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Bond in Motion car exhibit coming to L.A.'s Petersen Automotive Museum

The Petersen Automotive Museum was already a must-see for any car enthusiast visiting Los Angeles, and it's about to get a little better should you also be a James Bond fan. Opening Sept. 25 in the museum's appropriately named Grand Salon gallery will be the "Bond in Motion" exhibit of more than 30 cars, motorcycles, boats, submarines, helicopters and scale models used during the creation of the 24 official James Bond films. The timing corresponds with the Oct. 8 release of "No Time to Die," the upcoming 60th anniversary of the first Bond movie ... and hey, the release of our "All 24 James Bond movies ranked only by their cars." Highlights include many of the most famous Bond cars, including a 1977 Lotus Esprit S1 in submarine guise from "The Spy Who Loved Me," an Aston Martin V8 from "The Living Daylights," a 1999 BMW Z8 from "The World is Not Enough," the Aston Martin DB10 specially made for "Spectre," the post-flipped Aston Martin DBS from "Casino Royale," and one of the 1964 Aston Martin DB5s from the recent movies. I visited an exhibit of the same name back in 2013 at England's sensational Beaulieu Motor Museum. Although the one in L.A. won't be as comprehensive as that, simply due to logistics, many of the same vehicles and props will be present. You can see some of the photos from that exhibit below, and should you be a James Bond fan, can appreciate that it went much further than the Aston-heavy headliners above. In fact, it was hard to see what was missing from the collection. Tickets are on sale for the opening reception Sept. 23 featuring "one-night-only photo opportunities, live entertainment, food and martinis, shaken not stirred." Considering this is Los Angeles we're talking about, it's perfectly plausible this means noteworthy cast members from past films. Prices are $60 for general admission and $199 for VIP access, which includes exclusive access to the exhibit, "007 lounge" and a curated talk, plus complimentary food and a hosted bar.  The exhibit runs until October 2022.  AMC Hornet and Mercury Cougar XR7 View 22 Photos  

Aston Martin CEO plans for seven-vehicle lineup

Aston Martin which has survived for the last hundred or so years with a remarkably tiny vehicle lineup, is now making preparations for its next seven vehicles, according to the company's CEO, Andy Palmer. The CEO elaborated on the company's "Second Century Plan" explaining that it'd feature a three-pillar product road map that is apparently "crystal clear." Pillar one, sports cars, should surprise no one. The three-pronged lineup will continue, with the new DB11 sandwiched between the Vantage and Vanquish replacements. But don't expect more than three Aston sports cars – Palmer shut down the idea of a car below the Vantage. Next, we have "saloons," which means sedans, if you prefer coffee to tea and Hershey's to Cadbury. This is trickier, of course. In April of 2015, we reported that the Rapide sedan would die and that the DBX would be its replacement. But in October, we reported that the Rapide name may live on as an all-electric model. That same April report also claimed we'd see a Lagonda-badged sedan, which now seems like a virtual certainty following the success of the rare Lagonda Taraf. The tea leaves of pillar three – crossovers and "specials" – are the most difficult to read. We know the rakish DBX crossover is coming. But we're wagering that Aston will complement its CUV/SUV lineup with something more traditional that could combat stuff like the Bentley Bentayga. But rather than badging it as an Aston, we think it's more likely this hypothetical vehicle would be badged as a Lagonda. Here's why. The last thing we wrote about a Lagonda SUV came in July 2014, when reports indicated that plans for such a vehicle had been abandoned. But with the explosion in CUVs at virtually every price point, it seems impossible for Aston Martin to ignore the segment. This would give the company a two-pronged approach. We doubt Aston would reestablish the Lagonda brand to just sell a single vehicle. What about the specials, though? That sounds like low volume and high performance to us, which could mean a One-77 successor. Aston has gone on record as saying it'd be open to aerodynamic god Adrian Newey penning a hypercar design. In fact, regarding a Newey-designed Aston, Palmer himself said, "There is rarely smoke without fire." If this were to ever happen, though, we're betting it won't be for some time. The DB11, Vantage/Vanquish replacements, and DBX will be the first new vehicles from the brand, Palmer indicated.

Aston Martin lead designer doesn't fear the future

Marek Reichman is the chief creative officer of Aston Martin, so he oversees the creation of some of the world's most desirable vehicles. This includes not only the production cars from the venerable British brand, like the DB11 coupe and convertible, or the all-new Vantage, but also "Specials." These limited-edition, extremely expensive, outrageous and drool-worthy custom vehicles are developed by Aston's special advanced engineering skunkworks, like the Vulcan and Valkyrie. And, now, with the revival and reimagining of Lagonda as an electric and autonomous ultra-luxury sub-brand, he's also responsible for creating a full line of vehicles to fill out its offerings — a limousine, a coupe and an SUV. Speaking at the global launch of the brand's new Vantage — long its best-selling vehicle and the entry-level gateway into the Aston universe — Reichman is cautiously optimistic about the future of the traditional sports car. In part, because he believes that some humans will always crave speed and feel. "Washing clothes became automated, building refrigerators became automated. Everything becomes automated, because we see it as advanced," Reichman says. "But there will always be a segment of the population that wants that experience. That engagement." Of course, as technology advances toward the alleged inevitability of our electric and autonomous future, and rules regarding who can own or drive what kind of car lead or follow, this segment may become increasingly restricted. Reichman lives in Oxford, England, which will become the first city in Europe to completely ban carbon-emitting vehicles in the start of the next decade, so he is well aware of these impending changes. "At the high performance end it might become the province of the rich, who will need private spaces to use these vehicles," he says. "But what will happen with the Morgans or the Lotuses of the world — the more accessible brands? There may still be a place for them." View 17 Photos This sense of possibility stems from Reichman's belief that the next generation can hold simultaneously divergent ideas. "I think there is always going to be a space for the personal need and desire for performance driving. I see it even in kids today," he says. "They believe in the world of electrification. That that is their inevitable future.