People who fear they may never be able to afford an Aston Martin could make their dream come true at auction.
According to British Car Auctions (BCA), it may be possible to drive a car just like secret agent James Bond’s for a five-figure sum or less.
This year, a number of DB7 models from the 1990s have been getting more affordable.
Similarly, the AM V8 Aston Martins are sometimes fetching prices of less than £10,000.
"You don’t need a six-figure budget to buy a used Aston Martin," said BCAs Simon Henstock.
He added: "We regularly have them entered for sale in our Top Car events."
The latest Aston Martin DBS was featured in James Bond’s last adventure, Casino Royale.
Daniel Craig starred as the secret engine, taking over the role from Pierce Brosnan, becoming the first blonde-haired incarnation of the hero in the process.
Aston Martin is the UK’s coolest brand for 2007, according to the CoolBrands Council.
A committee including Radio One DJ Trevor Nelson and designer Ben De Lisi voted the car manufacturer top of the heap to give it the title for the second year in a row.
Superbrands runs the initiative and commented that it is a "barometer of the nation’s coolest brands, people and places" as well as a good indicator of a company’s success.
Stephen Cheliotos, chairman of the council for 2008, commented that the project is reflective of the nation’s changing needs and interests.
He said: "On the one hand, things can become cool by virtue of their necessity or prevalence in your life. On the other, the things you really want but may know you’ll never get."
At the Frankfurt International Motor Show this week, Aston Martin unveiled the V8 Vantage N400 and the DB9 LM Coupe special editions.
Aston Martin will line up two additional vehicles alongside the DBS at the Frankfurt International Motor Show later this month.
The V8 Vantage N400 has 480 bhp and the vehicle’s torque peaks at 420 nm.
Available in three new colours – Bergwerk Black, Lightning Silver or Karussel Orange, the car comes with a host of optional accessories such as satellite navigation, a premium audio system and preparation for Bluetooth telephones.
The firm will also be showing off the DB9 LM, a model which commemorates the GT1 class victory the manufacturer attained at Le Mans in June.
"This special edition car, available in Coupe form only with Touchtronic transmission, includes a unique Sarthe Silver exterior paint finish, meshes and rear crossbar finished in Magnum Silver and red brake callipers," the company commented.
September 11th 2007 is the date when the Frankfurt International Motor Show will kick off.
The brand new Aston Martin DBS will be on display at Jeremy Clarkson’s MPH ’07 exhibition in November 2007.
A curvy supercar, the vehicle was first seen in the movie Casino Royale starring new James Bond Daniel Craig, but it will make its live motoring debut at the event later in the year.
Appearing at the festival means the DBS joins a long line of Bond cars to be displayed at the annual NEC and Earl’s Court expos, following on from Paul Swift’s expensive handbrake parking move between two other movie veteran vehicles.
"To have the DBS making its UK debut at MPH is fantastic news for our audience. It will be a rare chance for the majority to hear what its sonorous 510bhp engine sounds like," said MPH show director Lee Masters.
Other famous cars driven by James Bond include the Ferrari 355 and BMW Z3.
Aston Martin revealed its DBS luxury sports car at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance last week.
Taking a starring role as the event featured marque, the company showed off the vehicle which has a top speed of 191 mph and reaches 62 mph from zero in 4.3 seconds.
Built at the firm’s global headquarters in Warwickshire, the car is "the ultimate expression of Aston Martin’s engineering and technical ability" according to chief executive officer Dr Ulrich Bez.
The company added that the vehicle will go on sale during the first quarter of 2008 while prices will be announced at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2007.
"The DBS delivers the complete driving experience and bridges the gap between our road and track cars – the DB9 and DBR9," he said.
The long association between James Bond and Aston Martin began in Goldfinger – Ian Fleming’s seventh novel to feature the secret agent – when he drove a DB mark III.
Two British drivers who decided to travel from Tokyo to London in an Aston Martin V8 Vantage have said that the car has performed "impeccably" so far.
The Driving Home Road Safety Trip 2007 aims to raise awareness of safety behind the wheel for younger children in developing countries.
