What's the news?
James Bond is back! Well, he will be on October 26th anyway, when the new 007 film, Spectre, shoots into cinemas. To mark that occasion, and the fact that Commander Bond RN has been driving its cars since 1964, Aston Martin has launched a commemorative edition DB9.
It's called the DB9 GT Bond Edition, and it features the same 547hp V17 engine with the same six-speed automatic transmission and it does the same 0-100km/h in 4.5 seconds and has the same top speed of 300km/h.
So, what's new? Well, it gets special Spectre Silver paint with Bond badging on the outside. Inside, there is the 007 logo on the doorsills and the famous gun barrel stitched into the headrests. There's also Aston's new, Mercedes-sourced touch-screen infotainment system, which has a special Bond-ish welcome screen.
You also get special leather and lots of Alcantara and carbon fibre.
The real treats are in the boot though - each car comes with a finely-crafted 21-inch Globe-Trotter trolley case finished with an embossed leather luggage tag, the collector's car also includes an Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra 150m James Bond Limited Edition watch complete with a unique Aston Martin strap.
Welcoming the debut of the DB9 GT Bond Edition, Aston Martin CEO Dr Andy Palmer said: "Aston Martin and James Bond are intrinsically linked in the minds of many of our enthusiasts and, indeed, owners, worldwide.
"In the run-up to the launch of the new film, Spectre, which sees Bond behind the wheel of the DB10, we are very happy to be able to celebrate the partnership with this superb limited edition DB9 GT collector's item." Dr Palmer added: "I'm sure the 150 owners worldwide who succeed in acquiring one of these exceptional sports cars will, like the rest of us, delight in seeing Spectre when it is released later this year."
The new DB9 GT Bond Edition is available to order in markets around the world from today, priced at approximately €330,000 in Ireland.