When not engaged in warfare with the world's most insidious supervillains, James Bond gets to enjoy the finer things in life, including a collection of jaw-dropping luxury cars that would make any kid want to become a secret agent. Some of these cars are great for a night on the town, while others are capable of conquering small countries, courtesy of a hefty arsenal of British tech and weaponry.
Over the years, the Bond films have closely followed the automotive world, and each car featured acts as an extension of his character's personal style. Never one to ride around in anything but the best, Bond loves his cars, especially when they're tricked out for small-scale warfare against crafty and deadly opponents.
Updated on October 21st, 2021 by Derek Draven: James Bond has certainly been spoiled with some of the finest and coolest cars in the world, even if he probably didn't own many of them outright. It's time to take a look at a few more head-turning vehicles that were featured in Bond films, either prominently, or for a scene or two. Regardless of which, they remain iconic pillars in the franchise's continuity. From BMWs and Fords, to Aston Martins and Alfa Romeos, the James Bond films are as much for car aficionados as they are for fans of sleek British espionage and spy movies.
Bentley Mark IV (From Russia With Love/1963)
007 used the beautiful Bentley Mark IV just to enjoy a picnic with a love interest, but it was enough to solidify itself as a popular James Bond vehicle. The producers wanted to include a Bentley in the film as a nod to the series of Ian Fleming novels featuring Bond's fondness for the 4.5 liter version.
The car itself was over 30 years old when filming commenced, making it a pre-war beauty that still stands the test of time for its rugged good looks and tough, yet elegant styling. It may not have been capable of firing rockets, but it was guaranteed to turn heads. What a shame it didn't feature more prominently in the film.
BMW Z8 (The World Is Not Enough/1999)
Brosnan-era Bond was saturated with a flip-flopping of Aston Martins and BMWs, depending on the film, but the Z8 was a bit of a misstep. Though it was a monstrously powerful car capable of netting almost 400 hp off a 32-valve V8, it failed to turn heads the same was as the company's successful Z4 did.
Still, it was a successful car that got snapped up by American buyers when its extremely limited production run touched down on the country's shores. The car met its unfortunate demise in the teeth of a large tree-cutting saw in the middle act of the film, much to Q's dismay.
Ford Mustang Mach 1 (Diamonds Are Forever/1971)
Diamonds Are Forever features a ton of exciting and excellent scenes, including a chase through downtown Las Vegas between Bond and the local 5-0. His car of the choice, the Mach 1, was a significant departure from the traditional Mustang design; a performance package which featured a Fastback look with high back buckets and an optional 429 CJ-R V-8.
The scene is humorously remembered for Bond putting the Mach 1 up on two wheels through a narrow alleyway, only to emerge from the other side on the opposite two wheels, thanks to a continuity error. Comedy aside, the car itself was quite a sight to behold.
Lotus Esprit Turbo (For Your Eyes Only/1981)
1977's The Spy Who Loved Me featured a Lotus Esprit which was capable of transforming into a submersible watercraft, but the sequel would tone things down dramatically for a more serious take on the franchise. Once again, the Esprit made a return in Turbo format as the car driven by Bond throughout most of the film.
The first Esprit initiated an auto-destruct sequence early in the film when a thug attempts to break into the car. The replacement model was used in shots filmed in Cortina, and featured a much different look. The car managed to showcase Lotus' unique approach to car building, which continues to this day.
Sunbeam Alpine (Dr. No/1962)
The Sunbeam Alpine kicked off the tradition of fancy cars in 007 films, and although it may pale in comparison to other cars, it was still a beauty for its time. According to production, the model seen in the film was borrowed from a local Jamaican resident, due to the fact that the series hadn't yet established itself for car manufacturers to take notice.
Just under 12,500 Alpines were created by British manufacturer Rootes Group, with Bond driving the Series II model, which sported a 1.6 liter engine. Interestingly enough, the Alpine would later evolve into the Sunbeam Tiger, which was driven by bumbling 1960s secret agent Maxwell Smart on the TV show Get Smart.
Triumph Stag (Diamonds Are Forever/1971)
Diamonds Are Forever was big on beefy muscle cars and sports tourers like the Triumph Stag, with V8 engines popping up everywhere in the film. The Stag featured in the film is yellow-colored variant owned by notorious diamond smuggler Peter Franks, whom Bond kills before assuming his identity.
The Stag never got much love, or sales during its run, despite its attempt to gain a foothold in the era's competitive car market. It produced a nominal 147 hp with a top speed of 120mph, and married to a 4-speed manual or 3-speed automatic transmission.
Toyota 2000 GT (You Only Live Twice/1967)
Few can deny the hilarity of watching 6'1" Sean Connery try to stuff himself into a Japanese high performance sports car, but the vehicle's popularity never suffered as a result. The Toyota 2000 GT was a rear-wheel 4-speed gearbox racer that saw a limited production run of only 351, before it was discontinued.
Though all the production models were coupe designs, two were built specifically for use in the film, to accommodate Connery's impressive physical stature. It is best recognized for its prominent twin headlights, giving the car a bulbous and aggressive front-end look.
