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Movie Review: Spectre

I had only been sitting for two minutes in the screening of the twenty-fourth installment of the James Bond franchise, Spectre, before I met a fanatic. Sporting a James Bond 40th Anniversary Omega Seamaster ("number 007 of only 1007 made", he told me, beaming with pride), he boasted of his travels to the Furka Pass in Switzerland, to visit the location of the Goldfinger car chase, and of his Silver Birch Aston Martin DB5, the same car Sean Connery piloted around those treacherous roads just over fifty years ago. He bought it a while back for $125,000, and foolishly sold it a few years later for $160,000 (a mint 1965 DB5 will easily fetch over $1 million at auction today). The discussion of his Aston Martins continued, including his current Vantage and DB9, until the theatre started to fill up and the lights went down. This kind of automobile and movie culture is unique to Bond. 007 may have his signature drink, "shaken, not stirred," but just as famous are his cars, which, for a great number of films, are Aston Martins. This started fifty years ago, in the aforementioned Connery flick, Goldfinger, and the tradition has continued in Spectre, with a bespoke two-door coupe fittingly tagged the DB10. This latest Bond car is more concept than production. Built around the current V8 Vantage VH platform, the DB10's handsome styling is a look into the future for the British manufacturer. Perhaps outshining Bond's chariot are the cars of the villainous organization after which the movie is named, a highlight being the beautiful the Jaguar C-X75, driven by the eye-gouging villain, Hinx (Dave Bautista). The Jag is introduced when Bond infiltrates a Spectre meeting. His attendance doesn't go unnoticed, leading to a C-X75 vs DB10 race around Rome's midnight streets. Those who are going to see Spectre for the great car cinematography, prepare to be disappointed. The scene ends early on when – spoiler alert – 007 dumps the DB10 in the bottom of a river. Spectre is the longest of the 24-film canon, and due to an overstuffed second act, it feels like it. The first hour is fantastic, revealing enough of Bond's backstory to get the audience hooked, but somewhere in the second act we lose our way, torn between two predictable story lines.

Why you should run out and buy a vintage Aston Martin Lagonda right now

Aston Martin has a reputation for crafting some of the world's finest luxury GTs, and with a little help from James Bond, it has also become a quintessential British brand. While the company's models are known for combining speed and luxury, they certainly aren't recognized for being inexpensive. However, there might be a way to get the Aston badge and potentially make a little extra money if you ever decide to divest. Bloomberg suggests looking outside the mainstream by taking a closer look at the original wedge-shaped Lagonda (above). First shown in the mid '70s, the Lagonda looks like nothing else on the road before or since. Early models feature pop-up headlights and styling so sharp the sedan appears to be slicing through the air, even while sitting still. Later revisions softened the design slightly, and even Aston Martin's modern reinterpretation (inset) doesn't go as far as its predecessor. The interior is what really makes the Lagonda famous (or infamous), though. With instruments displayed on LEDs or CRT screens, depending on model, it's like the science fiction in there. Power is provided by a 5.3-liter V8 quoted at around 280 horsepower, according to Aston Martin. Unfortunately, the Lagonda's avant-garde styling and reputation for unreliability hasn't garnered much love for the super saloon over the years. Aston Martin only made 645 of them by the time production ended in 1989. The tide appears to be turning, though, and the sedan's value is rising strongly. According to Bloomberg, citing Hagerty, prices currently average about $44,000, up 61 percent since 2010, and the later, somewhat more reliable examples are up 85 percent. Perhaps those values are soaring because those lining up for the new Lagonda (a.k.a. Taraf) are looking for a historical counterpart to display alongside their next car. Head over to Bloomberg to get the full story on why it might be time to reconsider these once unloved four-door Astons.

800-hp Aston Martin Vulcan will live long and prosper... on the track

The Aston Martin Vulcan might by one of the most beautiful creations to ever emerge from the British sports car company. Unfortunately, its status as a track-only toy limited to 24 units makes seeing one on the road practically impossible. That's a shame, too, because nothing would wake up an early morning commute better than seeing jets of flame shoot out of the side of this coupe. For the Vulcan, Aston Martin takes a 7.0-liter version of its tried and true V12 and promises to extract over 800 horsepower from it. The engine is hooked up to a six-speed sequential gearbox, and the car features all of the other necessities for a full-bore track car too. The pushrod suspension, anti-lock carbon-ceramic brakes and traction control are all fully adjustable to create the perfect balance for any circuit. Underneath, there's a carbon fiber monocoque, and the body panels are also made from the lightweight material. While the mechanicals are everything a driver could want on the track, the design is just as attractive. The styling takes the taut lines from Aston Martins of the last decade and sharpens everything to look futuristic. The pointed, orange filaments making up the taillights are an especially cool touch. The brand promises to reinterpret this look for future models, so we might still see inspiration of it on the road. Give it a thorough look in our live gallery above from the floor at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. Related Video: