2002 Aston Martin Vanquish

Whenever Bond is seen in the film near to, or sitting in, a Vanquish, that car is most likely this one

Aston Martin, James Bond’s traditionally preferred make of car, returned to secret service after a 15-year absence when Pierce Brosnan got behind the wheel of the latest V12 Vanquish for Die Another Day. No more Bimmers for Bond.

In September 2001, Aston Martin representatives met with those from EON Productions to discuss their requirements for the forthcoming Bond movie. EON needed three finished production cars to become “hero” cars; chassis numbers 172, 173 and 174 were selected to be used for the close-ups of Pierce Brosnan as James Bond. All three were Tungsten Silver with charcoal leather interior and equipped with Linn stereo systems and brushed aluminum center consoles.

For the stunts and chase sequences, Aston Martin and the EON special-effects department created four Vanquishes that used standard body shells and interiors with four-wheel-drive Ford Explorer running gear and V8 engines. Of these special-effects cars, two have...