Now Ka's the new Bond star; As sneek previews go, sampling the new Ford KA on the set of the Bond movie Is about as good as they come. The Ka has a has a staring role as Bond girl Olga Kurylenko's vehicle in Quantum of Solace. JERMY HART traveled to Panama, where the film was sho Revamped Ford favourite is a lean, green driving machine

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), Oct 17, 2008

Byline: JERMY HART

LATEST Bond girl Camille, played by Ukranian supermodel Olga Kurylenko, is set to make her debut in the 22nd instalment of the 007 series, Quantum of Solace. And it looks like her car will play a starring role too.

I visited the Quantum of Solace set in Panama to see Olga's ride, the new Ford Ka, which will go on sale next year.

When the film was shot in the summer, the Bond Ka was just one of three prototypes in existence, all of which at one point were on the set.

The Ford Ka typifies the way cars are going now, even in the rarefied world of 007. Less mph and more mpg. But Bond films have always been one step ahead, so it's no surprise that Olga's car of choice is hydrogen powered.

Hydrogen fuel cell logos are splashed across the Ka's bonnet and boot. They are logos for Greene Planet, the eco-transport business run by the film's arch villain Dominic Greene, who Camille works for.

The cars themselves have been handmade in secret at Ford. The Ka only needs to look the part rather than genuinely being able to survive a lifetime's driving.

Hence neither the wing mirrors nor any of the interior electrics work, the glove box door is fixed and hides no glove box, the interior door handles are handpainted gold, which after almost a month of stunts is starting to wear, and the rear windows are temporary, as they're constantly being removed and replaced to allow cameras essential access for interior shots.

This car is made for Hollywood, not the highway.

But it's still the same Ka that debuted at the Paris Motor Show in October.

Olga Kurylenko and her stunt doubles aside, I'm the only person outside of Ford who's driven it to date.

A few minutes whipping around a film set doesn't make for an exhaustive road test by any stretch, but it's certainly good enough for some honest first impressions.

The new Ka feels impeccably solid and sure-footed, with no sign of a harsh ride on city streets, and the feel from the driver's perch is classier than you might expect from such a basic car, helped in no small part by a seat with plenty of side support and the comfortably-solid steering wheel.

Once whipped into life, the motor's got a dash of perk to it too and delivers what power it does have very cleanly.

The Ka is very impressive and watching the film, you'd never guess it's only halfbuilt.

The car looks immaculate, of course, just like its stunningly-beautiful owner Camille, who is the archetypal modern-day Bond woman.

In the film she parachutes, takes part in speed boat chases, fight scenes and, of course, drives her car as competently as James Bond himself.

CAPTION(S):

COMPACT DESIGN - the new Ford Ka that will feature in Quantum of Solace; LOOKING GOOD - Olga Kurylenko, the latest Bond girl, at the wheel of the new Ford Ka; MILES OF STYLE - The Ford Ka was unveiled at the Paris Motorshow, but this model was made for Quantum of Solace