James Bond belongs in an Aston Martin. What other car is both stylish enough and powerful enough for everyone's favorite secret agent with a license to kill? James Bond has driven some amazing Astons, from Sean Connery's iconic DB5, to Lazenby's 1969 DBS, Pierce Brosnan's V12 Vanquish, and Daniel Craig's DBS in Casino Royale.
Timothy Dalton's fast, cool, and well-equipped Aston Martin V8 from The Living Daylights is easily one of the best Bond cars ever. The vehicle is even rumored to return to the big screen in No Time To Die. Today, we look back at 007's Aston Martin V8 and find out where it is now.
Bond's Back In An Aston Martin
Sean Connery was a near-impossible Bond for any later actor to follow. George Lazenby quit after one film, Connery returned to the role, then retired again. Eon Productions gave Roger Moore the famed double-0 number and a license to kill, but they still needed the franchise to outgrow Connery. Their solution was to make Roger Moore's James Bond character as different from Connery's as possible. While Connery's 007 drank martinis and smoked cigarettes, Moore drank scotch and smoked cigars. And while the first Bond drove an Aston Martin DB5, this later Bond would drive a Lotus. The lotus era of James Bond would give us the first "car-submarine." But we still think James Bond's 1964 Aston Martin DB5 was the best car in movie history. When Eon Productions changed actors again, it was high time to reunite James Bond with the marque.
When Eon Productions entered talks with Aston Martin, the car company was eager to return to the big screen. Since George Lazenby's Bond drove a 1969 DBS across a beach, the British automobile manufacturer had been plagued with money trouble. The marque's latest savior was a petrochemical entrepreneur named Victor Gauntlett. Even with Gauntlett's investment, Aston Martin had been selling the same Aston Martin V8, with the old DBSV8 engine, for nearly two decades.
The MI6 Special Edition
The Aston Martin corporation was so excited to have James Bond back in one of their grand tourers that Victor Gauntlett loaned Eon Productions his personal Aston Martin--an exceptional car. Aston Martin offered base-model V8s, V8 Volante (convertible versions), and V8 Vantages (high-performance editions). They would soon offer a very popular Vantage Volante--a high-performance convertible V8. But Gauntlett had already ordered a car with the body of a Volante and the engine of a Vantage. He likely hoped the badging would help upcoming Vantage Volante sales. This distinct car did not have the Vantage grill and wide body kit.
Early in the film, James Bond drives the Vantage Volante around the British countryside and to an MI6 safe house. But the script also called for him to drive a specially-equipped coupe into Czechoslovakia and escape over the Alps into Austria. The filmmakers added a line for Q, mentioning he had "winterized" James Bond's car for the trip. Then Eon productions bought three base-model Aston Martin V8s to use in the film. In addition, Eon Productions built seven fiberglass mockups of the car to destroy in stunts or use for close-ups of gadgets deploying. Finally, the company produced one "look-alike" car with no engine to coast downhill for a crash. While none of these cars were an Aston Martin Volante or Vantage, they all had to be badged as both to match James Bond's earlier car. Of the three real Aston Martin V8s, one was used for interior shots of Timothy Dalton driving. A second car was temporarily set up to jump an enemy outpost--with the help of an air cannon. A final Aston Martin--the true Bond car--was modified with all the gadgets seen in the movie. Learn more on the BMT 216A website, the unofficial James Bond vehicle library.
Q-Branch Improvements
During The Living Daylights, Q-Branch adds some "extra features" to James Bond's car. The Aston Martin featured in the film boasts a stock-looking radio that can receive police bands. Also, the battle-ready car has bulletproof glass, wheel-hub mounted lasers and missiles hidden behind the fog lamps. The driver can target the missiles using a heads-up display on the windshield. The vehicle also transforms into an ice racer with ski/skate outriggers and retractable spikes in the tires. Finally, a rocket booster engine helps acceleration in a pinch. This Aston Martin is equipped with a self-destruct mechanism to keep Q-Branch technology from falling into enemy hands.
Home In London
The London Film Museum is dedicated to the British movie industry. Since 2014, the museum has been the home of Bond In Motion, the largest collection of vehicles from 007 movies in the world. This collection includes such amazing vehicles as the Lotus submersible car known as Wet Nellie and a DB5 from 1995's Goldeneye. Read more about Bond in Motion.
Right amongst some of the best 007 villain-driven cars, and James Bond's most awesome cars, is the Aston Martin V8 from The Living Daylights. The 1987 Aston Martin at the Bond in Motion exhibit is the only operational car from the movie outfitted with all Q-Branch's special gadgets.
No Time To Die
In the James Bond universe, being blown up does not mean the end for 007's beloved vehicles. In Skyfall, Daniel Craig's DB5 is shot and blown up. But later, in the Spectre film, Q-branch has fully repaired the vehicle. The Aston Martin V8 was spied on the set of No Time To Die. This vintage Aston Martin even carries the same license plate number as The Living Daylights' car. Will it too feature outriggers and a rocket engine? We'll have to watch the movie to find out.