On Her Majesties Secret Service Aston Martin

V12Vanquish

Ok, now for the first time ever, i watched OHMSS properly, and was wandering if anyone could share a little information about the Aston Martin that is used in it.

First of all, what type is it? Is it known to have any gadhets on it, or is it just a standard car?

These questions may sound a little daft to the veteran bond fans, but i have never been a lazenby fan, so never took much interest in the film!

Moonraker 5

It's a 1969 Aston Martin DBS with a 6-cylinder engine, like the one shown below

Predator

To add a little to Moonie's explaination, the DBS was actually produced with two engines in its lifetime. THe 6 cylinder unit was that used in its forebears the DB4, 5 and 6 and was quite underpowered for the much heavier body of the DBS. The DBS was only ever intended as a stopgap to the new tourer (known as the V8 ... the Aston muscle car of the 70s and early 80s that we all know and love and which appeared in much revised format for TLD). Consequently Aston Martin revised the DBS as the DBS V8 with the engine destined for greatness in the Aston Martin V8 Vantage.

As for the original ... don't know (would love to own it though!) and I'm unaware of it containing any gadgets (fictional or on the car itself)

Moonraker 5

And another little piece of trivia... Roger Moore drove a mustard coloured DBS in The Persuaders.

The actual car used in OHMSS is in a motor museum, specialising in cars from film & TV in Keswick, Cumbria.

Sir Miles

Quoting Moonraker 5:

The actual car used in OHMSS is in a motor museum, specialising in cars from film & TV in Keswick, Cumbria.

I take it you've been to Cars Of The Stars then Moonie ?
I've been three times and still not seen his entire Bond collection, as it is a rather small museum and so rotates his stock.

Tracy

This is a bit off topic, but I believe that they were touring around various models of the Aston Martin V12 for DAD's premiere. You could see one at the San Francisco Automobile Show, or at least in November.

Bill Tanner

Here's the low-down on the OHMSS cars:

The car used was an unmodified version of the recently launched (end of '68) 6 cylinder DBS. Two were used for filming, registered FBH 207G and the number used on screen, GKX 8G. As it was one of the first cars off the production line, GKX 8G also featured in various motoring magazines during '68-'69 as Aston Martins road test car of the time, just as it’s predecessor the DB5 had done. From the road tests you can learn that at least one of the cars used, GKX 8G, was the more powerful Vantage model, not surprising as the Vantage engine was a no cost option. Both cars were a dark metallic green colour with wire wheels and a black leather interior, no headrests and a wooden steering wheel.

There are a few detail differences between the cars to differentiate them, such as the GB badge on the tail that only seems to be present while the car is in London.

The plot of this film does not specify whether this is Bond’s personal or company car, but the assumption, based on previous and following films is that this was provided by Q department. If this is the case it is the most understated Q vehicle in the series as it features no gadgets that we know of. In the background of Q's workshop in DAF (which was actually filmed at the Aston Martin factory) you can see an AMV8 being fitted with rockets.

Both of the OHMSS cars are thought to have survived, one is in the Cars of the Stars museum in Keswick and the other is in the hands of a private collector in Australia. To see the car in Keswick you'll have to phone in advance to find out when it is on display as the exhibits are on rotation.


Confusingly, in his book Planet Dagenham, Jeremy Clarkson has written that the cars wore V8 badges and the film was overdubbed with a V8 soundtrack. As you can see from watching the film, this is plainly not true, but he may be confusing this with the similar car used by Roger Moore in The Persuaders which was given the V8 alloy wheels and badging as a V8 was not available when filming began.

Moonraker 5

Quoting Sir Miles:
I take it you've been to Cars Of The Stars then Moonie ?
I've been three times and still not seen his entire Bond collection, as it is a rather museum and he rotates his stock.

I have, yes. Twice. And like you have not seen anywhere near the entire stock. The exhibits do rotate so that, for example, some can appear at Bond Exhibitions (like the one in London just now) or at other events such as Motor Shows (the TLD AM Vantage was displayed at the Glasgow Motor Show in 2001, along with Lady Penelope's Pink Rolls and KITT from Knightrider!) or dealer displays such as the DB5 in Edinburgh.

Following from Tracy's comment on the Vanquish being present at the SF Motor Show, it did make an appearance along with the Jaguar and Thunderbird on a specially constructed 007 stand at the British Motor Show last winter. It then went on to be displayed in Harrod's shop window in Knightsbridge in a rather awe inspiring display.

snowgoose7

Bill Tanner wrote:

Here's the low-down on the OHMSS cars:

The car used was an unmodified version of the recently launched (end of '68) 6 cylinder DBS. Two were used for filming, registered FBH 207G and the number used on screen, GKX 8G. As it was one of the first cars off the production line, GKX 8G also featured in various motoring magazines during '68-'69 as Aston Martins road test car of the time, just as it’s predecessor the DB5 had done. From the road tests you can learn that at least one of the cars used, GKX 8G, was the more powerful Vantage model, not surprising as the Vantage engine was a no cost option. Both cars were a dark metallic green colour with wire wheels and a black leather interior, no headrests and a wooden steering wheel.

There are a few detail differences between the cars to differentiate them, such as the GB badge on the tail that only seems to be present while the car is in London.

The plot of this film does not specify whether this is Bond’s personal or company car, but the assumption, based on previous and following films is that this was provided by Q department. If this is the case it is the most understated Q vehicle in the series as it features no gadgets that we know of. In the background of Q's workshop in DAF (which was actually filmed at the Aston Martin factory) you can see an AMV8 being fitted with rockets.

Both of the OHMSS cars are thought to have survived, one is in the Cars of the Stars museum in Keswick and the other is in the hands of a private collector in Australia. To see the car in Keswick you'll have to phone in advance to find out when it is on display as the exhibits are on rotation.


Confusingly, in his book Planet Dagenham, Jeremy Clarkson has written that the cars wore V8 badges and the film was overdubbed with a V8 soundtrack. As you can see from watching the film, this is plainly not true, but he may be confusing this with the similar car used by Roger Moore in The Persuaders which was given the V8 alloy wheels and badging as a V8 was not available when filming began.

snowgoose7

Re aston martin dbs. Reg gkn8g as used by georgelazenby. I bought it from Astons in 1974 and took it back to Australia. For the record the colour is OLIVE BRONZE. When I was sitting in the md's office he asd me what car I was looking for. When I said A dbs Vantage 6 he replied. We do have one but I must tell you it was used in one of those terrible James Bond films. I got it for 2450 pounds. Their repair bill was 5000pounds alone after the owner from EON smashed itinto a lamp post and could not pay the bill.Engine was one of only 13 ,had 11.1 comp. and tripple twin choke webbers. Nice to drive.

Mister Biswas

If the Aston Martin was officially equipment provided by Q Branch, then why did it not have bullet proof windshield glass?

Either:
(1) the car at the end of the film is Bond's private car, and thus is not equipped with Q features;
(2) the car at the end of the film is a company car; or
(3) Irma Bunt used special rounds.

youknowmyname

Mister Biswas wrote:

If the Aston Martin was officially equipment provided by Q Branch, then why did it not have bullet proof windshield glass?

Either:
(1) the car at the end of the film is Bond's private car, and thus is not equipped with Q features;
(2) the car at the end of the film is a company car; or
(3) Irma Bunt used special rounds.

It could've had the special features just Bond was not able to flip the switch for the bullet guard etc. I don't believe there was bullet proof glass on any of Sean Connery's Aston Martins...however, I could stand to be corrected on that one.