Given Aston Martin’s long and storied association with everyone’s favorite fictional spy, it’s actually kind of surprising that the carmaker is only now exploiting the connection with a James Bond special edition.
The Aston Martin DB9 GT Bond Edition commemorates the upcoming release of Spectre, the latest Bond film. Limited to 150 examples worldwide, it’s based on the latest iteration of another long-running franchise, Aston’s DB9.
There are no mechanical changes from the recently-introduced DB9 GT, but considering that this model is already the most powerful production version of the DB9 so far, that’s probably fine. The 6.0-liter V12 produces 540 horsepower and 457 pound-feet of torque, sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission.
That allows the DB9 GT Bond Edition to escape from evil henchmen in a hurry. It can do 0 to 62 mph in 4.5 seconds, and reach a top speed of 183 mph. Q would most likely approve.
Despite its name, the Bond Edition doesn’t come equipped with an ejector seat, oil slick, rockets, or any other spy gear. Instead, it’s distinguished from less-exclusive models by “Spectre Silver” paint, sterling silver badges, model-specific 10-spoke, 20-inch alloy wheels, aluminum and carbon-fiber exterior trim, and grey brake calipers.
On the inside, the car is marked by numbered sill plaques, “gun barrel” embroidery on the rear-seat divider and a special Bond Edition startup screen for the AM II infotainment system. The car also comes with a matching Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra 150m watch, and 21″ Globe-Trotter rolling suitcase.
While it’s being used to promote Spectre, the DB9 won’t be the car star of this particular flick. That honor goes to the DB10, a model built especially to appear in the movie. Only a handful of these rakish coupes were built, and purely to satisfy the needs of filming. Footage released in teasers and trailers shows a cool-looking chase scene involving the Aston and a Jaguar C-X75 hybrid supercar.