Spanning 10,000 miles, the journey has already encompassed Japan, China and South Korea – with the Vantage V8 having "not missed a beat" throughout each stage.
"We have so far driven more than 4,000 miles in not much over three weeks," said Richard Meredith, who with his co-driver Phil Colley is making the trip in the near-standard vehicle.
He added that there had been no major problems so far "except for a bit of ‘throat-clearing’ – due to petrol of dubious quality".
The next two weeks are expected to present dangers such as difficult road conditions and bad weather, but the team is certain the car will cruise through the next leg of the journey.
"We have planned everything as far as possible, but it is obviously impossible to plan for the unknown," Mr Meredith continued.
Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson recently reviewed a new convertible version of the V8 and said his initial reaction to the vehicle was astonishment because of its "sheer beauty".
Fans of the Aston Martin brand may be encouraged by a new review from motoring journalist Jeremy Clarkson, who says the new V8 Vantage Roadster convertible is "very pretty".
On delivery of the green-coloured model – complete with green interior and matching roof – it was a vehicle one "simply had to buy", he wrote in the Times.
Although it is not as fast as its coupe counterpart, the convertible is comfortable and refined while it "glides" along the roads.
"The first time you see one of these things, roof down, on a sunny day, you’ll know what I’m on about," the Top Gear presenter continued.
According to Aston Martin, the Roadster embodies soul, power and beauty, while incorporating leather sports seats and a hand-trimmed interior.
It also comes equipped with a 4.3-litre engine and a maximum speed of 175 miles per hour.
An Aston Martin DBRS9 has made history by becoming the first biofuelled car to win a British motorsport event.
The car, which is powered by bioethanol, won the latest round of the British GT championship at Snetterton on June 3rd.
Prodrive, Aston Martin’s racing team in Banbury, developed the car specifically for use in the GT championship.
However Lord Paul Drayson, who drove the car at Snetterton, stressed that the victory was relevant for the automotive industry as a whole.
"This is not a one off, the car has been competitive all season, taking two pole positions and it now leads the championship," Lord Drayson said.
"It goes to prove that running a car on biofuel doesn’t mean any compromise in performance. I hope we can get this message across to motorists everywhere."
The Aston Martin DBRS9 retains the six-litre V12 engine used in the DB9 road version, but has a modified fuelling system, gearbox and bodywork to make it suitable for racing.
Aston Martin has subjected its V8 Vantage to a rigorous safety test by offering its services to two Britons who will drive along the new Asia-Pacific highway to raise international awareness of road safety.
Teacher Richard Meredith and travel specialist Phil Colley will set off from Tokyo on June 25th, passing through 15 countries before arriving in London six weeks later.
They are undertaking their journey in collaboration with the United Nations and the UN-backed Road Safety is no Accident and Make Roads Safe campaigns.
Mr Meredith praised Aston Martin for having the "confidence and enthusiasm" to put the V8 Vantage on public trial in the name of road safety.
Dr Ulrich Bez, chairman of Aston Martin, said: "As makers of high performance cars we have a special responsibility to promote safe road use. Our cars meet the highest standards of active and passive safety and our driver training courses promote responsible driving.
"Richard, Phil and the V8 Vantage face a tough journey ahead but I have every confidence that they will succeed."
The car has been given some minor modifications ahead of the trip, including a strengthened sump guard and raised suspension. The vehicle will run on standard 18-inch wheels with Bridgestone tyres.
The consortium which has taken control of Aston Martin hopes that it can further develop the growth of an "iconic brand".
Having been part of the Ford Motor Company for the last 20 years, Aston Martin has been sold to a consortium led by Dave Richards and John Sinders of Investment Dar and Adeem Investment.
With Aston Martin having experienced significant growth in the last six years, Ulrich Bez, a spokesperson for one of the consortium groups, said he would be "working with the new owners to build on this great foundation".
He added: "It is a new beginning which will give the company the opportunity to attain an even higher level of excellence."
Aston Martin, which was formed in 1914, will continue to be based at a production facility in Gaydon, Warwickshire.
The news coincides with the imminent roll-out of a DBS model, with the V8 Vantage, DB9, DB9 Volante, Vanquish S and V8 Vantage Roadster already on the production line.
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