Aston Martin Spotlights the Cars of Secret Agent James Bond at L.A. Auto Show

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 18, 2002; For nearly 40 years, Aston Martin and British secret agent 007 have been synonymous with panache. From thrilling high-speed car chases with the villains' henchmen to romantic interludes with his leading ladies, James Bond has closely relied on his Aston Martins for luxury, performance and cutting-edge technology.

This January at the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show to commemorate its return to the Bond classics, Aston Martin will stage a special display that highlights some of the distinguished cars made famous by the consummate connoisseur.

Once immersed in the exhibit, visitors will see a variety of props and "optional equipment" that were cleverly devised for the action-packed films, as well as video highlights from some of the movies' more memorable moments. The display's centerpiece, however, will be the cars; highlighted by what many consider to be the classic James Bond car of all time -- the DB5 that Sean Connery popularized in 1964's Goldfinger and the following year in Thunderball.

Certainly not to be missed are the cars featured in the upcoming thriller, Die Another Day that opens in theatres nationwide on Nov. 22. Alongside Bond's (Pierce Brosnan) gadget-loaded Aston Martin V12 Vanquish, which in the film is chased around a frozen lake in Iceland, will be the Ford Thunderbird and Jaguar XKR that play supporting roles in the gripping film.

Aston Martin and James Bond continue to be the epitome of sophistication. And with Los Angeles being the automobile and entertainment capital of the world, it is a natural extension to celebrate both through this captivating exhibit at the L.A. Auto Show.

The L.A. Auto Show, the first major auto show of the year where more than two dozen vehicles will receive their World or North American debut, will be open to the public from Jan. 4-12 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. For additional information, log onto www.LAautoshow.com.