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Giving this '67 Aston DB6 the James Bond treatment only required drilling one hole

Paul is a Brit living in Southern California and still connected to his native land by, among other things, being a collector of all things James Bond. That led to him buying a 1967 Aston Martin DB6, having lusted after a DB-series car since he was nine, and fitting it with every "accoutrement" from James Bond's 1964 DB5 in Goldfinger and Thunderball. Getting features like the slicer wheel caps, console-activated oil slicks, blast shield and radar screen fitted required Paul to find his own Q-Branch director, this one named Brian Uiga, a gent who had done the same with his BMW 7 Series. As for what it took, Paul said, "We got together and planned the project and set a budget, and... the plan didn't work and the budget was toast." Still, they got it done - including the ejector seat - and it only required drilling one hole. You can see the result in the video below.

Aston Martin boss says DBX is about securing the future

The Aston Martin DBX was a revelation when it debuted at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. Not only did the concept evolve the British brand's traditional shape into a high-riding crossover coupe, there were electric motors to power each wheel. Just a few weeks ago, we learned that the company secured $306 million in funding to actually bring the DBX to production. Now, CEO Andy Palmer is talking about just how important the model is for the future. With the DBX moving into such a radically different segment than the rest of the lineup, the model gives Aston Martin the opportunity to go after a new group of customers. "You can't create enough working capital with just 7,000 cars a year whichever way you look at it. You've got to extend the portfolio somewhere, and I'd rather do this than sell caps and t-shirts," Palmer said to Auto Express, taking a slight dig at Ferrari. While Aston calls the DBX a crossover, its coupe-like lines don't look like any other vehicle in the segment, especially other high-style CUV attempts like the BMW X6 and Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class Coupe. Apparently, that differentiation is entirely on purpose. "We think there is a different space to the traditional SUV. Why? Because we make beautiful cars, and it's hard to make a beautiful SUV. It's hard to make a box beautiful," Palmer said to Auto Express. The production DBX will gain two more doors for the start of production in 2019, according to Auto Express. The high-performance electric powertrain will remain, though, and Aston will aim for a range of over 300 miles. Earlier reports also suggested that the CUV could be produced at a new factory in the US. Aston Martin isn't abandoning its performance legacy entirely, though. The DBX is just one part of Palmer's Second Century plan, and the other major pillar is replacing every model in the brand's lineup by the end of the decade. One of them has already been spotted testing. Related Video: The video meant to be presented here is no longer available. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Best in Show From 2016 Geneva Motor Show | Autoblog Minute

Highlights of our favorite vehicles from the 2016 Geneva Motor show. Aston Martin Bugatti Autoblog Minute Videos Original Video 2016 geneva motor show Bugatti Chiron aston martin db11 koenigsegg regera touring superleggera disco volante db11