VIDEO: Bond #23 SkyFall trailer is out, but where are the cars..?

Compared to ‘Casino Royale’ and ‘Quantum of Solace’, which bombarded us with images of Aston’s new (at the time) V12-engine DBS, the latest Bond film, ‘SkyFall’, seems much less of a car-fest for enthusiasts.

Aston Martin’s 1964 DB5 is back, bearing the original number plate, BMT 216A, as used in the 007 classic, Goldfinger. But the DB5 looks like being the only Aston making an appearance this time, albeit as Bond’s personal set of wheels.

Also, whereas Quantum of Solace saw heavy (i.e. excessive) product placements from Ford, SkyFall will be a strictly Jaguar and Land Rover affair – although with more than 70 cars provided for the film it will be interesting to see just how covert the film makers manage to be.

A Range Rover Vogue TDV8 SE stands in for official MI6 duties, whilst Jaguar’s long-wheelbase XJ provides a tranquil means of transportation for ‘M’.

Land Rover’s venerable Defender will be used in some of the ‘chase scenes’, whilst the Evoque will also be make an appearance. The 4×4 will be driven by Bond’s fellow MI6 field-agent Eve, played by Namoie Harris (below).

Directed by Sam Mendes, the 23rd Bond film also stars Dame Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Bérénice Marlohe, Naomie Harris and Ben Whishaw.

Five-time Bond composer David Arnold, who’s scored every 007 film since 1997, turned down the roll on SkyFall and has been replaced by Thomas Newman, who has previously worked with Mendes.

Arnold, who we interviewed about his Bond movies back in 2010, is musical director for the 2012 London Olympic Games – as can also be seen on BBC 1’s comedy show, The Matt Lucas Awards.

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For little boys who’ve never grown up, there will be a SkyFall Scalextric set (1:32) to accompany the film and mark the 50th anniversary of the world’s best known secret agent.

For a retail price of £119.99 you can re-enact scenes from the film on track or make up your own exciting chase scenes using the gravity defying flying leap (Scalextric’s words, not mine).

The set comes with a 532cm track, two hand controllers and an Aston Martin DB5 and Range Rover Vogue. That’s my Christmas present sorted then..

So, what happened to Bentley?

The rumour mill went into overtime last year when the author Jeffery Deaver, launched his new 007 novel, Carte Blanche.

In Ian Fleming’s books, Bond drives a Bentley, so it seemed only fitting for Deaver’s publishers, Hodder & Stoughton, to collaborate with Bentley at its inaugural launch in Dubai and thereafter at London’s St Pancras station.

But a multi-film deal had already been signed by Jaguar Land Rover’s owner (Indian carmaker Tata Motors), after the three-film contract between EON Productions and Ford came up for renewal in 2008.

Julian Jenkins, VP, Aston Martin the Americas, said in this month’s Variety Magazine, that his company is delighted to see James Bond continue his “love affair” with Aston Martin.

“Aston Martin is now synonymous with James Bond and undoubtedly this long-standing association has enabled us to achieve greater brand awareness globally, particularly in areas and nations where our brand is perhaps otherwise not as well known.”

SkyFall is scheduled for release on November 9th, 2012.

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