LINK: The Writer, The Spy and The Silver Beast - John Gardner's 007

Very nice post on the official Ian Fleming Publications website about John Gardner's Bond and his choice of automobile. Click the headline to have a read.

Rick Tulka's LICENSE RENEWED: Night flight!

Continuing our special 40th anniversary celebration of John Gardner's License Renewed with another illustration by Rick Tulka. These appeared in a New York Post serialization of the book in July/August 1981 and are from the collection of our good friend Delmo Walters Jr.

This time Tulka shows us Bond's late night escape from Anton Murik's Scottish castle in his fully equipped Saab 900 Turbo.

Yes, James Bond drove a Saab in the first three John Gardner books, and it was awesome! At least I thought so. Check out my post: BOND'S BEAST - WHEN OO7 DROVE A SAAB.

Tomorrow: Sniper's roost

Jaguar from THE FACTS OF DEATH and HIGH TIME TO KILL

Bond author Raymond Benson has shared the following on his Twitter. This is great. I love the Bond book cars, and the Jaguar XK8 was a great one.

I found the awesome design/drawings by the brilliant Fergus Pollock of the Jaguar XK8 that James Bond drove in my novels THE FACTS OF DEATH (1998) and HIGH TIME TO KILL (1999). Fergus helped come up with the "extras." @JaguarUK @Jaguar @JaguarUSA pic.twitter.com/xXcBRNm9tq

— Raymond Benson (@RaymondBenson) June 3, 2019

ROLE OF HONOUR 1985 Coronet paperback

It's been a while since I've had any news to post, so I thought today I'd share a favorite cover. I'm a sucker for covers that show Bond's car, and the new Bentley Mulsanne Turbo was a big part of John Gardner's fourth Bond adventure, Role of Honour, so this was a great choice of image.

This cover was among a batch of Gardner UK paperback revamps from Coronet released in 1985. If things stay slow, I'll share some more!

A HARD MAN TO KILL on new Ian Fleming website

Ian Fleming Publications has launched a completely redesigned website today. Browsing the new site offerings, I spotted what appears to be an upcoming eBook edition of Charlie Higson's Young Bond short story, A Hard Man To Kill.

A Hard Man To Kill was first published in 2009 as part of the book Danger Society: The Young Bond Dossier. The story is set between the books Hurricane Gold and By Royal Command and takes place aboard an ocean liner. It's an excellent story that also sees the return of Wilder Lawless from SilverFin. This marks its first availability in a solo edition.

While A Hard Man To Kill is listed in the new Ian Fleming website shop, the "Buy Now" link doesn't yet work, so consider this one a preview.

Check out the new Ian Fleming website at www.ianfleming.com. You can also follow on Twitter and Facebook.

Video: John Gardner with James Bond's "SILVER BEAST"

This year marks the 35th anniversary of John Gardner's first James Bond continuation novel, License Renewed. That book ushered in a new era of James Bond continuation novels that are still going strong today. Here is a Clip from a 1981 ATV interview with John Gardner featuring the promotional Saab 900 Turbo that toured the UK during the book's launch.

The Saab 900 aka "The Silver Beast" has always been a personal favorite Bond car. Read: BOND'S BEAST - WHEN OO7 DROVE A SAAB.

Thanks to Brian McKaig and Simon Gardner for this one.

WIN a signed copy of Trigger Mortis and an Aston Martin Driving Experience

Here's a chance to win a signed copy of Trigger Mortis and an Aston Martin Driving Experience via the good folks at buyagift. Open to UK residents only.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

ANTHONY HOROWITZ arrives in Bond's latest ride

New James Bond author Anthony Horowitz arrived at Waterstones Piccadilly today in a vintage Bentley, presumably a Bentley Mark VI, the car 007 drives in Trigger Mortis. This photo was posted to Twitter by Kate Mills (@Kate7Mills), fiction editor of Orion Publishing.

It has become tradition for the new Bond author to arrive at launch events in the car from the book. In 2008, Sebastian Faulks transported the first copy of Devil May Care to Waterstones Piccadilly in a classic Bentley. Jeffery Deaver arrived at the Carte Blanche launch in a new Bentley Continental GT. A fleet of Jensens was a highlight of the SOLO launch event at The Dorchester Hotel in 2013.

Trigger Mortis will be released in the UK and U.S. tomorrow.

Purchase Trigger Mortis U.S. edition.

Purchase Trigger Mortis UK edition.

SILVER BEAST for your toy shelf

Check out this scale replica of James Bond's Saab 900 Turbo ("The Silver Beast") from the John Gardner 007 books. This sold on eBay a while back. It doesn't appear to be an official release – the Saab used here is actually a later model than what Bond drove in the books – but it's still pretty cool!

Wouldn't it be fun of IFP got together with a toy company and produced official replicas of the James Bond novels cars?

You can read all about the history of Bond's Saab here: BOND'S BEAST - WHEN OO7 DROVE A SAAB.

James Bond will drive a Bentley in TRIGGER MORTIS

Author Anthony Horowitz has confirmed via Twitter that James Bond will be driving a Bentley in his new novel, Trigger Mortis. But which Bentley will Bond be piloting? Will it be the Bentley Mark VI that Bond purchases at the end of Moonraker? Or will it be his beloved Bentley Mark II Continental, "the locomotive", which first appears in Thunderball? As Trigger Mortis is set in 1957 between these novels, Horowitz appears to have his pick. (And, no, I've not yet peeked in the proof to find the answer.)

Trigger Mortis is based in part on unpublished Ian Fleming material. Locations include Germany and the United States. It will be released on September 8, 2015 in both the U.S. and UK.

Pre-order Trigger Mortis UK edition.

Pre-order Trigger Mortis U.S. edition.

Erik Carlsson, 1929-2015

Erik Carlsson, a.k.a. "Mr. Saab", has passed away at age 86. Carlsson was an international rally racing star who assisted author John Gardner in research for his third James Bond novel, Icebreaker. Gardner thanked Carlsson by including him in the book:

Bond then flew via Helsinki to Rovaniemi, to meet up with driving experts, like his old friend Erik Carlsson and the dapper Simo Lampinen. The Driving Course took only a few days, and after a word to the massive Erik Carlsson, who promised to keep an eye on the Silver Beast, he left the hotel near Rovaniemi in the early hours of a bitterly cold morning.

Later Carlsson brings Bond's Saab 900 Turbo north and leaves 007 a note in his glove compartment which reads:

Good luck, Whatever You're Doing... Remember what I've taught you about the left foot!!! -Erik.

Read Erik Carlsson's obituary at The Telegraph.

Irish Motorist on 007's SAAB and that bloody Alan Dukes!

Reader Donal Rogers from Ireland has sent over this terrific article from the June 1983 issue of Irish Motorist about James Bond's new choice of car, the Saab 900 Turbo. Of course, by 1983 we were three books into the John Gardner cycle, so I'm not sure how "new" the Saab really was at this time. But it's a fun article and I especially love the mid-article rant about...Alan Dukes?

Donal tells me, "Alan Dukes was the Irish Minister for Finance at the time the article and so would have been responsible for difficult national budgets at a time of severe economic crisis for Ireland in the early 1980s."

I also like the expression of dismay that Bond is "now a regular jogger." I had to think about it, but I do recall that Bond does go jogging while at the Anton Murik estate in License Renewed, but I'm pretty sure it's so he can surveil the property.

Anyway, enjoy this blast from Ireland's past.

Click to enlarge.

Thank you Donal.

CASINO ROYALE 60th Anniversary Bentley Special Edition

Somewhat lost in the all the Solo news last week was the announcement of another major James Bond release coming November 1st. To mark the 60th anniversary of Ian Fleming’s classic Casino Royale, Vintage Classics and Bentley Motors will release a "luxury limited edition" of the 1953 novel that introduced the world to OO7. Here's the full press release:

Vintage Classics and Bentley Motors create luxury special edition to mark 60 years of Casino Royale

Featuring new introduction from Sir Stirling Moss

‘Bond’s car was his only personal hobby. One of the last of the 4 ½ litre Bentleys with the supercharger by Amherst Villiers, he had bought it almost new in 1933 and had kept it in careful storage throughout the war… Bond drove it hard and well and with an almost sensual pleasure.’ Ian Fleming, Casino Royale, 1953

As part of the James Bond celebrations this week to continue the 60th anniversary of Ian Fleming’s first James Bond novel, Casino Royale, it is today announced that Vintage Classics has partnered with Bentley Motors to create a luxury limited edition of the book that introduced Special Agent 007 to the world.

The special edition features an exclusive introduction from racing legend, Sir Stirling Moss, making it a true collector’s item. Just 500 editions will be produced, each costing £750.

The Bentley is James Bond’s car of choice in the original Fleming novels and Ian Fleming was a huge admirer of the Bentley Boys, seduced by their adventures on the racing track. In his introduction, Sir Stirling Moss comments: ‘When it came to cars Fleming really knew his stuff… he must have known that the fabulous pre-war Bentleys won at Le Mans four years in a row from 1927-30.’ This iconic edition aims to capture that spirit of adventure and the glamour associated with these leading British brands.

The book has been created by designers Kris Potter and Stephen Parker at Random House, who were inspired following a trip to the Bentley Motors HQ in Crewe. They comment: ‘We knew that any design we came up with would have to reflect the incredible craftsmanship and heritage we had seen in the Bentley cars at Crewe, the challenge for us was how we could combine this with the coolness and nostalgia of Bond... The inspiration was endless.’

From the hand-bound beluga leather casing to distinctive Bentley features such as hand-stitched embroidery and silver foil page edges, this special edition of Casino Royale is produced with only the very finest materials. Its striking red, white and black colouring is a nod to the gambling theme of Fleming’s first novel, where Bond famously takes on his adversary, Le Chiffre, over a game of baccarat. A special feature of this edition is the bespoke set of playing cards, hidden within a secret compartment.

Click to enlarge.

Key features of the design:

* Presented in an elegant leather clamshell case, this edition of Fleming’s best-loved Bond book is an object of automotive craftsmanship.

* The case and special edition are bound in beluga coloured leather, sourced from the tannery in Italy which provides hides for Bentley’s interiors.

* Using Bentley’s craftsmanship, this edition features the iconic double stitching and signature winged Bentley logo – all hand stitched on the leather casing.

* Bentley’s trademark knurling adorns the metal spine. This feature is inspired by the Bentley steel tread plate.

* Each book has a limitation marque with Ian Fleming’s signature, reflecting the plate you would find on a Bentley engine.

* Throughout each book are evocative brush illustrations by the Award winning illustrator Damian Gascoigne.

* Removing the book from the clamshell reveals a hidden compartment. Within this secret compartment lies a leather-bound case of Bentley Bond playing cards.

Click to enlarge.

Published on 13 April 1953 by Jonathan Cape, Casino Royale introduced James Bond to the world. The first print run of 4,728 copies sold out within a month. Following this initial success, Fleming went on to publish a Bond title every year until his death in 1964. It is in Casino Royale where 007 first utters the immortal line ‘Bond - James Bond’ and where Bond first reveals his recipe for the famous Martini cocktail, christened the ‘Vesper’ after the first Bond girl, Vesper Lynd. The artwork for the original cover was designed by Fleming himself, decorated with a heart motif to reflect a playing card.

2013 is an exciting year for Bond publishing. Earlier this year to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Casino Royale, Random House –which houses Fleming’s original publisher, Jonathan Cape - released new editions of Fleming’s non-fiction books Thrilling Cities and The Diamond Smugglers. Today, Jonathan Cape published the next authorised James Bond continuation novel, Solo by William Boyd.

The book is available from 1st November 2013 exclusively from Random House and is available to customers globally, excluding the USA and Philippines. Orders can be placed through a dedicated Random House phone number.

From the UK: 01206 255666
From outside the UK: +44 1206 255666

Click to enlarge.

Quotes on the design of the special edition

“Bentley is very pleased to have been asked to get involved in the design of this very special book. We have worked closely with the team at Vintage to develop a design that has the same luxurious feel and quality of finish as the finest cars in the World.” Harry Cooklin, Marketing Communications Manager, Bentley Motors Ltd:

Tom Drake-Lee, Vintage Sales Director and Bond Brand Manager:

‘Bentley’s focus on hand-craftsmanship and their use of high-end materials made them an irresistible partner for the anniversary special edition of Casino Royale. It’s a spectacular combination of three of Britain’s iconic brands – Bond, Bentley and Vintage.’

Statement from Kris Potter and Stephen Parker, Designers, Random House

‘We knew that any design we came up with would have to reflect the incredible craftsmanship and heritage we had seen in the Bentley cars at Crewe, the challenge for us was how we could combine this with the coolness and nostalgia of Bond. We were inspired by all the details we saw at Crewe from the iconic double stitching of the leather interior, the power-lines of the body work, the machine turned panels, embroidered head rests, to the bright works of the engraved tread-plates and the engine limitation plates. The inspiration was endless.

For visual references from the book the casino setting seemed an obvious place to start and we felt there should be a strong visual link to the imagery associated with casinos and playing baccarat. The colours of the playing cards, the textures and the excitement of the casino itself informed our choice of colour palette of black, white and red of the nine of hearts. As Bond’s fate hangs on the turn of the nine of hearts card, the idea came to us that if we could hide some playing cards within the book it would both increase the feeling of interaction as well as reinforcing the sense of espionage. We wanted the book to have unexpected elements and a playfulness.

We wanted to enhance the enjoyment of the book for our readers by embellishing the pages with evocative brush illustrations. Award-winning illustrator Damian Gascoigne was commissioned to highlight key points from the text with simple line, giving the pages an energy that embodies both the thrill and excitement of the book. They give glimpses of the plot whilst providing a decorative balance to the text design.

The black leather box is a clam shell design of impressive scale when opened. We wanted this to have real impact and to echo the desire for the unexpected we had seen at Bentley we chose to line the box with a shock of red, only visible in a small flash from the outside. The book itself sits proud from the box and is bound in the same leather highlighting the craftsmanship of Bentley with the use of embroidery on the title and logo and the double stitching. Lastly we incorporated the tread plate design we had seen at Bentley for the spine, which has its own metal plate set into the leather, this has been echoed on the page edges with the use of silver foil.

For the hidden playing cards we wanted to reflect the interior of the cars and looked to the beautiful machine turned panels that would have been in the Bentley Blower driven by Bond in the book. We utilised the dark and light variants to differentiate between the two packs. We wanted the box containing the cards to have the same red lining as the main box and again to have that flash of red around the opening.’ 

Click to enlarge.

The Casino Royale Bentley Special Edition will be released November 1st, 2013 exclusively from Random House and is available to customers globally, excluding the USA and Philippines. Orders can be placed through a dedicated Random House phone number.

From the UK: 01206 255666
From outside the UK: +44 1206 255666

With thanks to Ceri Maxwell of Vintage Books.

SOLO's seven thrilling cities revealed

The launch this morning of Solo, the new James Bond novel by William Boyd, also saw the launch of a unique worldwide promotional stunt. During a James Bond-inspired breakfast at London's The Dorchester Hotel, author William Boyd signed the first 7 copies of the book - Solo 001 to 007 - and handed them off to "ambassadors" of British Airways. Each copy was then transported to Heathrow airport in a convoy of 7 vintage Jensen cars – Bond's car of choice in the new book – driven by their owners, members of the Jensen Owners’ Club.

