most notorious patron, James Bond.
For Daniel Craig's first outing as 007, he took the wheel - for about 30 seconds at least - of the V12 flagship. Unfortunately its 520hp and 420lb ft didn't prove too useful, nor did the carbon-ceramic brakes, with both Bond and the car careening from the Montenegrin road (Millbrook hill route) in an effort to avoid running over his captured companion Vesper Lynd.
In reality, such a dramatic flip would have been virtually impossible in a production DBS. In fact, even the DB9-based stunt cars used for the scene turned out to be too stable, forcing the production team to pack them with counterweights and use a gas cannon to achieve the desired effect. An inadvertent Guiness World Record for most cannon rolls in a car followed, and the DBS returned to finally fulfill its promise of a decent chase in the opening scene of the film's sequel Quantum of Solace.
If the new car is destined to make a similar appearance in the next Bond adventure, Craig's last, remains to be seen. But whether or not it makes it to the big screen, it can be on yours thanks to our Pic of the Week!
It was taken in Sutherland (the far north) on the A894, a few miles north of the Kylesku Bridge. It's on the route of the NC500 and is one of the best stretches of the road in terms of scenery and driving (the mountain pass just south of the bridge is my favourite road in Scotland). The bridge and IIRC this bit itself featured in Top Gear's Mustang film last year.
Here it is on Google Maps: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@58.2905676,-5.08470...
Go there!
clum2
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