Bond-inspired baby comes in smoking hot and guns blazing

DRIVING a high-powered old school sports car loaded with all sorts of anti-baddie devices, right up to a pair of nose-mounted rotating barrel machineguns?

It’s childs’ play, obviously.

Actually, it really is.

It turns out more than Jaguar Land Rover is leveraging the latest James Bond move.

The Little Car Company, Aston Martin and film maker EON Productions have announced the launch of a ‘No Time To Die’ special edition Aston Martin DB5 junior – that is, two-thirds scale version of the car our hero drives in the movie, equipped with a plethora of gadgets, including two simulated Gatling guns behind the headlights, a skid mode, a digital numberplate and a smoke screen emitted from the tailpipe. 

There are also some secret ‘Easter Eggs’ hidden within the car for the lucky owners to find.

The wee car might be best-suited for kids to drive, but there’s good reason why it is being touted as an adults-only collectors’ item: It’s impressively detailed.

 In addition to getting the car’s general look right – a result of the original Aston Martin DB5 being 3D-scanned for reference - it’s highly finished in Silver Birch paintwork, Smiths instruments, individually numbered chassis plates and Aston Martin badging.

Of course, while some elements of the car have been replicated, others have been reimagined for the modern era. The fuel gauge has been converted into a battery meter, while the oil temperature now monitors the motor temperature.

Motor? Battery? For sure. The double-oh doppelganger precedes the Aston Marin brand proper in being driven by a fully electric powertrain capable of 130 kilometres’ range, with regenerative braking, Brembo disc brakes, Bilstein dampers and coilover springs. 

Obviously, too, this edition has been designed as a convertible, and not the fixed head coupe driven by 007. This, the maker says, is to offer seating for an adult and child side by side, “allowing all generations of Bond fans to share the love of driving”.

Chris Corbould OBE, an Oscar-winning special effects supervisor who has worked on 15  Bond films since the early 1980s (nerd fact, NTTD is the 27th film in the franchise) consulted with The Little Car Company on the development of the car’s complex gadgets in miniature.

“When I saw the DB5 Junior in the flesh, I was amazed at how identical it is to the full-sized car – its stunning. It’s an amazing feat of engineering.”

All the gadgets, are operated by individual controls in a hidden switch panel in the passenger door. At the push of a button, the headlights drop to reveal a twin set of simulated Gatling guns, complete with imitation barrel blasts and flashes. 

As witnessed in the ‘No Time To Die’ trailer, the skid mode comes in handy when caught in a tight spot. The special edition has a unique digital number plate activated through the hidden control panel.

Just like the original car, this special edition can produce a smoke screen to aid a successful getaway. Ejected through the rear ‘exhaust’, the smoke has a supply tank which supplies an hour of safe smoke before it needs topping up.

Although the DB5 Junior is not road legal, as an authentic Aston Martin model, every owner will receive automatic membership of the respected Aston Martin Owners Club.

In addition, all clients will receive complimentary membership of The Little Car Club, allowing them to take part in exclusive events where they, their children and their grandchildren can drive their DB5 Juniors on the most prestigious racetracks.

So you’re keen?

Better be quick, because only 125 are being built, and, erm, better be tremendously wealthy … because each one costs $175,000.

You can find out more on 007junior.com.

Meantime, the DB5 is among four Aston Martins that Bond uses in No Time To Die. He also gets behind the wheel of a V8, a modern DBS, and the forthcoming Valhalla. There’s no talk about those cars being replicated.