dilshan
12-30-2008, 06:14 AM
The DBS lives up to the myth in so many more ways. too. The gearchange is a muscular affair that takes a punch more than a shove to click the next gate. And it's a brute in the bends. thanks to aggressively tuned suspension and weight saving measures that include acres of carbon-fibre bodywork and even a lighter weave for the carpeting. It's still heavy at 1.760 kg, so it takes time to trust this car in the bends. And if it overcomes those monstrous Pirelli P Zero tyres. then getting it back will take some doing. But kept within sane limits, this is all the supercar you could ever need.
Designed to bridge the gap between the luxurious DB9 and the DBR9 race car, it even comes with fade resistant ceramic brakes. So even though it would still be outclassed by Ferrari's 599 on the track, it's more than capable of taking on the Alfa Romeo l59s that Bond must face in Quantum Of Solace.
But what about the gadgets that has made Bond so famous? There's nothing beyond the emergency medical kit and gun compartment we saw in Casino Royale, as the two films blend together, and even they play no part in the new adventure. Only a badge on the footplate marks this car apart from any other on the production line and that's a conscious effort on the part of EON Productions to ditch the wise-cracking, gimmick-laden kitschfest of previous generations. So the sub-aqua Lotus, remote controlled BMW and rocket-laden DB5 have all been consigned to history as the Bond legend comes flying into the 21st century.
It's a testament to the movies, though, that making a car look this ordinary took so much work. No less than seven cars were hacked up for the cause, and although the DBS comes with three levels of traction control, it is simply impossible to produce the heroics in Quantum Of Solace. 'The DBS is a very safe car designed to save the driver from such things: said Graham Kelly, action vehicle supervisor. 'Essentially, to get what we want we have to strip it down and make it unsafe. To get the real slides, we have to modify the traction control, we strengthen the car in places, weaken it in others, lift the suspension and rebuild it from the ground up to get the effect we want. That's before we even start with rigging, flip cannons and other equipment.
333
Kelly was the man behind the jawdropping car chase scenes in The Bourne Identity and lessons have been learnt from their success. There's a violent, visceral chase sequence at the start of Quantum Of Solace with every panel on Bond's machine biting the dust before a spectacular crash off a winding quarry road.
Russian and British rally and race drivers were called in for the action sequences, although star Daniel Craig spent a long time on the track learning his craft and does as much of the driving as the insurance men will allow.
But the most impressive crash happened off camera, on the way to a press conference, when an Aston Martin driver speared off the road and flew 15 metres through the air into Lake Garda in Italy. He came to rest at the bottom before he kicked the door out and escaped with just hurt pride and a burst eardrum. With typical morgue humour, he now carries the nickname 'Tony Pond' at Gaydon.
And the DBS itself might soon be left licking its own wounds. Ford paid handsomely for Aston's inclusion in the James Bond saga, and now the Blue Oval has sold the English marque to a smaller consortium. With James Bond representing the ultimate sponsorship deal, an unseemly bidding war is just around the corner.
In Ian Fleming's books, Bond is a Bentley man, and with Volkswagen's backing, it wouldn't be hard to imagine Craig pUlling his stunts in a Continental some time soon. That would be a shame, though, as not since the DB5 in Goldfinger has the car matched the Bond legend with such gusto.
But if the DBS is going out it will do so with a bang. And before we took the car back to Gaydon, so did we, flooring the throttle, drinking in the noise and watching the numbers roll round like a telethon counter as the scenery turned to vicious streaks.
The DBS is a great car, but the chance to play Bond for a day well, that was utterly priceless. It's just tragic that the hero has to die.
Designed to bridge the gap between the luxurious DB9 and the DBR9 race car, it even comes with fade resistant ceramic brakes. So even though it would still be outclassed by Ferrari's 599 on the track, it's more than capable of taking on the Alfa Romeo l59s that Bond must face in Quantum Of Solace.
But what about the gadgets that has made Bond so famous? There's nothing beyond the emergency medical kit and gun compartment we saw in Casino Royale, as the two films blend together, and even they play no part in the new adventure. Only a badge on the footplate marks this car apart from any other on the production line and that's a conscious effort on the part of EON Productions to ditch the wise-cracking, gimmick-laden kitschfest of previous generations. So the sub-aqua Lotus, remote controlled BMW and rocket-laden DB5 have all been consigned to history as the Bond legend comes flying into the 21st century.
It's a testament to the movies, though, that making a car look this ordinary took so much work. No less than seven cars were hacked up for the cause, and although the DBS comes with three levels of traction control, it is simply impossible to produce the heroics in Quantum Of Solace. 'The DBS is a very safe car designed to save the driver from such things: said Graham Kelly, action vehicle supervisor. 'Essentially, to get what we want we have to strip it down and make it unsafe. To get the real slides, we have to modify the traction control, we strengthen the car in places, weaken it in others, lift the suspension and rebuild it from the ground up to get the effect we want. That's before we even start with rigging, flip cannons and other equipment.
333
Kelly was the man behind the jawdropping car chase scenes in The Bourne Identity and lessons have been learnt from their success. There's a violent, visceral chase sequence at the start of Quantum Of Solace with every panel on Bond's machine biting the dust before a spectacular crash off a winding quarry road.
Russian and British rally and race drivers were called in for the action sequences, although star Daniel Craig spent a long time on the track learning his craft and does as much of the driving as the insurance men will allow.
But the most impressive crash happened off camera, on the way to a press conference, when an Aston Martin driver speared off the road and flew 15 metres through the air into Lake Garda in Italy. He came to rest at the bottom before he kicked the door out and escaped with just hurt pride and a burst eardrum. With typical morgue humour, he now carries the nickname 'Tony Pond' at Gaydon.
And the DBS itself might soon be left licking its own wounds. Ford paid handsomely for Aston's inclusion in the James Bond saga, and now the Blue Oval has sold the English marque to a smaller consortium. With James Bond representing the ultimate sponsorship deal, an unseemly bidding war is just around the corner.
In Ian Fleming's books, Bond is a Bentley man, and with Volkswagen's backing, it wouldn't be hard to imagine Craig pUlling his stunts in a Continental some time soon. That would be a shame, though, as not since the DB5 in Goldfinger has the car matched the Bond legend with such gusto.
But if the DBS is going out it will do so with a bang. And before we took the car back to Gaydon, so did we, flooring the throttle, drinking in the noise and watching the numbers roll round like a telethon counter as the scenery turned to vicious streaks.
The DBS is a great car, but the chance to play Bond for a day well, that was utterly priceless. It's just tragic that the hero has to die.