Classic Bond Cars

If you’ve switched on the television or opened a magazine at all in recent years, you will no doubt have cottoned to the fact that the last couple of years have marked the golden anniversary of the first ever Bond Film Dr. No. Flemings work is so iconic, with its thrill laden special effects, suave protagonist and classic British humour, but one of the things that has kept us coming back for more over 50 years is of course, the amazing cars featured in the films. Here are our top 5:

5: The Citroen 2Cv, For Your Eyes Only, 1981
Yes, we know this isn’t in the same league as the Astons and the supercars, but this quirky yellow car was an absolute cult design classic which was souped up for the movie to create a fun and thrilling chase scene. It might not be what 007 would choose to drive himself, but it was fun, bright, bold and clever.

4: The Aston Martin V8 Vantage, The Living Daylights, 1987
The Aston is in so many ways, the quintessential Bond car. Cool, expensive, as beautiful to look at as the average bond girl, and thoroughly British to boot. This model was the last generation on the original DBS design plan, and was hailed as the first British Supercar on its release in the late 1970’s. Its lush shiny finish and tongue in cheek gadgets, including spiked tires and land to land missiles make this motor an excellent match for Timothy Dalton’s sardonic Bond.

3: Lotus Esprit, The Spy Who Loved ME, 1977
Going back a bit further here but looking decidedly more futuristic was 007’s Esprit. Totally futuristic, 1970’s car porn, with sharp, stylised lines and amazing performance. Of course the Bond version turned into a submarine, enabling Bond and his girl to escape the villains, and we loved the upraised eyebrow chucking a fish out of the window once they hit the beach. Cheesy, but brilliant.

2: Ford Mustang Mach 1, Diamonds are Forever, 1971
American now, and not just a Bond classic, either. Appearing in Steve McQueen’s Bullitt in 1968, the Mustang was a younger car, fun and sporty but with a real muscular feel. Its tough guy image in a glossy red suited the urban chase scene to a tee.

1: Aston Martin DB5, Goldfinger, 1964
#1 had to be British, and yes, it had to be an Aston Martin. As much as we salivated over the DBS V12 in Casino Royale (2006), this had to be the winner. Shown off in all its glory by Q with a plethora of gadgets, this car would have been an amazing Bond car even without the toys. A beautiful, curvy example of British 60’s design, with sleek lines and a beautiful silver body, the original recently sold to an American collector for over GBP2.5million. Ask any Bond fan about the cars, and this one is probably the first car to spring to mind, and with good reason, this was a cool, understated, essential English car to suit a cool British spy.