James Bond automobiles have developed a unique culture like the devices, girls, and equipment. The Aston Martin DB5, driven for the first time by the renowned superspy in 1964’s Goldfinger, is credited as starting the fad.
The DB5 has evolved into one of the most recognisable cars in movie history, transcending its status as an iconic Bond automobile. The additional ejector seat and machine guns contributed to the success, but let’s be honest, it’s also an enjoyable ride.
The DB5 is only one of the legendary James Bond cars which have seen extensive technological upgrades and wear and tear over several decades.
As the expression goes, “Go big or go home,” and this brand goes large. A pervasive collection of famous James Bond cars is provided here to demonstrate.
Here is a list of some of the most iconic cars in James Bond movies.
1. Sunbeam Alpine
Initially, James Bond drove a little blue Sunbeam Alpine Series II. Bond drove the Sunbeam up the sandy path and into a trap after being invited to the mountain residence of enemy spy Miss Taro. A big hearse immediately gave after, attempting to ram him over the precipice.
After a series of hair-raising turns, a crane was in the way of the road. Bond dove beneath, but the hearse was too high and crashed into the mountainside below.
Like many Bond vehicles that followed, the Sunbeam was built just outside Coventry in the West Midlands, England. The book Dr No also included the legendary vehicle, this time as the transportation of Station J, Jamaica’s leader, John Strangways. The Sunbeam was reportedly borrowed from a local to save on the high expense of importing one for the film.
2. Bentley Mark IV
The Bentley that Bond drives in with Love, in one of his movies, is much older than the other cars he has driven in the series. Bond’s Bentley 4.5 litre, two years older than the Mark IV, appeared in multiple Ian Fleming books.
Bond and Sylvia Trench picnic by a river early in From Russia with Love. Bond is about to pop open a bottle of Taittinger when he gets a page from Headquarters. He gets in the Bentley and uses the phone to contact Miss Moneypenny. He spends some quality alone time with Miss Trench in the convertible before returning to MI6.
3. Aston Martin DB5
This Aston Martin is the automobile most associated with James Bond and one of the most iconic vehicles in film history. The book has Bond driving a DB Mark III, but the filmmakers opted for the more recent DB5, which had come out just three months before filming began.
The special effects crew equipped the automobile with various weapons and tools. They included machine guns, an ejector seat, a smoke screen, and tire slashers.
The DB5 model sold so well as a tie-in toy that Corgi decided to use it again in their next Bond film, Thunderball. A DB5 has appeared in subsequent films, including Tomorrow Never Dies, Casino Royale, GoldenEye, and Skyfall.
4. Toyota 2000 GT
The Toyota 2000 GT, widely regarded as the country’s first true supercar, was the natural option for Bond’s film You Only Live Twice, which was shot almost entirely in Japan. There were only 351, making it even more exclusive than the DB5.
While technically a hardtop coupé, Sean Connery’s height made the low roof of the 2000 GT an uncomfortable fit. Toyota rushed to create a unique open-top variant for the movie and made several changes.
5. Aston Martin DBS
With the debut of George Lazenby as James Bond in “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service,” it was only fitting that he be given the newest model Aston Martin. The Aston was essential in the film’s stunning conclusion but also in the introduction of the new protagonist.
Bond’s face is obscured in shadow as he drives down a winding Portuguese road in a magnificent Aston Martin DBS. Bond’s wife is shot dead after the film through the front window of their DBS.
The Aston Martin DBS was David Brown, after whom the DB series was named, and the company’s farewell model. The subsequent Bond film and Diamonds Are Forever featured short footage of Q equipping the DBS with missiles.
6. Ford Mustang
While “Diamonds Are Forever” wasn’t the most beloved Sean Connery Bond film, it did have a thrilling automobile chase. Agent 007 is being pursued by the Sheriff in a high-stakes situation around the Las Vegas strip while driving Tiffany Case’s Ford Mustang.
The action begins with well-choreographed maneuvers but quickly shifts to a parking lot, where Bond causes a pileup between half a dozen police vehicles and makes his getaway by a ramp.
Bond makes a false turn into an alley, and the sole undamaged police vehicle in the area gives after. He uses a loading ramp to place the vehicle on two wheels, instructs Tiffany Case to lean over, and drives off through the small pedestrian path.
Curiously, the Vegas strip was so crowded with visitors that they could be seen watching the whole pursuit unfold from the streets. The makers thought that the thrill of the pursuit would distract the spectators.
