Bond's Aston Martin is voted the world's coolest car

The Independent (U.K.) ^ | 09/02/03 | Matthew Beard

[Pokey78]

In a motoring age favouring spoilers, kangaroo bars and other unsightly add-ons, the Aston Martin has remained true to its original design.

And yesterday the British-built sports car, which became as much a part of James Bond's image as tuxedos and blondes, was recognised as the world's coolest car. With a top speed of 160mph the six-cylinder DB5, driven by Sean Connery in Goldfinger, is still the best car to be seen driving 40 years after it was launched, a poll in Top Gear magazine shows.

The DB5 is no longer in production and classic cars sell for up to £200,000. Its latest incarnation, the DB9, has already drawn a string of admirers in the industry before its launch in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, this week.

The panel of motoring experts, including the Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson, were unimpressed with the "trashy" designs of Italian-built Ferrari and Lamborghini, which both failed to make the top 10 of the Cool List 2003.

The Land Rover Defender was voted second coolest. First built in 1950, it has outlasted the VW Beetle to become the world's oldest production car.

[Always Right]

I know its not Anna Kornikova or Ann Coulter, but there should still be a picture.

[chilepepper]

A bit biases meethinks... The American CJ Jeeps are the coolest, far cooler than the Land Rover or the dated AS DB5

[Callahan]

I'll cast my vote for the General Lee.

[Always Right]

[LibWhacker]

I'll take trashy.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Cooler than the mighty Batmobile? Nay! NAY! :)

[truth_seeker]

"With a top speed of 160mph the six-cylinder DB5, driven by Sean Connery in Goldfinger, is still the best car to be seen driving 40 years after it was launched, a poll in Top Gear magazine shows."

Anybody who truly knows about these sort of things, knows the movie electronics couldn't work outside the studio, with Lucas brand parts.

"You know why Englishmen drink warm beer? They have Lucas refrigerators."

[truth_seeker]

I only had one English car, to get it out of my system.

Mostly German, thereafter.

[gorush]

Sorry, it's gotta be the Shelby Cobra. honorable mention to an old E Jag.

[Mears]

We had a "68 Cougar,bought brand new,and it was the nicest car we ever had. I felt sexy driving it and since I was the mother of 5 little kids at the time not much made me feel sexy.

[jjbrouwer]

That is such a cool car. I had one myself. (well, it was a Dinky Toy...)

[Merdoug]

The most beautiful car,(in my opinion).

[Crusader21stCentury]

Sorry, it's gotta be the Shelby Cobra.

I just saw a gathering of Shelbys'( ACs,Mustang 350s and 500s) up at Lime Rock, Connecticut. They are truly amazing cars.

[jjbrouwer]

The "E" Type Jaguar was one of the coolest cars of the sixties.

If you've ever seen the movie the Italian Job with Michael Caine, the Mafia destroy an E Type and an Aston Martin in the same scene. Sacrilege!

[annyokie]

I had a '67 Cougar. Hottest car I ever had. Motor Trend's Car of the year, too!

[moehoward]

The actual car, revolving plates, machine guns, telescoping axle, ejector seat and retractable bullet proof shield.

[annyokie]

I sold Jags for a long time in the 80's. We had a beautiful E-type (canary yellow) that I sold to a pair of Frenchmen who were vacationing in San Diego.

After an hour of my pidgeon French and their broken English, we agreed and it was sold.

I had to go down to the Port and get a container to ship the thing to Marsailles and book passage for the car, as well.

Three weeks later, I am getting screaming phone calls from these guys about where their car is. Phone calls to the port, phone calls to France for two days. I'm starting to think the car is on the "Flying Dutchmen". It turns out the car when to Spain (oops! Wrong port!)

They finally got the car and I finally got my commission.

[SVTCobra03]

I drove behind a DB7 in Norman, Okla. Sharp looking car. Wish I could have seen if he could have kept up with me on the interstate.

[shaggy eel]

,,, I'm sorry to say I can't quite stretch to an Aston Martin, but I do what I can.