Fiat lends James Bond bulldozer to chase villain

MILAN - British secret agent James Bond has chased the world's most dangerous villains in everything from cars to spaceships, but in his latest adventure, his vehicle of choice will be a bulldozer.

In the opening scene of Casino Royale, the 21st instalment of the popular movie franchise, Bond will pursue his latest enemy in a four-wheel W190 bulldozer supplied by Fiat, the Italian industrial group.

Although its vehicles have appeared in a number of movies including the Alfa Romeo Spider in The Graduate, it is the first time that Fiat will have one starring in a Bond movie.

"We are very happy and proud of it," said spokeswoman Silvia Cassani, who assured that none of the bulldozers, excavators or loaders supplied to the movie's producers were destroyed in the mayhem usually associated with a Bond action scene.

Cassani said the product placement was part of Fiat's advertising efforts as it recovered from a debilitating crisis suffered a few years ago.

She said the movie, starring Daniel Craig, the first blond Bond, was a good medium to advertise the bulldozer made by New Holland, Fiat's construction equipment division, even though Bond's fans were mostly young males interested in the latest gadgetry.

"We have a diverse clientele," she said. "We don't just have old farmers."

Ford Motor will also be using the movie to promote the Aston Martin, which will be driven by Bond after being behind the wheel of a BMW 750 iL in previous adventures.

Production officials on the set of the movie, scheduled for release by Sony Corp's Columbia Pictures in November, were unavailable for comment.

- REUTERS