The Name is 10, DB10
Movies-wise, the past seven days have been literally insane. Last Friday, Lucasfilm released the first teaser trailer of [Star Wars The Force Awakens](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erLk59H86ww), and today Sony and MGM have announced the title and cast of the new James Bond movie. Aside from the fact that [Spectre](http://www.theverge.com/2014/12/4/7327013/james-bond-24-full-cast-title-car-release-date) is a simple yet brilliant naming decision for the film, what caught my attention, and probably those of many Bond fans, is 007’s new daily driver.
Since Daniel Craig took over the role in 2005, the part dedicated to James Bond’s car has been somehow limited. While any respectable petrol-head craves for action-packed driving sequences in a Bond movie, the quality of the stories – except for Quantum of Solace – made up for the recent lack of Aston Martin screen-time. With Bond #24, Director Sam Mendes is looking to give the legendary British sports car manufacturer a spot of choice. To that extent, Aston Martin and James Bond producers have designed the [DB10](http://www.theverge.com/2014/12/4/7331787/james-bond-spectre-aston-martin-db10). As always with Aston, this new vehicle is a thing of beauty. I obviously want one, but given that only 10 of them will be produced, DB10s will be probably hard to come by. What is 007’s new ride capable of? We don’t know yet, but Sam Mendes indicates that “you will see what it can do when you come and see the movie”.
Today’s event is significant for two reasons; it provides a glimpse into the design direction of Aston Martin, and for anyone familiar with the mythos around Ian Fleming’s character, [Spectre](https://twitter.com/slashfilm/status/540473891257597952/photo/1) marks a return to old school 007 stories. And who doesn’t like an old school James Bond movie?
<p>Congrats on having a car named after you DB. Well done.</p>
<p>I allowed it. For a good cause and all that ;)</p>
<p>The car is beautiful although a little less porpoise and a little more shark could have intensified its beauty. The downward thrust and shortening of the rear flanks weakens the strength of the design.</p>
<p>Walk-into-lamp-post-looks!</p>
<p>The makers of ‘Goldfinger’ originally wanted 007 to drive a Jaguar E-Type (XKE) which at the time, 1963/64, was the UK’s most iconic sports car. Jaguar Cars, however, had it’s hands full trying to keep up with global demand for the E-Type which, at half the price of a DB5, was selling like hot cakes, and so Jaguar ‘politely’ refused to supply any cars. Jaguar’s boss and founder, Sir William Lyons, was astute enough to realise that the increased exposure and subsequent demand would have caused more problems than it was worth.</p>
<p>The DB5 was, therefore, the ‘default’ car and David Brown, the owner of AM, was only too pleased to oblige, since sales of Aston Martin’s were not particularly hot. As a consequence, the DB5 has become the most iconic, and collectable, of the DB-series.</p>
<p>Just a final thought, if 007 had been driving an E-Type, which was lighter and had better handling than a DB5, he might well have escaped his captors. But then again, we would never have had that immortal exchange, “Do you expect me to talk?” – “No Mr Bond, I expect you to die!”</p>
<p>Good summary for Bond newbies. Thanks Nick!</p>
<p>You’re welcome :)</p>
<p>“The Name is 10, DB10”, begs that age-old question, what does one do after 10?</p>
<p>Aston Martin’s chief executive, Andy Palmer, has said that all ten DB10’s, will be handmade at AM’s Gaydon UK headquarters, and will be used in the filming of Spectre, rather than going on sale, making them the most exclusive DB ever. He added that the name for the successor to the current DB9, has not yet been decided, but it won’t be called DB11, but it will include the initials DB.</p>
<p>Update on ‘Spectre’</p>
<p>I thought you might like to hear that Autocar is reporting that the Jaguar C-X75, a cancelled million-pound 850bhp hybrid supercar project, is set to star in the upcoming James Bond film Spectre. For production purposes the C-X75 will be fitted with Jaguar’s supercharged 5.0-litre V8 instead of using its existing hybrid powertrain. It is said that the C-X75 will be driven by the film’s villain, which ties in neatly with Jaguar’s “Good to be Bad” advertising campaign. Aston Martin itself has been using the hashtag, “Good to be Bond” on Twitter, imitating the official Jaguar line.</p>
<p>I was recently in China and was amazed to find an Aston Martin showroom adjoining my hotel lobby in Beijing. And next door was the Ferrari and Maserati showroom. Down the street I came across a McLaren… then a display of four Teslas.</p>
<p>Maybe communism is not so bad!</p>
<p>The Aston’s were beautiful.</p>
<p>Oh, also came across a MINI showroom/dealer in Xi’an with a blue version of my Coupe front and center.</p>
<p>Did I get off-topic?</p>