Here's the terminal cure for road rage

This isn’t a great time to be a car. Or a car-making company. But if the errors of emissions have replaced those of commission and omission, nothing underlines these days of auto destruct better than the news that the forthcoming Bond movie will set a new record in smashing up cars. And we’re not talking Nanos here. The Daniel Craig-starring Spectre will reportedly have a car chase sequence in Rome in which seven specially designed Aston Martin DB10s were destroyed. The fact that no animals, humans included, were hurt has been confirmed.

The fact that no emissions-cheating software was installed in these cars headed for the Valhalla of vehicles has, however, not been confirmed. Crashing, smashing, bashing expensive cars have been part of Hollywood providing the luxury of seeing luxury products being destroyed. The more expensive the product, the bigger the thrill. And nowhere is make-believe so indistinguishable from reality than film car spills. Cinematography, special effects, stunts and budgets have reached such a stage that “destroying £24 million (Rs239.169 crore)” is now a prime promo feature. For a Bond fan stuck in a Mahim, South Extension or Church Street snarl, nothing is more pleasing than watching a hi-speed chase that ends in a luxury car that doesn’t belong to you being smashed.