Post by RedMoon11 on Dec 4, 2014 15:48:18 GMT
James May's Five Favourite Bond Cars
These are James May’s favourite Bond cars
BY JAMES MAY 04 DECEMBER 14 GQ Magazine
To celebrate the announcement of James Bond's entirely bespoke Aston Martin DB10 in the new Spectre film, James May counts down 007's most memorable vehicles.
Aston Martin V8 Vantage Volante: The Living Daylights
The Goldfinger DB5 is the quintessential Bondmobile, and let's not forget that its appearance in that film doubtless secured Aston Martin's future. For a bit. But the V8 Vantage is a better Aston for my money - less than half as much of it at today's values, in fact. I'm driven to say this partly out of bloody mindedness, but partly because I believe it. The DB series cars are now axle-deep in the mire of concours d'elegance events and all the rest of it, but the V8 is still a bit of a proper rotter, which is what I want from an Aston. Call me old-fashioned if you must.
BMW Z8: The World Is Not Enough
The appearance of the Z8 cemented something we'd suspected for a few years - that the cult of Bond had been dragged all too easily into a tawdry world of obvious product placement that would eventually compel me to retire my Omega. "It has six beverage cup holders," says a slightly uncomfortable-looking John Cleese. It's presented as irony, but you get the feeling some money was involved. Out in the real world the Z8 was a terrific fusion of German quality and American-style muscle, but I always thought it was a bit too camp to be a proper Bond car. I seem to remember it gets cut in half by a helicopter. Probably for the best.
Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith: From Russia With Love
Not strictly a Bond car, this, as it was driven by his Station T ally Kerim Bey. But I've always loved the Silver Shadow series of Rollers (the Wraith is merely the long-wheelbase version) for their ability to transcend the class divide they originally represented. Over production, the nouveau riche and the wedding-car business almost ruined the Shad's reputation, but in maturity it turns out to be a multi-culti, classless, and ludicrously cool monument to modern Britain. That's why I've got one. Here's a really nice white one driven by a comedy Turk. But he's actually Mexican, you know.
Lotus Esprit S1: The Spy Who Loved Me
The Spy Who Loved Me provided the setting for my first, faltering cinema grope. It's one of the reasons why the song from the film is still so evocative. Trouble is, I was put off mid-stroke by the appearance on screen of Bond's Lotus, a car that did much to accelerate the onset of puberty amongst the cream of South Yorkshire's mid-Seventies bored teenage maledom. It could probably still have the same effect, because I'm in my late 40s now* but the shape of the Esprit endures. Curiously, I met the woman involved recently, having not seen her for 30 years. She could only remember the grope.
Triumph Stag: Diamonds Are Forever
Diamonds are Forever is actually a bit of a lame film, and amongst car bores is most famous for the long-running debate about the supposed continuity error in the Mustang-down-the-alleyway scene. Still, at least there was a Mustang. Britain was grey and the fat Ford thrilled us with its air of American excess and its ludicrous exhaust note. But hang on a minute. There's also a Triumph Stag in the film, albeit briefly, and Bond drives it. I've always fancied one: glorious ex-pat Italian styling with "interesting" British mechanicals and a removable roof. And they called it the Stag. They couldn't have spelled it out more clearly, except perhaps by adding a few more As. The right car for a man who regards seduction as something he must do "for England".
www.gq-magazine.co.uk/entertainment/articles/2014-12/04/james-may-five-best-james-bond-cars
*This must have been written a few years ago or James' mind is going a bit wonky in his old age*
These are James May’s favourite Bond cars
BY JAMES MAY 04 DECEMBER 14 GQ Magazine
To celebrate the announcement of James Bond's entirely bespoke Aston Martin DB10 in the new Spectre film, James May counts down 007's most memorable vehicles.
Aston Martin V8 Vantage Volante: The Living Daylights
The Goldfinger DB5 is the quintessential Bondmobile, and let's not forget that its appearance in that film doubtless secured Aston Martin's future. For a bit. But the V8 Vantage is a better Aston for my money - less than half as much of it at today's values, in fact. I'm driven to say this partly out of bloody mindedness, but partly because I believe it. The DB series cars are now axle-deep in the mire of concours d'elegance events and all the rest of it, but the V8 is still a bit of a proper rotter, which is what I want from an Aston. Call me old-fashioned if you must.
BMW Z8: The World Is Not Enough
The appearance of the Z8 cemented something we'd suspected for a few years - that the cult of Bond had been dragged all too easily into a tawdry world of obvious product placement that would eventually compel me to retire my Omega. "It has six beverage cup holders," says a slightly uncomfortable-looking John Cleese. It's presented as irony, but you get the feeling some money was involved. Out in the real world the Z8 was a terrific fusion of German quality and American-style muscle, but I always thought it was a bit too camp to be a proper Bond car. I seem to remember it gets cut in half by a helicopter. Probably for the best.
Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith: From Russia With Love
Not strictly a Bond car, this, as it was driven by his Station T ally Kerim Bey. But I've always loved the Silver Shadow series of Rollers (the Wraith is merely the long-wheelbase version) for their ability to transcend the class divide they originally represented. Over production, the nouveau riche and the wedding-car business almost ruined the Shad's reputation, but in maturity it turns out to be a multi-culti, classless, and ludicrously cool monument to modern Britain. That's why I've got one. Here's a really nice white one driven by a comedy Turk. But he's actually Mexican, you know.
Lotus Esprit S1: The Spy Who Loved Me
The Spy Who Loved Me provided the setting for my first, faltering cinema grope. It's one of the reasons why the song from the film is still so evocative. Trouble is, I was put off mid-stroke by the appearance on screen of Bond's Lotus, a car that did much to accelerate the onset of puberty amongst the cream of South Yorkshire's mid-Seventies bored teenage maledom. It could probably still have the same effect, because I'm in my late 40s now* but the shape of the Esprit endures. Curiously, I met the woman involved recently, having not seen her for 30 years. She could only remember the grope.
Triumph Stag: Diamonds Are Forever
Diamonds are Forever is actually a bit of a lame film, and amongst car bores is most famous for the long-running debate about the supposed continuity error in the Mustang-down-the-alleyway scene. Still, at least there was a Mustang. Britain was grey and the fat Ford thrilled us with its air of American excess and its ludicrous exhaust note. But hang on a minute. There's also a Triumph Stag in the film, albeit briefly, and Bond drives it. I've always fancied one: glorious ex-pat Italian styling with "interesting" British mechanicals and a removable roof. And they called it the Stag. They couldn't have spelled it out more clearly, except perhaps by adding a few more As. The right car for a man who regards seduction as something he must do "for England".
www.gq-magazine.co.uk/entertainment/articles/2014-12/04/james-may-five-best-james-bond-cars
*This must have been written a few years ago or James' mind is going a bit wonky in his old age*
for those who havent seen it yet this is the DB10 and if anyone's feeling generous i'll have mine in Brunswick Green with black wheels.