At Heathrow's Terminal 5 the books were collected on a red carpet in first class departures by 7 captains. Staring today and continuing through tomorrow, Solo 001 - 007 will be flown to 7 thrilling cities with each book encased in a perspex briefcase and strapped into the cockpit for the duration of its flight. On arrival at the destination, the captain of each plane will hand deliver his book into the hands of a dedicated contact.

The 7 destinations from today’s launch were chosen for their connections to the international publication of the book, or their relevance to William Boyd, Ian Fleming and the original Bond books. They are:

Solo 001 – Amsterdam, Netherlands
BA0438. Departs LHR: 13.15; arrives AMS: 15.35

Amsterdam is a major consumer of English language literature and therefore the natural choice of destination for Solo 001 in Europe. Holland–based publisher A.W. Bruna was the first international publisher to take and translate the original Ian Fleming novels in the 1950s; they are still in print today.

Solo will be published by Random House Europe on 26 September.

On arrival in Amsterdam, Solo 001 will be filmed by Schiphol TV as it makes its way through the airport and arrives at the AKO Books & Travel airport store. The book will be showcased again on Saturday 28 September, as part of a major event at the AKO bookstore in The Hague, where it will arrive in a Jensen for a red carpet welcome.

Solo 002 – Edinburgh, Scotland
BA1448. Departs LHR: 15.40; arrives EDI: 17.00

James Bond’s Scottish heritage is well-known. His father, Andrew Bond of Glencoe, is Scottish. On being expelled from Eton, the young Bond attends Edinburgh school Fettes, and it is where he learns some of the fighting skills he will go on to use in his career as a spy: ‘By the time he left, at the early age of seventeen, he had twice fought for the school as a light-weight and had, in addition, founded the first serious judo class at a British public school.’ (You Only Live Twice).

Although William Boyd was born in Ghana, he shares Bond’s Scottish blood and was educated there at Gordonstoun School. Fleming himself had Scottish roots and once mused to a friend that he expected to eventually return to Scotland to live out his last years, ‘something calls you to the neighbourhood of your people’s place. It’s a mystique.’

In Solo, Bond spends a brief spell in Edinburgh, where he celebrates being discharged from hospital with champagne and oysters, smoked salmon and scrambled egg in an oyster bar off Princes Street.

On arrival in Edinburgh, Solo 002 will be collected from the airport by Alex McGowan, Executive Director of the Lyceum Theatre. William Boyd will be talking on Solo at the Lyceum on Monday 30 September. Solo 002 will then be taken on a tour of the locations featured in Solo, including Princes Street, George Street and Waverley station. Then, on the night of Boyd’s Lyceum event, Solo 002 will be awarded to one lucky member of the audience, following a prize draw.

Solo 003 – Zurich, Switzerland
BA0718. Departs LHR: 16.10; arrives ZRH: 18.50

Switzerland has a special significance to James Bond. His mother, Monique Delacroix, was Swiss. In Goldfinger, Zurich is one of the places Auric Goldfinger stores his gold. Solo will be published by Random House Europe on 26 September.

On arrival in Zurich, Solo 003 will be transported to Orell Füssli’s ‘The Bookshop’, the largest English language bookshop on the European continent. There it will be put under lock and key until just before Christmas, when it will be put on display – along with memorabilia from the launch – in the window of the store. This special edition will make a Christmas present to remember for whoever wins the prize.

Solo 004 – Los Angeles, USA
BA0269. Departs LHR: 16.15; arrives LAX: 19.15

‘Welcome to the USA, Mr Fitzjohn’ the immigration officer said, stamping his passport. ‘Business or pleasure? ‘Bit of both’ Bond said.’ Solo by William Boyd.