Alfa Romeo GTV6 (Octopussy/1983)
By today's standards, the Alfa Romeo GTV6 looks like just another sporty hatchback, but the story goes much further. It came out during a time when Alfa Romeo was plagued with quality control issues that saddled a bunch of cars in their lineup. The GTV6 was designed to bring respect back to the company, courtesy of a major win at the South African touring car championship.
The car sported a suspension system lifted straight out of the F1 circuit, along with a transmission system based in the rear, giving it rock solid weight distribution. Bond steals this car from a woman to escape the local police, while speeding his way towards the U.S. Air Force base in West Germany.
Aston Martin Vantage Volante (The Living Daylights/1987)
When Timothy Dalton took over the role of 007 in The Living Daylights, it was an opportunity to bring Aston Martin back into the fold, after years of seeing other car brands get the feature nod. The Vantage was a vastly different look from the DB5 seen in previous Bond films, but the spirit of the brand still remained.
Everything else however, changed. The Vantage was a death-car that sported missiles, lasers and tire spikes, among other high tech gadgets. The 580X edition of the actual Vantage produced 437 hp, with a 6.3 litre variant increasing that number to 450.
AMC Hornet X Hatchback (The Main With The Golden Gun/1974)
Few 007 vehicles get as much respect as the AMC Hornet driven in The Man With The Golden Gun. Bond steals the car right out of a Bangkok showroom to pursue the villainous Scaramanga, one of the greatest villains of the 007 franchise, triggering a chase sequence that ends with perhaps the most popular 007 vehicular stunt in the entire franchise - the 360 astro spiral jump over a broken bridge.
The hornet came out in 1970 and was sold for 9 years. It was bred from a stock car racing pedigree which featured a number of wins between '51 and '54, under the moniker of the "Fabulous Hudson Hornet." These days, it's the kind of car that wouldn't stick out in traffic, but it does have its charm.
Aston Martin DBS V12 (Casino Royale/2006)
Having already established Aston Martin's latest car line in 2002's Die Another Day, the DBS V12 was introduced in Daniel Craig's first Bond outing, Casino Royale, as his trademark vehicle. It lacked the optical camouflage technology of the previous film, as well as the destructive power of the Vanquish, but that's minor quibbling.
The DBS V12 is noted for the sheer amount of technology packed into the car. A hefty percentage was built using carbon fiber to reduce weight, while an ADS system altered the suspension to accommodate all driving conditions. It produced an eye-watering 510 hp from a 48-valve V12, making it one of the fastest cars in the 007 franchise.
BMW Z3 (GoldenEye/1995)
The Z3 was a short-lived two-seater sports convertible/coupe that acted as the "wow" car for Bond's glorious return to the screen. It was just one part of a recipe that made GoldenEye the best Brosnan Bond movie. The car itself was more looks than performance, netting an embarrassing 114 to 138 hp from its inline-four engine variants. The car would see significant horsepower gains in later years, before being replaced by the beefier Z4.
Nevertheless, the car itself was a luxurious stunner that looked great on film, particularly because that particular model was created just for GoldenEye. In fact, a limited James Bond edition version of the car was available for sale at just 100 units, making it one of the most popular cars of the Brosnan Bond era.
Aston Martin Vanquish (Die Another Day/2002)
One of Aston Martin's most famous cars is undoubtedly the classic V12 Vanquish, a masterpiece of design and engineering. It rallied 460 hp from a 5.9 litre V-12 engine, netting a 0-60 time of 4.5 seconds. It may seem only respectable by today's standards, but this level of performance was hard to come by in 2002.
Bond's Vanquish was nicknamed "The Vanish" by Q for its ability to render itself invisible, via a cloaking device. The car was equipped with shotguns, machine guns and rockets, which allowed it to play a pivotal role in a vehicular battle between Bond and the villainous Zao, who drove a Jaguar XKR in the film.
BMW 750iL (Tomorrow Never Dies/1997)
Tomorrow Never Dies is notable for its list of hilarious quotes, as well as some exciting action sequences. One of these scenes features a fully loaded with BMW 750iL, with a few tricks up its sleeve. The real world car was renowned as the first in the world to feature Xenon headlights and an integrated sat-nav screen - for the European market, at least.
Bond's version was stocked to the gills with technology, including reinforced windows, an anti-tamper shock system, missiles, wire cutters, caltrops and of course, a smartphone-style remote control system with a mini LCD display in first person perspective. All this helped sell the film's ensuing car chase sequence as one of the most inventive and entertaining of the entire Bond franchise.
Aston Martin DB5 (Goldfinger/1964)
The vehicles in 007 films continued their ascent in popularity, especially by the time Goldfinger dropped. The ever-so-gorgeous Aston Martin DB5 made its first appearance in the film and has since gone on to become the most popular Bond car of all time.
In fact, the DB5 is such a fan favorite that it made an immediate reappearance in 1965's Thunderball, as well as future Bond entries like Goldeneye, Casino Royale, and Skyfall. It's easily Bond's most iconic car and forever tied to the character.