Another interesting fact is that almost every vehicle wrecked on set was a Ford. Ford agreed to furnish unlimited vehicles if Bond used a Mustang, regardless of how many were needed.
7. AMC Hornet
The plot of The Man with the Golden Gun revolves around the kidnapping of Mary Goodnight by Francisco Scaramanga. Bond makes a beeline for his vehicle, only to discover that Ms Goodnight has stolen it and taken the keys.
Bond sees a car dealership as Scaramanga disappears from view, so he breaks into one and drives away in a stolen AMC Hornet. Sheriff J.W. Pepper from Live and Let Die is back in a new guise as a visitor in Bangkok who happens to be riding shotgun in the Hornet.
Pepper provides much-needed comic relief during the stressful action sequence as the two pursue Scaramanga—band weaves in and out of the dense traffic in Bangkok to recoup the lost ground.
Scaramanga successfully does a U-turn and follows Bond in the other way, thanks to his skill behind the wheel. Instantly, Bond pulls off a spectacular backward-forward move, but he and Scaramanga end themselves on different sides of the river, far from any bridge.
The film’s most memorable action sequence is Bond finding a derelict bridge and rolling a barrel over the water.
8. Lotus Esprit
The movie, The Spy Who Loved Me, set out to make the most magnificent in the series. Bond used a white Lotus Esprit S1 in this movie’s chase scene on the land, air, and sea. On land, Bond is pursued by a motorcycle with a jet-propulsion sidecar rocket and a car holding the armed henchman Jaws, who is after Bond and the lovely Barbara Bach.
When they’ve dealt with the challenges on the ground, they’re pursued by a chopper armed with heavy machine guns. As they play a cat-and-mouse game around the mountain roads, Bond eventually drives over a cliff because he can’t shake them.
A sea-to-air missile rapidly takes out the helicopter once the Lotus turns into a little submarine. Un unwilling to give up, the adversary launches an undersea attack with armed combat divers, missiles launched from the depths, and submarines armed to the teeth with torpedoes.
Bond drives the Lotus out of the water and onto the beach, where he surprises many visitors who have no idea what’s happening.
9. Lotus Esprit Turbo
The Lotus Esprit Turbo made its second and last appearance in “For Your Eyes Only” after its successful debut in “The Spy Who Loved Me.” The filmmakers chose not to use the Lotus in another case scenario because it was similar to another model and colour. Instead, it became the punchline of a few jokes.
Bond takes the Esprit to Hector Gonzales’s lair, but the vehicle is destroyed on the way out. Despite the “burglar protected” sticker, one of Gonzale’s goons approaches the Lotus and breaks the passenger window.
Q’s self-destruct mechanism immediately activates, destroying the vehicle and the assassin. Later, Bond notices a replacement automobile in Q’s workshop and makes fun of him, saying, “I see you managed to get the Lotus back together again.”
10. Citroën 2CV
Bond is forced to flee in Melina Havelock’s automobile as his Lotus explodes on impact. Bond is disappointed to learn she uses a Citron 2CV rather than one of his luxurious vehicles. The hilarious pursuit sequence starts as the machine gun fire behind him eliminates his reluctance.
Melina manages to flip the vehicle on its roof, but with the aid of the townspeople, they are soon back on their feet, and Bond is behind the wheel.
It was necessary to upgrade Citron’s engine to keep up with the fast pace of the pursuit. Nonetheless, the 2CV had a hard time with a backward-forward maneuver, and it was clear that He had sped up part of the sequence. Nonetheless, the tension and comedy in this scenario were both intentional.
11. Bajaj RE
Octopussy featured an auto rickshaw called a Bajaj RE, popularly known as a Tuk Tuk taxi. Bond and his buddy, agent Vijay, depart in a cab after winning a high-stakes backgammon game against Kamal Khan.
Gobinda, Khan’s underling, is riding in the cab behind him with a shotgun barrel pointed at him. We’ve got company,” Bond says to Vijay, ” we’ve got company, and the latter responds, “No problem, this is a corporate vehicle.”
It’s a corporate automobile, and it has a strong Q-branch engine. Vijay puts the cab on its back two wheels with his rapid acceleration.
A frantic pursuit ensues, peppered with inside gags. In one scene, the actor portraying Vijay uses a tennis racket to defend himself from attackers while onlookers on the street turn their heads back and forth as though watching an actual tennis match.