Filmic Bond has had long associations with Hollywood, but literary Bond also has his own connections with LA. In his non-fiction book, Thrilling Cities, Ian Fleming wrote: ‘Hollywood likes to have first bite at anyone who is ‘new’ and even moderately successful, and at twelve-thirty I was having lunch in the Brown Derby with a producer who wanted to make a fortune out of me in exchange for a glass of water and a crust of bread.’

On arrival in Los Angeles, Solo 004 will be collected from its captain by Robert Laycock, Fleming’s great-nephew, who lives there. Robert will then gift Solo 004 to the California-based Ian Fleming Foundation, along with the US edition of Solo (published by HarperCollins on 8 October), for their archive. The Foundation’s Chairman is Ian Fleming’s former literary agent, Peter Janson-Smith, and its President is Mike VanBlaricum, one of the foremost collectors of ‘Bondiana’ in the world.

Solo 005 – Delhi, India
BA257 . Departs LHR 17.35; arrives DEL: 06.20, 26 September

During the winter of 1944, official war work took Fleming to India. He was conducting a review into the intelligence infrastructure of the newly created British Pacific Fleet, and whilst in the country he found time to visit his brother Peter, who was staying in Delhi.

Solo will be published by Random House India on 26 September.

On arrival in Delhi, Solo 005 will be picked up by a special Solo auto and taken on city tour where it will be photographed at key sites including the Red Fort, Qutub Minar and India Gate. Later, Solo 005 will be handed over to the Landmark bookstore as a competition prize.

Solo 006 – Cape Town, South Africa
BA 059. Departs LHR: 19.30; arrives CPT: 07.55, 26 September

‘As the plane taxied towards the terminal buildings Bond gazed out of the window at Africa, lit by the early morning sun.’ Solo

Half of the action in Solo takes place in Zanzarim, a fictitious African country. William Boyd has long association with the continent and it is perhaps no surprise that he chose to feature Africa in the book.

Solo will be published by Random House Struik on 26 September.

On arrival in South Africa, Solo 006 will be filmed and collected by Expresso TV. On Friday 27 September, Solo 006 will arrive on set, via motorcycle, of the Express TV breakfast show where the CEO of Random House Struik, Steve Connolly, will announce the winner of a week-long competition on air.

Solo 007 – Sydney, Australia
BA 015. Departs LHR: 21.15; arrives SYD: 05.10, 26 September

Ian Fleming travelled to Sydney in the winter of 1944 (following his stopover with Peter Fleming in Delhi). There he met a young lieutenant-commander who was desperate to obtain leave as he was engaged to be married. Ian Fleming duly fixed it for the young man.

Solo will be published by Random House Australia on 26 September.

On arrival in Sydney, Solo 007 will be picked up and taken on a tour of Sydney’s key sites by Booktopia, before being awarded to a lucky competition winner.

Solo will be released by Jonathan Cape in the UK tomorrow and can be purchased at Amazon.co.uk. The U.S. edition from HarperCollins will be released on October 8 and can be pre-ordered on Amazon.com.

William Boyd will take part in his first public event tomorrow evening at the Southbank Centre, as he talks to GQ Literary Editor Olivia Cole about the experience of creating his own James Bond novel and his interest in 007's creator, Ian Fleming.

For more information, visit www.jamesbondsolo.co.uk.

UPDATE: Click here for photos and details of Solo's arrival at its 7 thrilling cities.

James Bond drives a Jensen in SOLO

The promotional machinery in the UK has begun to churn for the release next Thursday of Solo, the new James Bond novel by William Boyd.

The Times has published a feature article about the author along with the first extract from the book. Unfortunately, the online version requires a subscription so I haven't been able to read it. But if you have a Times subscription then CLICK HERE and enjoy your first taste of Boyd's Bond!

One bit of information that has emerged via a report in the Mail Online is that Bond will be driving a Jensen in the new book. The Mail reports:

"Boyd said he felt his style matched the sentiment of the original Bond books - although he accepted that some hard-core 007 fans might be disappointed with his decision to tweak the original writer's style, even having his spy drive a Jensen rather than a Bentley or an Aston Martin."

