Brilliant brands: Aston Martins and ejector seats

Kyiv is no stranger to celebrities.  But in the course of my posting in Kyiv, two of those I have most enjoyed meeting have been the lead actors in the most recent James Bond film, Quantum of Solace, Daniel Craig from the UK and Olga Kyrilenko, from Ukraine.

So I am delighted to attend the opening of the first Aston Martin dealership in Kyiv.  The British brand gained iconic status as the car driven by James Bond, first in the seventh novel, Goldfinger, and then in a series of James Bond films including early classics starring Sean Connery such as Goldfinger and Thunderball.  The latter made a big impression on me as the first James Bond movie I ever saw, at the university lecture theatre in Roma, Lesotho, in 1965.  I was also the proud owner of a second-hand James Bond themed Aston Martin DB5 Corgi toy, complete with ejector seat, front machine guns, a bullet-proof pop-up rear panel and revolving number plates, none of which featured in cars in Lesotho at that time.

At the official opening of the Kyiv dealership (photos below) a full range of luxurious cars is on display, surrounded by a host of potential Ukrainian customers, many of them keen to have a sit in the car and try out the controls.  According to Aston Martin, the brand now has 46 official dealer partners in 19 countries in Europe and 132 in 41 countries around the world.  I wish them all the best in Kyiv – the cars certainly looked terrific and it seems likely demand will be high.

Several people ask when I will be acquiring an Aston Martin as my official car.  Unfortunately, the wintery conditions and the steep, icy road outside the residence rule it out.  So I shall probably continue to enjoy my Range Rover for some time to come.  It’s great for the Kyiv winter but has, so far as I am aware, no ejector seat.