To celebrate the launch of the hotly anticipated 007 adventure Quantum of Solace, Vijay Pattni travels to the world-famous P1 International supercar club to check out James Bond’s company car…

Bond hasn’t listened to Q at all – what was that about ‘bringing it back in one piece’?

View our EXCLUSIVE Aston Martin DBS image gallery

It crashed its way into the Guinness Book of World Records in 2006 by rolling SEVEN times during a stunt sequence, while one veered off into lake Garda, Italy, earlier this year during filming for Quantum of Solace. This destroyed DBS was then sold for £200,000...

The £162,000 Aston Martin DBS is one of the world’s hardest, fastest and most beautiful cars – but stunt drivers seem hell bent on smashing one of the finest Astons to ever leave the factory to bits.

In total, SEVEN of the British supercars were reportedly destroyed during filming.

Thankfully, the P1 International Club in Surrey has one – and it was the first club of its kind in the country to take delivery of James Bond’s company car…

Fire up the DBS

Here are the stats which matter:

• 6-litre V12 engine
• Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive
• Aluminium, magnesium alloy and carbon fibre composite body
• 510bhp and 420lb/ft of pulling power
• 0-62mph in 4.3 seconds
• 191mph top speed

And the DBS has a proper racing pedigree – its V12 is used in the Aston Martin DBR9 and DBRS9 race cars, both of which are tuned to produce well over 600bhp.

Aston Martin says this ‘shared powerplant continues the strong link between Aston Martin’s road and race cars, just as the six-cylinder powerplant used in the DBR1 also powered the DB4, DB5 and DB6 in the 1950s and 60s”.

View our EXCLUSIVE Aston Martin DBS image gallery

And the DBS is the prettiest supercar ever made – it draws attention and admiring glances like no other, and Aston reckons the DBS is “like a well toned athlete in a figure-hugging suit: the bodywork of the DBS is a tight wrapping on the muscle that lies beneath, expressed in the taut lines and heavily sculpted flanks”. High praise indeed…

“I must be dreaming…”

The DBS gets a full semi-aniline leather and Alcantara interior, complete with carbon fibre door trims and door pulls, alloy facia trim and a silver centre console finish.

Q has done his best work on the interior gadgets – the DBS gets electrically adjustable seats, trip computer, tyre pressure monitoring system, battery disconnect switch, battery conditioner, a tracking device, folding electric mirrors, and the classic Aston message of ‘Power, Beauty, Soul’ every time you turn it on.
 
And when the Aston DBS fires into life, the sound is other-worldly… the 6-litre V12 barks even when idling, and fills the cabin with a roar when pushed – make no mistake, this is the definitive James Bond car.

View our EXCLUSIVE Aston Martin DBS image gallery

You can get your hands on this and a host of other supercars – including the Ferrari 599 GTB – for less than £15,000 per year. For more information visit www.p1international.com.