Text & Photos by Alexander Davidis - Strictly Copyright.

In general the "Barcelona Salon D'Automobile" 2003, despite its unbelievable square footage size (at the Fira De Barcelona, the Exhibition Center), was a rather boring event. Boring exhibition stands with a huge amount of boring modern cars. The only exception for me was the new Bentley GT. Sitting in it I realized that Bentley did actually build the car; I wished so much that Aston Martin would have built for me, or anybody for that matter.

A contemporary example of the conceptual theme of my own '89 V8 Vantage; lots of room in front for a six-foot-six driver like myself and his five-foot-ten wife as well as really comfortable seats in the back for two kids who's legs do not have to be amputated. Plus a boot three times the size of the one of my Vantage. 300 km/h top speed and a finish which made my jaw drop into my lap. Naturally I would choose more subtle specs than those displayed by the exhibition car but nevertheless. The price-tag in the area of a DB7 - this is great value for money in times like this. Can't wait for a test drive.

Apart from that, the only points of astonishment where the sheer mass of Spanish hostesses, many of them looking like there where picked out of the rotary files of the local 'Penthouse' office. ...And tons of grey haired overweight automobile industry executives drooling over them rather than the cars (Press Day, I guess!) Don't get me wrong, I like pretty girls, but what a sexist display (or was it just Latin??)!

Finally, about the shots below:

For me, most exciting was the 'James Bond Feature Display' of 25 vehicles used in the films of the last 40 years - organized by Bob Gathercole of CMS Promotions. Here you see my artistic im- or ex-pressions of 18 of them. It was very cool to see them all in one display. Strangely enough, in this particular hall, where you would expect it most, no Bond-Girlish-Babe to be found.

Just on the movie posters!