Cars Tailored for Cinema

Somewhere along the peaceful roads of Geneva, James Bond drove his Aston Martin DB5 leisurely. His relaxed mood masqueraded the inherent danger that surrounded him. Of course, knowing Bond, he wasn't on vacation. Rather, he was on a mission, tracking down a notorious smuggler.

But out of the blue, a 1964 Ford Mustang swept by, overtaking the Aston Martin as though it was parked still.

Bond downshifted and revved up his engine to match the pace of the Mustang. He did so, not because he was out there to prove the brute strength of his car, but because the driver of the Mustang was an irresistable woman that suited Bond's liking.

Upon noticing that his focus was centered on chasing the woman rather than chasing the criminal, Bond gradually lifted his foot off the throttle. "Discipline 007" he told himself "Discipline".

Bond parked his car, went outside and positioned himself at the side of the hill. He had a perfect view of his target. But during his reconnaissance, a shot was fired: the source was at the summit. The bullet narrowly missed Bond who instinctively ducked for cover. Bond looked towards the source of the gunshot. To his surprise, he saw the Mustang; and that attractive woman who was getting ready to scram.

Bond dashed to his DB5 and pursued the Mustang. At that moment, it was Aston Martin vs. Ford.

Die hard fans of the James Bond films will immediately recognize that the scene depicted above was from Goldfinger which premiered in 1964. The fans should also know what happened next: The DB5 shredding the whole right side of the Ford Mustang thanks to the modifications that Q fitted in the Aston Martin.

Of course, in a British movie, the British car will naturally triumph over the American car. But biases aside, there was no denying that the cars of cinema were given some sort of personality. The cars projected the romance of adventure. In essence, the cars that tailored cinematic standards were practically classified as stars. Indeed, the Aston Martin DB5 and the continuous line of Ford Mustangs are still cemented deeply in pop culture.

Nowadays, movies attempt to glamorize certain cars like the old days. To a certain degree, cars do get 'star' attention. The latest Bond movie Casino Royale, showcasing the DBS, is proof that the trend will never end.

However, despite decent screen emphasis, I feel that exotic cars in cinema fall short of the glamor of their predecessors.

The DB5 was iconic during its day. The DBS however, never had the same type of reception. People may argue that the DB5 showcased cool gadgets while the DBS didn't.

Maybe so. But the V12 Vanquish in Die Another Day also showcased an extensive array of gadgets (it turns invicible for crying out loud). But the Vanquish still did not receive the type of reception that graced the DB5.

Perhaps it's because times have changed. Back in 1964, sports cars were a product of passion exuded by their manufacturers. The cars displayed a very distinctive personality.

Nowadays, the cinematic car's glamorous image is rigidly scripted into corporate marketing plans.

In Goldfinger, Aston Martin was Aston Martin and Ford was Ford. During the time of Casino Royale however, Aston Martin was still owned by Ford (Although even after the sale, Ford still owns $70M worth of Aston Martin shares) that drove through streets crawling with Jaguars and Land Rovers (which happened to be products also owned by Ford).

Watching the DBS in Casino Royale, I couldn't help but notice the subtle advertisements that continually popped up. Yes the DBS looks kick-ass, but it was still 'just' one of the tools that advertised the corporate giant known as Ford. In a sense, the DBS was never truly segregated from the Jaguar S-Type or the Land Rover. The DBS seemed to be the lead choir member singing the same tune that the Jaguar and the Land Rover sang.

- the song of "FORD!!!"