This hardcore 007 fan is not at all disappointed. I love it when an author changes up Bond's car. (Saab anyone?) And I think a Jensen is an excellent good choice given the period (the book is set in 1969). I'm not sure exactly which make and year Bond's Jensen will be. Below is a 1970 Jensen FF.

Another piece of leaked info:

"Boyd's 007 is in bed with a beautiful woman by page 86 of the novel."

Also approve.

Solo will be released by Jonathan Cape in the UK on September 26, 2013 (Amazon.co.uk) and by HarperCollins in the U.S. on October 8, 2013 (Amazon.com).

UPDATE: Bond's car in Solo is a Jensen FF Mark I:

"Bond felt he was in a low flying plane rather than an automobile as he accelerated the Jensen.... If you needed a car to boost your ego, Bond thought, then the Jensen FF would do the job admirably." - Solo

From Italy FOR SPECIAL SERVICES

This is an Italian trade paperback edition of John Gardner's second James Bond novel, For Special Services (1982), with terrific cover art. Apart from the Conneryesque silhouette, the Saab, and the oh-so-'80s Bond girl, I love that the gun Bond is holding is the Heckler & Koch VP70, which is unique to this book. Gardner tried three different handguns for 007 before settling on the ASP in his fourth book, Role of Honor.

All the John Gardner James Bond novels were recently reprinted. Visit The Book Bond's special Gardner Renewed page for links to all the Gardner-Bond reprints in the U.S. and UK.

LICENSE RENEWED Finnish edition

I'm re-reading John Gardner's first James Bond novel, License Renewed, and I just finished the chapter in which Bond attempts his nighttime escape from Murik Castle in his Saab. It made me think of this cover, so I've plucked it off the shelf and gave it a scan for us. This is the Finnish first edition hardcover featuring a close but not quite 007 movie logo and a (red?) Saab. I love it.

All the John Gardner James Bond novels were recently reprinted. Visit The Book Bond's special Gardner Renewed page for links to all the Gardner-Bond reprints in the U.S. and UK.

The Ian Fleming Foundation and the cars of JAMES BOND

To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the cinematic James Bond, The Ian Fleming Foundation showcased several authentic James Bond vehicles at the San Diego Comic Con. Check out this coverage by my good friends Athena Stamos and Brad Hansen of CraveOnline. Also featuring the great Mike VanBlaricum who helped me build my collection of Ian Fleming first editions in the 1980s. Great stuff!

Top Gear looks at the history of SAAB

Here is a terrific history of the Saab Motor Company from Top Gear. This will help all you youngsters understand why it wasn't unusual at all that John Gardner put 007 in a Saab in 1980. They sing the praises of the Saab 99 Turbo, which was the predecessor to Bond's 900 Turbo. Unfortunately, they don't include Bond's car in their story, but it's still worth watching. And like the Top Gear guys, I too am going to miss Saab.

Click here to head my own history of James Bond's Saab.

The SILVER BEAST has been saved!

According to our friends at From Sweden With Love, the promotional Saab 900 Turbo from the John Gardner era, "The Silver Beast", will remain in Trollhättan, Sweden as part of the intact Saab Museum collection. As we reported last week, the entire collection had been put up for auction as part of Saab's recent bankruptcy. But according to a post on the From Sweden With Love Facebook page...

"We have just received the good news that all cars in the SAAB museum (incl. "Silver Beast", the SAAB 900 Turbo as driven by James Bond in John Gardners first three novels) will remain in Trollhättan, Sweden. 500 offers from all over the world came in but thanks to the local community, Saab AB (the defense and security company) and the Wallenberg family (who used to own the car factory), the museum will be intact. The entities mentioned paid 28 Million SEK for the entire lot and rescued a piece of Swedish industrial history from being departed all over the world."

Great news for Bond fans, Saab fans, and the city of Trollhättan!

Click here to read the story of: Bond's Beast - When OO7 Drove Saab.