Pay Attention 007: James Bond meets new Aston DBS in Casino Royale

Out of all the gizmos and gadgets that secret agent James Bond has

available to him, the one item thats sure to get the most attention is his set of wheels. Like the man himself, the vehicles of choice have always been classy, sophisticated and oftentimes rare. From chasing down (or fleeing) antagonists, in fact, most Bond cars end up with almost as much celebrity status as the star playing the role.

Over the years, a great number of automakers have stepped up to the casting couch including BMW, Ford, Toyota and Lotus, but the brand synonymous with 007 is Aston Martin. Out of all the many films, Aston Martins vehicles - in particular the classic, silver DB5 (see automotive news section for Nov 27, 2005:

Original Bond Aston Martin DB5 Going on the Block in January) - have enjoyed more exposure than any other brand. This is, of course, aside from the brief stint that spanned the mid nineties to early naughties where Bond consecutively drove a trio of BMWs that included the teal green Z3, remote-operated 7-Series sedan and stunning Z8 roadster - horribly divided in two by a giant saw.

Although Aston Martin was officially back on board the Bond franchise in the 2002 flick, Die Another Day, where his vehicle of choice was Astons Vanquish supercar, this time around the British sports car maker took an active role in the film. As was announced earlier this year by chairman and CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez, Aston Martin prepared an all-new flagship vehicle that will make its debut in the forthcoming Bond film, Casino Royale (see automotive news section for Jan 27, 2006: James Bond to debut Aston Martin DBS in Casino Royale).

Unlike other movies where cars are purpose-built for their roles (eg. the red Lexus from Minority Report or otherworldly Audi RSQ from i Robot), the DBS isnt a one-off creation for Mr. Bond. Eventually, anyone with the correct number of dollar bills will be able to purchase one of these beautiful machines, as the DBS is scheduled to be the successor to the Vanquish. Since the time of our original news report, weve learned that the car will not use a sequential-shift gearbox; instead, it will have a traditional six-speed manual. Engine size and power have yet to be revealed, though it is expected to be a V12 configuration with approximately 600 horsepower.

The DBS is the latest project led by Aston Martins new Design Director, Marek Reichman, who took over the position from former director of design Henrik Fisker. Reichman considers the car as a "link between our elegant DB9 road car and the powerful DBR9 race car." He also says that the DBS is a part of the brands evolutionary development, which includes the compact V8 Vantage and the Rapide four-door concept sedan that debuted at NAIAS earlier this year.

Compared to other Aston Martins currently in production, the DBS has a look that conveys an image of raw power, rather than sophistication or youthful agility, as with the DB9 and V8 Vantage. The shape of the body is different than the form of the Vanquish; instead, it has a more chiseled, strong-shouldered look with more pronounced rear fenders. Meanwhile, traditional Aston details such as the front quarter fender gills and the flush, swept grille are all in tact.

Inside, the DBS features an interior similar in design to the AM V8 Vantage, elegantly trimmed in Alcantara and fine leather with contrast stitching.

Alongside the DBS, Bond will also be driving another Aston, the aforementioned 1964 DB5. Bond fans will recognize the classic silver Aston from its famous appearances in Goldfinger and Thunderball. This time around, the car will be used as Bonds personal transportation in much the same way the DB5 was featured in Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) and GoldenEye (1995), meaning no pop-up machine guns, ejection seats, smoke shields or tire-shredders.

When and where will you be able to get a glimpse of the new Aston and Daniel Craig, the new James Bond, in action? Casino Royale is scheduled to hit theaters in early November, while the car itself will most likely make its international debut at the Mondial De LAutomobile in Paris this September.