It is only in Bond’s films where a Tuk Tuk taxi, the Bajaj RE, is given the Q-branch treat, meaning it would leap onto two wheels and engage in a difficult pursuit.
The motif of taxis was carried over to the following Bond movie, A View to a Kill (1985), the last film to feature Roger Moore. As part of his investigation into the activities of the villain May Day, Bond “hijacks” a Renault cab and puts it into a series of dangerous maneuvers.
12. Renault Taxi
Bond must act fast when May Day, a henchwoman, parachutes down from the Eiffel Tower. To keep up with the action, he steals a Renault cab and does a few antics, including driving up a ramp and over the top of a bus. But as he drives down to the street, he hits a stop sign and breaks the roof of his Renault completely.
Bond, distracted by May Day celebrations, is rear-ended by an incoming vehicle, losing the back half of his cab and forcing him to screech down the road on two wheels. He safely stops the automobile on the side of a bridge and continues the pursuit in the water.
13. Rolls Royce Silver Cloud II
This particular Rolls Royce has deep ties to the 007 films since it was James Bond producer Cubby Broccoli’s vehicle. In August of 1962, Dr No, Cubby purchased to commemorate the completion of post-production on the first 007 picture.
Cubby’s car, with the license plate “CUB1,” was a regular sight in his designated parking spot at Pinewood Studios. Thunderball used the Rolls briefly in its car park scene in 1965.
Twenty years later, it was the primary Bond vehicle in A View to a Kill, although with a new license plate. Sir Godfrey Tibbett, a member of MI6, is Bond’s “chauffeur” in the Rolls Royce.
Henchwoman May Day knocks Bond out at the car wash after she has strangled Tibbett. She then forces Bond and Tibbett out of the Rolls and into a lake.
After coming to, Bond breathes through the tires while underwater, and May Day eventually departs. The Bentley S1 from 1958 stood in for the Rolls Royce during the scene set on the lake.
On two different occasions, Albert R. Broccoli, the producer, provided the franchise with his own Rolls Royce. It had a more significant role in the film A View to a Kill, including when it crashes in a lake while Sir Tibbett, the MI6 agent, is still inside. And a stunt truck was utilised for the below-water portion of the scene.
14. Aston Martin V8
After 18 years, the creators of The Daylights, which introduced Timothy Dalton as the new James Bond, brought back an Aston Martin. Like Goldfinger’s DB5, this Aston Martin V8 was loaded with high-tech extras. Under the armrest was a control panel with switches for the vehicle’s lasers, missiles, outriggers, rockets, and tire spikes for improved grip.
The V8’s design resembles the DBS Bond drive in the 1969 film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. This nugget of knowledge exemplifies the timeless appeal of such a well-crafted structure. Nevertheless, this is also why Aston Martin has been absent from the series for so long: Bond probably would have needed help to stand the constant redesigns.
15. Aston Martin DB5
While Pierce Brosnan’s first outing as James Bond in Goldeneye, the iconic Aston Martin DB5 returned, bond takes Caroline, a psychologist from MI6, out for a spin in the DB5 to assess her. Xenia Onatopp, who drives a Ferrari Spider 355, quickly challenges them to a close race. Bond pulls ahead, although the DB5 couldn’t keep up with the Ferrari.
His companion, Caroline, is so frightened by his rapid driving that she begs him to pull over immediately. With a quick emergency stop accomplished by using the handbrake, Bond complies and declares, “I got no problems with female authority.”
Then, from behind the armrest, he pulls out a bottle of Bollinger champagne. Tomorrow Never Dies included a short cameo by the DB5. However, it was not involved in a car chase.
16. BMW Z3
The first movie in the franchise to see 007 driving a BMW was Goldeneye. Once his assistants show the parachute-breaking mechanism, Q presents the BMW Z3 in his lab.
Despite the spectacular display of technologies, none were utilised in the movie, and the automobile only made an additional brief appearance.
James drives to see CIA operative Jack Wade take up a tiny aircraft. He hands Wade the Z3’s keys while admonishing him not to press any buttons.
The company joined the James Bond series in 1995’s Goldeneye, although anything from BMW could seem like a no-brainer for a 007 vehicle. The vehicle was a Z3 type and was fully equipped with various technological marvels, including an ejection seat, all-points radar, and stinger missiles.
The placement was a great success, dramatically driving up the popularity of BMW. The manufacturers used around 15,000 Z3 orders, which took about a year to fill. Before switching to an Aston Martin, 007 used a BMW in the first three consecutive flicks, Goldeneye.
