Half a million dollars can buy you many things: a two-bedroom unit in Sydney or 250,000 cheeseburgers. Alternatively, you could buy yourself an Aston Martin DBS (before on-road costs, insurance and other trifles) and live the fast life with martinis, women and international intrigue.
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Panic stations
We'd seen this car countless times in Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, so when taking delivery, we thought we knew what to expect: we'd slide coolly into the driver's seat, do eight burnouts and cruise noisily into the distance, with women flinging themselves onto our bonnet at every intersection. But nothing could prepare us for the moment the DBS rolled off its transport vehicle onto our street and a be-suited Aston Martin representative put the keys in our hands. We had a little crisis.
(Credit: Aston Martin)
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A slow getaway
The car is indescribably beautiful and not even these shots, nor our forthcoming video, do it justice. Everywhere it travels, the DBS causes passers-by to engage you in conversation, children to take photos on their mobile phones, and grown-ups of every gender and sexual preference to lust after you. Unless you're previously accustomed to such celebrity, it's all a little overwhelming. As we pulled away in the DBS for the first time, palms sweating, hearts racing and a dozen eyes trained in our direction, only one thing occupied our thoughts: this is James Bond's car, don't stall it.(Credit: Rory Reid/CNET)
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Shake your tail-feather
If you spot an Aston Martin DBS on the streets, this is the angle you'll most likely see it from. It's just as well, because we think it's bloody gorgeous.
(Credit: Rory Reid/CNET)
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Add lightness
The DBS looks more muscular and aggressive than its DB9 brother. Though essentially the same car, the DBS is lower, wider and lighter, thanks to an aluminium body shell that features more carbon fibre.
(Credit: Rory Reid/CNET)
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Flip it out
The door handle mechanism is fairly elaborate. You need to push one side to release the other, grabbing it quickly before it snaps back into place. This may seem silly, but the lack of anything protruding from the body means greater aerodynamic efficiency.
No, we were right, it is silly.
(Credit: Rory Reid/CNET)
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Emotions, controlled
The crystal-tipped Emotion Control Unit, or "key", must be slid into this motorised docking station to start the car. Once inserted, the key doubles as a start button.
We take back what we said earlier: this is silly.
(Credit: Rory Reid/CNET)
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Power, Beauty, Soul
Once the car's computers have booted up, the dash display flashes the rather modest "Power, Beauty, Soul" tagline. Now you're ready to press the start button and wake the 380kW V12.
(Credit: Rory Reid/CNET)
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I've seen you before...
Volvo owners may recognise this sat nav. In the Aston Martin DBS, it rises seductively from the dashboard, but that's as good as it gets. The system only recognises four-digit postcodes (a problem in England, where postcodes can be up to seven characters long) and is missing some fairly important roads, like the one where we live.
(Credit: Rory Reid/CNET)
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What's on James Bond's iPod?
The centre console is home to an iPod dock, as well as a USB port and a 3.5mm audio jack for connecting to other MP3 players.
(Credit: Rory Reid/CNET)
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What's James Bond's IQ?
Controlling any connected MP3 players is a nightmare, thanks to the tiny screen and the baffling layout of the user interface.
(Credit: Rory Reid/CNET)
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B&O for 007
The Bang & Olufsen Beosound audio system offers a generous 13 speakers, including these motorised acoustic lenses, which elevate cheekily out of their housing when called upon. They're a tad gimmicky, but match the car perfectly and sound fabulous.
(Credit: Rory Reid/CNET)
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Al's car
The car's alcantara and leather interior is complemented perfectly by the aluminium-effect Bang & Olufsen speaker enclosure.
(Credit: Rory Reid/CNET)
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Do the button mash
Eventually, after bashing all the buttons randomly, we worked out how to browse the iPod by playlist, artist, album or song.
(Credit: Rory Reid/CNET)
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Incognito
More speakers, this time hidden in the footwell next to the pedals.
(Credit: Rory Reid/CNET)
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Protection on
Xenon headlights improve visibility at night. Also, if you look closely, you can see the clear plastic material protecting the car against stone chips, like the plastic cover you get on a new phone.
(Credit: Rory Reid/CNET)
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Access granted
Access to the rear of the car can be gained by pressing a button in the headrest. No proletarian latches here, no sir.
(Credit: Rory Reid/CNET)
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From prince to pauper
The steering wheel is surprisingly bereft of control knobs. Aston Martin only provides volume adjusters, buttons to end and receive calls over the Bluetooth phone system, and options for cruise control.
(Credit: Rory Reid/CNET)
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Moisture is the essence of wetness
There's an Aston Martin-branded umbrella in the boot.
(Credit: Rory Reid/CNET)
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Now, blow!
There's no spare tyre in the DBS, so an electric tyre-inflation kit is fitted in its stead.
(Credit: Rory Reid/CNET)
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My other car is a Prius
Emissions totalling 388g/km mean it isn't very kind to Mother Earth. We can forgive it that minor indiscretion, though.
(Credit: Rory Reid/CNET)
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