James Bond and the cars that made him Agent 007
James Bond movies are known for its fancy cars, most of which are Aston Martins. However, here are some of the best non-Aston Martin cars from the film series.
In an era of product placements, it is tough to have a recall value for any product one may have seen in a film, as there are so many products actors refer to or are in the focus of a frame. Bond cars, on the other hand, seem to have an unparalleled following.
Whether one watches action films or romantic flicks, one must have come across a Bond car and a Bond girl reference in the mainstream media, so much so that, they have a fan following of their own, and brands and actresses dream to be a part of this money-minting series.
The latest Bond film trailer of ‘No Time to Die’, is no different. The two minute-plus trailer has its fair share of cars and girls. This gave us an idea, why not list the best Bond cars over the years which had us drooling, and were not Astons?
Read on and let us know if you approve of our list of the 007 cars.
When English author Ian Fleming wrote his Bond novels, he did not put Agent 007 in an Aston Martin, but the 4.5 litre Blower Bentley which produced 240 HP from its 4.4 litre inline-four mouth engine, mated to a four-speed unsynchronised manual gearbox. The car also had a supercharger to force more air into the engine which gave it the name, ‘Blower’, and was easy to spot between the headlamps. This car could do around 190 kmph and only 55 supercharged models were ever built.
Alpine Series II
Similarly, in the first Bond film, 'Dr. No’, which released in 1962, Bond was seen driving around in a Sunbeam Alpine Series II, painted in a light shade of blue. This two-seater sports car was used by Bond to drive under a construction crane to flee assassins. This is the first in a long line of British cars used in Bond films.
Bentley Mark IV
In 1963, Bond upgraded to the Bentley Mark IV in the film – ‘From Russia with Love’. This car was on oddity as we never see Bond driving this 30-year-old beauty but, instead it makes an appearance in a picnic scene. The car had an in-car telephone, quite advanced for 1963.
Toyota 2000GT
The Toyota 2000GT was a limited-production two-seat, rear-wheel drive, front-engine hardtop coupe grand tourer manufactured by Toyota in collaboration with Yamaha. This car had to be modified for Sean Connery’s 6’2” frame. And, two one-off topless models were created especially for the film. This car was special, as it was the first Bond film that was shot in Japan and the first Japanese supercar that was showcased in the film.
Even the current Bond, Daniel Craig has gone on record to say that his favourite Bond car is the “Toyota 2000GT that Sean Connery drove in ‘You Only Live Twice’, for its long Coke-bottle shape and the fresh drop-top aesthetic.”
Ford Mustang Mach 1
A personal favourite of mine, this car saw Sean Connery as Bond fleeing from the cops in Las Vegas in a red Mustang. It has the distinction of being a car that entered a narrow ally on two wheels (while fleeing from cops), only to emerge from the other end on its other two wheels, with no explanation as to how the switch took place.
The Mustang Mach 1 was a performance-oriented option package and was originally introduced by Ford in August 1968 as a package for 1969. The car was powered by a 5.8 litre V8 mated to a three-speed manual transmission. In 1969, this car set 295 speed and endurance records over a series of 500-mile and 24-hour courses.
Lotus Esprit
And, back to the cars manufactured in Britain. In 1977, the movie, ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’, made a submarine out of the Lotus Esprit, making it an instant icon. The Esprit S1, the same model which was used in the movie, was launched at the Paris Motor Show in October 1975.
The Lotus was powered by a 1,973 cc four-cylinder engine which produced 160 HP. This car was no record holder like the Mustang but, was well known for its handling capabilities.
Citroën 2CV
Now, you must be thinking that I have lost my mind. A man who drove such fast and jaw-dropping cars, why would he drive of all things, a 2CV? This time, Bond actually had an accident and the car landed on its roof before it was pushed back onto its wheels by nearby villagers, adding an element of comedy to the movie.
The Citroen 2CV was introduced at the 1948 Paris Motor Show and is a front-wheel car which uses an air-cooled engine and a four-speed gearbox, a luxury for any cheap car at the time. The car was made especially for the French farmers and since being a hardy car, it could do trips around the field very easily.
Bajaj RE
The humble Bajaj Auto made its way into a Bond film. And, this has to be the funniest of all the weird cars/autos Bond ever used to escape from his nemesis.
In the movie, ‘Octopussy’, a chase takes place in India, and Bond with his friend Vijay escapes in a TukTuk, which had been modified by the Q branch, after winning a high-stake game of backgammon. The new engine was so powerful that the auto even does a wheelie at one point and flies over a cart at another.
The Bajaj RE has to be the smallest vehicle Bond has ever used with a tiny 200 cc engine. Nevertheless, Bond escapes and saves the day.
BMW Z3
Enough of crazy cars, let’s talk about a fast car now. It is the first time Bond used a BMW of any form which was introduced in the film, ‘Goldeneye’, and has one of the Bond favourites, the ejector seat.
The Z3M model was introduced in 1998 as a roadster and coupe body styles. The car was launched with straight-six engines and a five-speed manual transmission and has been criticised for looking like a "turnschuh" or a sports shoe.
(Edited by Suman Singh)
