By Jeff Glucker
I love the James Bond films. My favorite Bond? It’s actually the current one as I dig the darker 007 elements at play in Daniel Craig’s journey. He’s had some wicked rides to pilot along the way. The callback to the classically excellent Aston Martin DB5 was great. His beat-to-hell DBS from Quantum of Solace remains one of the all-time great Bond chase scenes. And now we’re starting to hear a bit about the next car that James will most certainly wreck; an electric Aston Martin RapidE.
Listen, I love engine noise. A V12 is heaven and a V8 is certainly great. But having Bond hop behind the wheel of an electric car makes good sense for the film, not just for Aston Martin’s own marketing efforts. James Bond is a spy. He’s always been a little too Look At Me! for his spywork though, even if it’s entertaining. Now he may have a proper spy car to call his own.
Electric power means instant delivery of torque and horsepower. It also means silent running. Hopefully Q Branch have worked up a special long-range battery back and motor setup, as we don’t want to see James hunting for a Level 3 charging station. Hell, this one probably charges through special tires that sap up an unrealistic amount of energy from suspension and braking movements. That bit doesn’t matter.
Electron Bond
What does matter is that an important car for Aston Martin’s future gets a decent amount of screen time. And to have Bond potentially make it look cool certainly won’t hurt. Yes, I’d love to see 007 whip through a crowded city center or a dimly lit back road in the latest DBS Superleggera. Hell, pop him into one of Aston’s latest insane-o machines for a moment while you’re at it. I certainly will not bemoan the decision to use an electric vehicle though, as it’s the most truly spy worthy machine in Craig’s entire run as Bond.
This is the Cosworth-built V12 that will power the Aston Martin Valkyrieand it sounds amazing
And if an electric car can gain acceptance in the Bond film world, hopefully this opens the door for the next actor to play Bond; Idris Elba. You know he’d make a damn fine 007. Hopefully that gets to happen.
I wonder what sort of range an electric vehicle gets during chases. Q should invent some sort of gizmo to detect the presence of bad guys within 5 km and then cut off HVAC equipment to conserve power.
Scriptwriters will have Bond convert the battery pack of his RapidE into a devastating explosive. Aston will politely request a script change.
Hopefully Q Branch have worked up a special long-range battery back and motor setup, as we don’t want to see James hunting for a Level 3 charging station.
Think about it…it would be classic Bond humor if he runs out of juice after the most exhilarating chase, only to be helped by the most stunning redhead in a classic Aston Martin, to explosively and in the most witty way turn everything around. That is, if that’s more than a two hour commercial on screen.
If it were a Roger Moore flavored Bond, an electric AM would generate no shortage of double entendres. He might say to that redhead, “Fancy a jump start?”
Didn’t the Roger Moore bond already drive an an electric Lotus? I mean when you think about it, there’s no way that Lotus was powered by ICE underwater. I mean I know a watertight Esprit is already pushing credibility so maybe I’m overthinking this.
It was also a submarine with big enough panel gaps for a fish to get in that still managed not to sink. Overthinking anything from the Moore era is a bad idea.
I still remember when there was a big stink that Daniel Craig couldn’t drive a stick shift.
Exactly what I was thinking. That was far worse than Bond driving an electric.
I’ll admit, you had me worried there for a second. But this is a good take. As much as I’d like Idris to be Bond at some point, he might be better off without it.
In particular, I need more Alice Morgan.
No, no, no– that duckbill mouth drives me nuts. I can’t watch her talk.
Oh, my very favorite part! That lovely, asymmetric, corrupt smile. Evil arched eyebrows, piercing gaze, luscious red hair… rrrrrrrrowr.
Sign me up, at my own peril.
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I trust Q will take full advantage of the bad-guy-discouraging potential of a few kilowatts of DC power. I’m voting for rail gun.
Electrify the outside as a theft deterrent? A 21st century version of: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h4joX0iF9A
Or turn it into a huge electromagnet, instantly disarming the bad guys.