Superlatives don't do justice to this machine. Removing smirks from owners' faces will be hard, reports Claire Bowen
No matter how many different cars James Bond drives he will always be linked to one - the Aston Martin DB5. We all deserve a bit of fantasy now and again, so when Aston Martin invited me to become James Bond for the day how could I possibly refuse?
But this was no ordinary driving day. It took place at the Millbrook testing ground, near Bedford, where instructors were on hand to show us just what the current Vanquish and DB7 could do - the perfect way to put a 460 bhp car through its paces.
Getting behind the wheel of an Aston is nothing like slipping into the latest Focus or Vectra. There are enough dials and switches in the Vanquish to make a Concorde pilot feel at home, and with a growling 6.0-litre V12 at your disposal a bit of instruction doesn't go amiss.
My instructor fired up the engine and we headed for the mile straight where I could sample the gizmos in safety and at speed. Formula One-style gear change paddles are mounted on the steering wheel in the rear-wheel drive Aston and are easy to use. Even though the Vanquish is essentially a manual car with clutchless gear changes, the clever six-speed, close-ratio box can take control and automatically select the right gear.
And the changes are the simplest I've ever tried and probably the quickest, too, with changes in under 250 milliseconds - less than the blink of an eye. They are perfectly positioned as well and a touch of the fingers is all that's required to change up or down. And joy of joys, as you downshift there's a lovely little blip which sounds so professional.
Neutral is selected by flicking both paddles at the same time and even if done - accidentally - on the move will cause no damage. Just touch the plus marked paddle and it will select the right gear in an instant. It even goes down through the gears automatically for you as you slow down if you forget to change. Believe me, this aluminium bodied, two-door coupé is as near to Knight Rider as you can get. The only thing it doesn't do is talk to you!
There is also a button for sports mode, one to keep wheelspin at a minimum - useful on gravelly surfaces and winter driving. Apart from holding the revs down, it prevents spraying the precious bodywork (of eight coats of paint) with stones.
Not only is the rear wheel, 190 mph Vanquish awash with state-of-the-art gearbox technology, it also comes with traction control and vacuum-assisted anti-lock brakes - and a engine with the most fantastic burble. It means business, too - 0-60mph in five seconds and upwards to 190mph. But the Vanquish isn't just about raw power. It's a stunning looker, and provides its owners - only 70 in Britain this year - with the ultimate in luxury. Maybe that's why James Bond has chosen the £158,000 Vanquish for his next Bond movie.
But the DB7 is still special too. This is the most popular Aston Martin, and still retains the shape - but modernised - that sportscar enthusiasts love. It's powered by the same engine as the flagship Vanquish but produces 40 bhp less and the top speed falls to a mere 180 mph. Can you imagine going that fast?
There's a choice of manual or auto transmission for both the £96,250 Coupé or £103,750 drophead Volante, which also have sports shaped seats.
We drove the DB7 round the city handling course, the alpine route and the high-speed bowl. And this luxurious sportscar tackled all with the utmost ease. And at the end of the day, if money was no object, which would I choose? Without doubt all are beautiful, powerful and luxurious hand-built sportscars but I'm with Bond. The Vanquish is for me.