17. BMW 750iL
Jame Bond preferred BMW throughout the first half of the Pierce Brosnan period. His 750iL goes all out on the technology in Tomorrow Never Dies, equipped with tire spikes, roof-mounted missiles, electrified door handles, bulletproof glass, and more. The fact that the Bond automobile could be operated by a phone is a sign of the times.
This car is the most remarkable automotive technology of the last ten years after teasing the Z3’s unutilised devices. The BMW has body armour that can resist a sledgehammer blow and bulletproof glass.
Anyone who tries to break in can be shocked by putting electricity in the door handles. Agent 007’s special Ericsson phone has a touchpad that can control the car from afar.
The supporters gathered around Bond’s car are stunned as he operates the phone to launch tear gas. Then, while the car is still moving, he remotely maneuvers it through a corner and hops inside via the back window. Bond takes the wheel of the vehicle for the duration of the intense pursuit.
He employs a variety of tools, including front-mounted steel wire cutters, tire spike dispensers, and missiles mounted on the top. He jumps out of the automobile and crashes into an Avis rental business after driving it off a rooftop parking lot to escape the enemies.
18. BMW Z8
This BMW was the last in a long line of products by BMW that culminated in The World Is Not Enough. Bond is introduced to Q’s new aide, R (John Cleese), and it quickly becomes clear they’ve run out of inspiration.
No other devices are listed, but R notes that the Z8 has titanium protection, a multi-tasking display, and six drinking cup holders.
BMW’s sponsorship of the James Bond movie ended with 1999’s The World Is Not Enough. His powerful Z8 has a layer of titanium armour and integrated missile controls.
Agent 007 is being pursued by a helicopter in the field, and he uses the BMW’s keys to free the brakes and move the vehicle ahead, allowing him to go inside without being seen.
Afterwards, Bond utilises a device integrated into the car’s steering wheel to fire a missile at the helicopter, bringing it to a quick and painful end. Bond’s BMW is sliced in two by an incoming chopper equipped with a metal-cutting device.
19. Ford Fairlane
After gaining access to sensitive information, bond borrows a pistol and a sports car from Havana MI6 agent Raoul. He receives a 1957 Fairlane, maybe as a practical prank. Bond takes the Ford down a scenic route to his hotel, after which it disappears from the story.
It only made a brief appearance and only as a mode of transportation; hence it lacked any other features.
The Fairlane may be a reference to Thunderball, in which SPECTRE agent Count Lippe used a similar vehicle in an attempt to exact vengeance on James Bond before being assassinated by another henchwoman. On the other hand, Count Lippe drove an automobile that wasn’t a convertible and was a different colour.
20. Aston Martin Vanquish (V12)
Aston Martin calls it the Vanquish, but we refer to it as the Vanish, as John Cleese’s Q put it. Bond’s invisibility cloak from Die Another Day, often regarded as the most absurd technology in the James Bond movie canon, was installed on his Aston Martin V12 Vanquish. The Aston features an ejector seat, torpedoes, and target-finding shotguns placed on the hood, as pointed out by Q.
An extended seven-minute chase scene occurs in and around Graves’ ice castle, and the Aston is a major player. Bond’s cover is blown at the outset when a snowmobile collides with the Vanquish after its cloak has been triggered.
Zao, another of Zao’s henchmen, follows in his own high-tech Jaguar, where he uses thermal imaging technology to track the Aston.
Zao and Bond engage in a high-tech game of cat and mouse, complete with machine guns, rockets, ejector seats, and missiles.
21. Aston Martin V12
After the James Bond movies, the Aston Martin V12 received a new lease of life with a serious tone in Casino Royale. The newest Aston Martin V12 was at Daniel Craig’s disposal, but the car’s gadgetry was restrained and practical.
The secret trays included a defibrillator and a muzzled Walther PPK, two devices that starkly contrasted the absurd gadgets shown in the previous film. Bond’s car from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service was a late-1960s model that had been retired, so the moniker “DBS” was reused.
Bond pursues Le Chiffre’s kidnappers in the DBS, only to fall into his trap when Vesper Lynd is captive. Le Chiffre takes advantage of his early start by leaving Vesper stranded in the road’s centre just over a hump.
Bond is speeding up the hill when he sees Vesper, and he swerves to escape colliding with her. The subsequent accident is so powerful that Bond loses consciousness and is captured.
