"Pay attention 007, your pink leather luggage set is ready..."

Aston Martin offers ‘Q Branch’ a chance to strut its stuff at Pebble Beach

Having drifted off to sleep on the sofa watching Goldfinger last night, the latest press release from Aston Martin’s ‘Q’ department doesn’t convey quite the news I expected to wake up to.

The missive from Aston HQ contains images of four eye-catching models that US Aston dealer Galpin has commissioned to showcase the talents of ‘Q by Aston Martin’ (the company’s wryly named personalisation service) at Pebble Beach this year.

Most, umm, eye-catching is the Ashen Blonde DB9 Volante with Blush Pearl leather interior – complete with matching accessories. A combination of ‘colourways’ which begs a rather obvious question as to whether 007’s visage would be ashen or blushing if thrown the keys to thing. Or perhaps we’re meant to imagine Q created it for Miss Moneypenny, part of a romantic sub-plot we’ve never been privy to…

The Q-prepared Vanquish Volante ought to be more up Bond’s street. It has a far more civilised Frosted Silver finish, although Q Branch’s personal style assistant rather spoils the moment by insisting ‘it has superior light to dark travel’, whatever that means. We understand ‘graphite 10-spoke alloys’ though’, even without the extending spurs that should really come as part of the package. The equestrian saddle leather interior is bang on, especially with its neat little bag for ‘secret service stuff’.

The other two specials are a V12 Vantage S in Purple Amethyst with a Monterey Pearl diffuser and Obsidian Black interior with Vivid Purple details, and an Abor (sic) Orange Vanquish Coupe with Obsidian Black leather interior, and carbon bits with an interesting-looking ‘amplified weave’ (which means the threads are bigger).

However, as we’ve already stretched the Bond metaphor to breaking point, you’ll have to make up your own minds about those!