James Bond has impeccable taste: ice-cold martinis; beautiful, exotic women; customtailored suits, and, of course, the latest Aston Martin. From Goldfinger to Tomorrow Never Dies to Quantum of Solace, an Aston has made a cameo in 10 different Bond films.

And like 007, the car company is one of Britain’s greatest creations and quite enduring. For the last 95 years, Aston Martin has been producing fast, sleek and highly sought-after sports cars such as the DBS coupe, which was introduced in 2008 and was “a successful model,” according to the company’s CEO, Ulrich Bez. But he asked himself, “What can we do more?” The answer? A convertible. Enter the DBS Volante, which only took about a year and a half to develop—incredibly quick for the auto industry. “We are small and nimble,” explains Bez. “We make fast decisions.”

Speaking of fast, the new convertible, which will cost around $300,000 and will be available this fall, has a top speed of 191 miles per hour and goes from 0 to 62mph in 4.3 seconds. The retractable roof is also pretty quick, closing in just 14 seconds. If you want one, you’ll have to be fast, too—just under 100 of the cars will be sold in the US this year. But it’s not just about speed. The DBS Volante comes with all the luxe touches you’d expect in a modern luxury car, including leather seats and a 13-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system (yes, there’s an iPod dock), and has a small backseat for two.

The cars are also designed to be comfortable, even if you’re going for an extra-long drive. “Aston Martin is the balance of opposites,” says Bez. “I want to use my car every day.” If that car was a DBS Volante, we’d find it hard to disagree. For more information, visit astonmartin.com.

NEW YORK FAVORITES
Place to Drive: The Brooklyn Bridge
Copilot: Aston Martin chairman David Richards
Borough: The Bronx
Hotel: The Cooper Square Hotel
Restaurant: Table 8