Aston Martin releases 007 DB9

TO CELEBRATE the release of the latest instalment of the James Bond movie franchise, Spectre, Aston Martin has released a special edition of its DB9 GT, aptly named the Bond Edition.

Priced at $435,007 before on-road costs, just 150 examples will be made available globally, with only five of those being allotted for Australian buyers.

The $435,007 price tag on the Bond Edition represents a sizeable price-hike over the regular GT, which comes in at $368,500, and will even be more expensive than the drop-top Volante, priced at $399,501 BOCs.

The Bond Edition can be distinguished from the regular DB9 GT by a number of subtle styling changes and accessories.

The English grand tourer gets a unique Spectre Silver paint job, sterling silver badging, and discreet 007 Bond Edition exterior badging.

Inside, the subtle Bond theme continues with numbered sill plaque emblazoned with the 007 Bond logo, embroidery on the rear seat divider, and a Bond-themed start-up screen for the infotainment system.

Accessories include a 21-inch trolley case with embossed leather luggage tag, and an Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra 150m James Bond Limited Edition watch that comes with a unique Aston Martin strap.

The Bond Edition keeps the 10-spoke 20-inch wheels, aluminium bonnet vents, side strakes and grille, carbon fibre front splitter and rear diffuser, and grey brake callipers that are seen on the DB9 GT.

Performance figures remain unchanged from the DB9 GT, with the same 6.0-litre V12 generating 402kW/620Nm and six-speed sequential transmission helping propel it from 0-100km/h in 4.5 seconds.

The GT was released in June this year as an updated version of the classic but ageing DB9, which went into production in 2004.

The Bond Edition may be the very last car released under the DB9 moniker, with the replacement DB11 announced in September, and a reveal date set for 2016.

Spectre shows, for the first time in franchise history, an Aston Martin designed specifically for Bond, with the non-production DB10 starring in the film alongside another movie-only model, the Jaguar C-X75.

Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer said that he was excited about the collaboration between Aston Martin and the James Bond franchise.

“Aston Martin and James Bond are intrinsically linked in the minds of many of our enthusiasts and, indeed, owners, worldwide,” said Dr Palmer.

“In the run-up to the launch of the new film, Spectre, which sees Bond behind the wheel of the DB10, we are very happy to be able to celebrate the partnership with this superb limited edition DB9 GT collector’s item.

“I’m sure the 150 owners worldwide who succeed in acquiring one of these exceptional sports cars will, like the rest of us, delight in seeing Spectre when it is released later this year.” The connection between Aston Martin and James Bond dates all the way back to 1964 in Goldfinger, when Sean Connery was first seen driving the now-iconic silver DB5 loaded with gadgets such as an ejector seat and an oil slick dispenser.

Aston Martins have now featured in a total of 12 Bond films, Spectre included.

The luxury British brand has moved a total of 111 cars so far this year in Australia, with 100 of those being two-door models. That number is up from a total of 91 Astons sold in 2014, 85 of those coupes or convertibles.

The DB9 GT Bond Edition is available for delivery immediately after the release of Spectre, on November 12.