It's especially true when you think about the differences between the Edge and the old basic bad-guy SUV — a black Ford Explorer, black Cadillac Escalade or black Chevy Suburban. Two main reasons we can think of. First, you just can't up-armor an Edge like you can a full-size SUV. Second, you can't fit as many "villain #4"'s along with the requisite guns, ammo and gear into the two-row crossover. But, in this age of environmental consciousness and the Financiapocalypse, even evil criminal masterminds take Solace in a car sucking gas by the Quantum rather than the gallon. It's still strange to see them driving that Ford, but it also may just be they like to live on the Edge...uh.

For those of you that don't know, Speed Zone was the third installment of the Cannonball Run series. And as you'd expect, it's terrible as an actual movie. The proper way to enjoy it is lying down on the floor in front of your TV, with assorted Hot Wheels to one side and some milk and cookies to the other. The movie is shamelessly ridiculous in all the best ways. But don't think it's a carbon copy of the first two Cannonball installments. Whereas the opening scenes of Run and Run II are identically cheesy, the opening of Speed Zone can actually stand on it's own merits. In this infamous scene, a trusty Lamborghini Countach is hotly pursued by the fuzz in their Dodge Diplomats. As opposed to the boring desert highways of the first two films; Speed Zone's chase is on windy country back roads. The Countach slides sideways on the loose dirt surface, as if it's enacting the hand-held 1:64 scale powerslides of boys everywhere. Then, to top it all off, the Lambo drives straight onto a pond and skims across the surface like a skipping stone. For me as a child, this was what ingrained the idea of what a Lamborghini or any other supercar is supposed to be: something rebellious, ridiculous, and rapid. Yes, I know some of the action shots are of a lowly Fiero-based kit rather than the genuine Italian article, but it was the '80s—people were more interested in spending money on blow than on movie props. Besides, every handsome star has a cheap lookalike stunt-double. Ok, I've said enough, just sit back and enjoy the awesome '80s soundtrack.

Most people automatically consider "James Bond" synonymous with "cool." It's easy to see why; he's got a license to kill, all the guns and gadgets the Her Majesty can afford, and he always delivers a witty punch line. And when it comes to iconic symbols that represent 007's character, Roger Moore's Lotus Esprit submarine is always near the top of the list, right up there with Sean Connery's Aston Martin DB5. Nowadays when we think of an Esprit, we imagine a very long-in-the-tooth model of late; but when The Spy That Loved Me came out, the Esprit was a fresh new model with a very modern image. So the Esprit was the perfect car to convince audiences that it could somehow transform into a fully-loaded submarine. Now, of course there was never an actual Esprit sub; just a series of different props and mock-ups. But that's all "movie magic," which is just fine. Let's pretend all those extra Q-branch goodies worked for real. Now ask yourself, are all those gadgets actually cool? or just very dorky? As you watch the chase scene, you're likely laughing. That's fine, except for you can't help but think that the people making the movie weren't making it with comedy as the primary goal. It's sort of the same feeling you get when watching the new Knight Rider: you laugh at the movie rather than with the movie.

So which do you like? The obscure b-movie hero? Or the blockbuster superstar?

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Although the new Aston Martin DBS won't arrive in dealerships before later this year, 007's already had his way with one. Like any other audience member who'd come to "Casino Royale" for the car, not the man, we'd cringed when Bond barrel-rolled his prototypical Aston flagship as if it were just another hoopty from the Hollywood motor pool. Thanks to Evo, we know the crash car was just a gussied-up DB9, one of three such development hacks turned into DBS replicas. Evo tells the story of the stunt, and how one of the crashed vehicles ended up hanging around the office for a photo shoot instead of being crushed for the VAT reclamation (silly Euro tax laws). Actually, we're feeling a bit more jilted that the scenes of Miami were all just a digital ruse. – Mike Spinelli

How James Bond crashed his Aston [Evo]

Related:
Aston Martin DBS Officially Revealed [internal]

What'll come of James Bond's vehicle of choice after Ford sheds Aston Martin? FoMoCo's $100 million product-placement deal with Sony/MGM will only be in its second of three pictures by the next 007 flick, which means the DBS won't be usurped by a BMW (or similar). But fansite MI6 reports Bond will drive the upcoming Jaguar XF, set to replace the S-Type in 2008. Seems fitting, but imagine how many gallons of oil and smokescreen he could fit in a Volvo V70. – Mike Spinelli

OO7 to drive Jaguar XF in Bond 22 [CoolBrit]

Related:
More James Bond [internal]

Seriously, the one most unfortunate part of this interview of the new Bond, Daniel Craig, isn't that his first car was a Nissan, or that he can't stand Lambos or Ferraris. It's that he's wearing a cardigan. Absolutely dreadful if you ask us. – Ray Wert

Related:
Bond-ed And Insured: UK Company Pens Estimate For 007's Car Insurance; Is The Dream Dead, Like A Zephyr Product Reference Guide? [internal]

Ford's marketing association with the new Bond flick "Casino Royale" doesn't stop at 007's Aston Martin DBS. If you weren't aware, the company's introducing its new midsized Mondeo for Europe in the movie (Bond briefly drives one) and likewise produced this UK spot as both a tie in and commercial for the European Focus. Who says synergy is dead? – Mike Spinelli

[via Carscoop]

Related:
Mondeo Royale: Ford's New European Midsize on Set of Bond Flick [internal]