Aston Martin has unveiled a flying car concept - and it hinted that we might see James Bond flying one soon
- Aston Martin recently unveiled a flying car concept.
- The Volante Vision Concept is autonomous, hybrid-electric, and capable of vertical take-off and landing.
- Aston Martin President and CEO Dr Andy Palmer said that growing urbanisation and overpopulation was at the heart of the concept's design.
- Aston Martin said it did not have pricing for the vehicle yet, but the figure is expected to be around £7 million ($9.2 million).
- Speaking to Business Insider, an Aston Martin spokesperson teased a possible appearance in a James Bond film one day.
Aston Martin is entering the race to the skies.
The British luxury car manufacturer unveiled an autonomous, hybrid-electric, personal aircraft concept at the 2018 Farnborough Air Show - and it hinited that the flying car might soon be the vehicle of choice for James Bond.
The Volante Vision Concept is capable of vertical take-off and landing and features plenty of high-spec details that the Aston Martin brand is famous for.
The Volante, which is named after the Italian word for "flying," was produced in partnership with Cranfield University and is powered by Rolls-Royce with the aim of bringing "luxury personal transportation to the sky."
A spokesperson for Aston Martin told Business Insider that there was no exact pricing for the vehicle yet, but the figure is expected to be around £7 million ($9.2 million).
Buyers will have some time to wait, though. The spokesperson said that the company is currently conducting customer research and analysing feedback - "should it go into production, it will be around the mid-2020s."
Aston Martin President and CEO Dr Andy Palmer said that growing urbanisation and overpopulation was at the heart of the concept's design: "We need to look at alternative solutions to reduce congestion, cut pollution and improve mobility," he said.
"Humans have always spent on average, one hour commuting to and from work. The distance we live from our workplace has been determined by the methods of transportation available.
He went on: "The Volante Vision Concept will enable us to travel further with our hourly commute, meaning we are able to live further away from where we work. Cities will grow, and towns that are today too far away from cities to be commutable will become suburban."
Aston Martin EVP and Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman said we are at "the beginning of a new generation of urban transportation.
"Vertical mobility is no longer a fantasy," he said. "We have a unique chance to create a luxury concept aircraft that will represent the ultimate fusion of art and technology."
Although the Volante is designed with an autonomous future in mind, Aston Martin aims to keep the driving experience at the centre of its craft.
"True to our DNA, the VVC is very much a vehicle that could be fun and engaging to 'drive,'" the brand's spokesperson said.
A long-standing relationship with 007
More importantly, though, when asked about whether we could see James Bond flying one of the cars soon, the spokesperson said: "We have a long-standing and special relationship with EON [the production company behind the James Bond films] and we hope to work together again in the future."
If that's not enough to get martinis shaking in anticipation, then we don't know what is.