Why James Bond Still Drives an Aston Martin, Even If He's Not Helping Sales

An obscure British car and the spy who loved it

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When Desmond Llewelyn (better known as "Q") displayed the Aston Martin DB5 to James Bond in 1964, he was unveiling a sports car version of the license to kill. The movie was Goldfinger, the third in the Bond series, and the sleek, silver sports car—packed with predatory perks like front-wing machine guns and tire-slashing hubcaps—was really the co-star of the film, assuring Aston Martin a place in the annals of cultural cool.

Now, as a mark of brand continuity, the newest Bond flick—Spectre, set for release in November of 2015—will also feature an Aston Martin.

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