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Cynics may call it a Jaguar XJ-S in a party frock, but it was so much more. Sure, it had XJ-S DNA, but Ford money and engineering from autosports experts Tom Wlkinshaw Racing saw it become a genuine contender in the nineties grand tourer market. It looked glorious, it went like a train… OK, it had Mazda MX-5 interior door handles, but even the Mona Lisa ain’t perfect. Why no DB8? Because Aston Martin felt that the name would imply a V8 engine, so the V12-engined DB7 successor was badged ‘DB9’. It was the first car to be produced at their new Gaydon headquarters and is, in essence, an insanely powerful and sumptuously appointed cruiser. Bit of a looker too.Yeah, you can’t buy this one. Aston Martin built this in secret for James Bond. Whether they know he’s fictional is unclear. They built 10 DB10s for Spectre – eight movie cars, two show cars. If you’ve seen the film, you can probably guess what became of the first eight. Smashy smashy.And here we are, the new kid on the block. It’s Aston Martin’s first turbocharged production car, and Mercedes-Benz has been involved too. Will 007 end up in one? Yeah, probably. There are worse places to be. It’s worth noting that the most gorgeous DB car is a coachbuilt special that we haven’t yet mentioned – the DB4 GT Zagato. Only 25 were made, and just look at the thing:Incredible, huh? If you take out one image from this round-up, let that be it. Sir David Brown may rest easy, safe in the knowledge of a job well done.