James Bond. MI6. Aston Martin. There’s just something so symphonic that you would think that they came into being at the same time. While many of us have seen Agent 007 blaze around in Aston Martin’s over the years, the British automotive brand is seldom discussed in peer groups, with its German and Italian counterparts basking all the limelight.

Having had the pleasure of recently visiting Big Boy Toyz at M.G. Road who provide pre-owned Aston Martin cars, this peerless beauty of a car has caught my fancy like never before! The other thing that I observed during that visit was that the folks at BBT not only understand the lineage of the brand, they endorse it very religiously! The used Aston Martin cars they have on offer are well maintained from the inside out, with attention to each and every tiny detail. In fact, they are so spic and span, that if you were to see one of them on the road, you are most likely to pass them off as practically brand new!

Aston Martins are unparalleled in the context that not only are they impressive on the performance front, they possess an iconic cinematic legacy which is practically unrivaled. While the brand came into being in 1913, it was only by 1947 that the ship steadied under the leadership of Sir David Brown.

The love affair between the flamboyant and suave spy and the indigenously luxurious sports car began in 1964 with the ‘Gold finger’ where Sean Connery drove the Aston Martin DB 5. Since then, both the spy and the machine of his choice have evolved, with the likes of V8 Vantage, Vanquish and DBS gracing the screen. The last movie in the franchise, Daniel Craig starrer ‘Sky fall’ (2012) was an ode to the original DB 5 and its beautiful fine lines as he drove the beauty all the way back to his home in Scotland. And if spy shots are to be believed, then the upcoming ‘Spectre’ will boast of the latest in line DB10.

While that might have refreshed the 007-Aston Martin combination over the years, the essence of this relationship has been the rise in prominence of a sports car brand unlike any other. And it doesn't show any signs of waning!