A somewhat more sinister DBS V12 reappeared in Quantum of Solace for a thrilling car chase scene along a winding mountain road, during which the driver’s door was entirely torn off.
22. 1969 Aston Martin DBS
The new James Bond, introduced in 1968, drove a brand-new Aston Martin DBS. George Lazenby was the actor and played James Bond in the classic On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Bond’s ride features prominently throughout the film, especially at important moments.
Later, in Diamonds are Forever, it appears cameo while armed with missiles in Q’s laboratory. You may purchase a new 2022 Aston Martin DBS for just over $300,000.
23. Aston Martin 1985 (V8 Vantage)
After a lengthy hiatus, the Bond series welcomed Aston Martin back for Timothy Dalton’s first outing as 007 in 1987’s The Living Daylights. While the V8 Volante looked like the DBS in the movie “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service,” it was more technologically advanced than the DBS—and closer to the real DB5 featured in Goldfinger.
An auto-destruct timer band police receiver, missile guidance, and rocket systems were among the additional features. No Time to Die features a throwback to Dalton’s Bond automobile from 1987—an Aston Martin V8 Saloon.
24. 2020 Aston Martin Superleggera
The current instalment also includes a DB5, V8, and a Valhalla in addition to Aston Martin’s DBS, which makes a comeback appearance. If the trailers indicate, Lashana Lynch’s character, Nomi, who works with James Bond, will be seen driving a flashy and speedy Superleggera.
25. Sunbeam Alpine (1961) Series II
James Bond got his start on a Sunbeam Series II like the rest of us. In Dr No, the first film in the series, Sean Connery led the car on a dangerous pursuit up a cliffside. Made in Britain, the producers borrowed it from a neighbouring resident for the filming.
26. Toyota (1967) 2000 GT
In the 1967 film “You Only Live Twice,” James Bond visited Japan and acquired the country’s first (and exceedingly restricted) supercar for his exploits. The GT’s roof, which was initially a hardtop, was converted to an open-top to fit Connery’s height.
27. Mercury Cougar (1969) XR-7
In the movie “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service,” Bond’s wife, Tracy, demonstrates that she is a formidable force behind the wheel by driving a red Mercury Cougar across various hazardous terrain.
Bond is forced to depend on his future bride, Tracy Di Vicenzo, and her Mercury Cougar when he is on the run in Piz Gloria since he has lost control of his Aston Martin.
Tracy demonstrates she is a capable driver by out-cornering the goons and attempting to shoot them down when they used rally studs, providing more grip on the snowy roads. Tracy decides to participate in a stock car race to escape the trail. After a few laps, she can get away, leaving the henchman flipped over and injured in an explosive accident.
28. Ford Mustang (1971)
Diamonds Are Forever was released in 1971, and Sean Connery resumed his role as James Bond in the film. In this film, Connery drives a Ford Mustang on a memorable pursuit across Las Vegas.
29. AMC Hornet X (1974)
The only aspect of “The Man with the Golden Gun” that most spectators can recall may be a great maneuver in which James Bond’s automobile fully rotates over a river. Even without considering any other factor, the AMC X Hatchback continues to be the stuff of legends.
30. Lotus Esprit (1977) S1
The audience can always look forward to a few surprises whenever a new actor takes on the character of James Bond. One of the surprises was a white Lotus S1 that Roger Moore drove on his first mission as Agent 007 when he made his debut.
During an action-packed pursuit scene, it transformed from a vehicle into a mini-submarine and then back into a car, demonstrating its “Transformer-like” capabilities.
31. Lotus 91981) Turbo
As the series prioritises satisfying its audience, For Your Eyes Only, which starred Roger Moore, includes the return of James Bond’s iconic Lotus car. The car decides to self-destruct, killing a goon, so it won’t have to go through another pursuit (which would end in the same thing happening again).
32. Land Rover Defender (2020)
The Land Rover Defender features in the most recent James Bond movie. Still, the car manufacturer is also selling a Defender Bond Edition for die-hard fans of either the 007 brand or SUVs in general.
Its design makes it very robust and easily stylish, and there are only 300 pieces available. There is no better time than the present to make a purchase.
33. Range Rover Sport (2020) SVR
The term “off-roading” was given a fresh interpretation thanks to a documentary in the No Time to Die DVD extras.
A Sport SVR may be seen in the showreel sliding through dirt and tumbling down a levee before deviating over a rock face and soaring into the air.
It is one of the several luxury automobiles that suffer catastrophic damage throughout the movie.
