Dr. Wolfgang Reitzle, group vice president, Ford Motor Company, and chairman, Premier Automotive Group, says: "When people think of James Bond, the first car they think of is Aston Martin. For all of us that love the 007 films, it is great news that Bond is back driving an Aston Martin, this time our latest and most sophisticated model ever. We are also pleased to be working with MGM and Eon Productions, and through the wider support of Ford Motor Company we will be offering our full range of cars to the production."
Dr. Ulrich Bez, chief executive of Aston Martin Lagonda, says, "I am sure James Bond will recognize some of the styling cues on the Aston Martin Vanquish. He will find it technologically advanced and perfectly suited for the type of work he does today. This agreement comes at a really important time for us. Aston Martin is going through some major changes. The best reflection of this is our new V12 Vanquish. It combines elements from our heritage, but also clearly shows the direction of the company's future."
The V12 Vanquish is the latest in a long line of cars from one of the most famous names in the motor industry. It is at the leading edge of automotive design and combines an aluminium and carbon fibre body, Formula One-style gearbox, and 460bhp V12 engine. More than 700 cars have already been pre-sold around the world. Deliveries to customers in the USA start in September 2001, with the V12 Vanquish priced at $228,000.
