Dark grey, V12, and already being chased along an Italian road: Daniel Craig’s Bond takes the DBS with no ceremony. The Aston Martin DBS in Quantum of Solace is the car of a man who has just lost something and has no interest in discussing it. It is a grand tourer built in the late 2000s with its muscle kept mostly out of sight, and in our view the Aston Martin DBS Quantum of Solace car is the best argument for this Bond as a driver rather than a tourist.
In the film
Bond drives the dark grey DBS in the opening sequence of Quantum of Solace (2008), a car chase shot in Italy that picks up minutes after the end of Casino Royale. The same model had already appeared in that earlier film. The film is where the car is put to work.
The details
A 5,935cc V12. The engine is all-alloy, with four overhead camshafts and 48 valves. It is a large twelve-cylinder, and that is much of the car’s character.
A manual gearbox as standard. Aston Martin lists a six-speed manual as standard. For a car of this size, that is a statement about who it expects to be driving.
Carbon ceramic brakes. The discs are ventilated carbon ceramic, 398mm at the front with six-piston monobloc calipers and 360mm at the rear with four-piston calipers. Discs of this size are there for stopping, not for show.
Considered proportions. The DBS is 4,720mm long, 1,905mm wide and just 1,280mm high. It is wide and low, with the long bonnet of a front-engined GT, and the dark grey of the film car keeps it quiet.
Adaptive suspension. Double wishbones sit at both ends, with anti-dive geometry at the front, anti-squat and anti-lift at the rear, and monotube adaptive dampers throughout. It is worth asking a specialist about when you inspect one.
Owning the Aston Martin DBS Quantum of Solace now
The DBS is a past model. Aston Martin lists it among its former cars, so there is no new one to order. What remains is the used market, where condition and history matter more than any other consideration. The button below runs an eBay search for the model, which takes in eBay Motors listings; specialist dealers and auctions are the other routes. It is a car to buy slowly.
Which one to choose. We would look for the six-speed manual, the specification Aston Martin lists as standard, and for dark grey, the colour of the film car. A full service history is worth more than a low odometer reading.
How to use it. This is a car for a long weekend road rather than a commute: a coast road, a mountain pass, a night drive to somewhere worth arriving at. Pair it with unfussy clothes: a navy knit, a grey jacket, good driving shoes. The car supplies the drama.
Not the same as the newer DBS. The third-generation DBS arrived in 2019 and is a different car. The one in Quantum of Solace is the 2007 to 2012 model.
Specifications
| Model years | 2007 to 2012 |
|---|---|
| Engine | 5,935cc V12, all-alloy, quad overhead camshaft, 48-valve |
| Transmission | Six-speed manual (as standard) |
| Brakes | Front: ventilated carbon ceramic, 398mm, six-piston monobloc calipers. Rear: ventilated carbon ceramic, 360mm, four-piston monobloc calipers |
| Dimensions | 4,720mm long, 1,905mm wide, 1,280mm high |
| Suspension | Independent double wishbones front and rear, coil springs, anti-roll bars, monotube adaptive dampers |
| Availability | Past model; used market only |
Full details are on Aston Martin’s own page for the DBS and DBS Volante.
Questions
Is this the car Bond drives in Quantum of Solace?
Yes. Our catalogue records a dark grey DBS driven by Bond in the film, and Aston Martin itself says the DBS appeared in the opening sequence of Quantum of Solace.
Can you still buy a new Aston Martin DBS like this?
No. The 2007 to 2012 DBS is listed by Aston Martin among its past models, so any example you buy will be pre-owned. Check condition and service history carefully.
How many DBS cars were used in the film?
Seven, according to published accounts of the chase sequence. A car you can buy today is a standard production DBS, not one of those cars.
Is it the same as the later DBS Superleggera?
No. The DBS of Quantum of Solace is the second generation, built from 2007 to 2012. The third generation debuted in 2019 and is a different car.
More cars from the films are in our vehicles section, and the wider world of Bond on screen is in our films guide.
