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Our Seven Favorite Bond Cars

Beyond the obvious Astons, there is a wealth of irresistible spy-metal.

By Ben Keeshin

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Lotus Esprit S1; The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
The first series Esprit was famously beautiful and light, and infamously slow. Despite this, Bond managed to maintain enough distance between himself and pursuers to transform his Lotus—in midair!—into a submersible. In 2013, Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk bought one of the original film cars for a grand $866,000 and reportedly is turning it into a true transformer., Oli Scarff/Getty Images
Aston Martin V8 Volante; The Living Daylights (1987)
Despite a real-life 146-mph top speed, the producers of The Living Daylights thought Aston’s burly V8 Volante needed more. So they added twin missile-launchers, a rocket launcher and retractable outriggers. Then, they popped a driver up front and sent the car skidding across a lake in Weissensee, Austria, where—it’s worth noting—it did not fall through the ice., Tim Graham/Getty Images
1969 Mercury Cougar XR7; On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)
Maybe it was just a ploy to woo American audiences, but Bond has made liberal use of our country’s muscle cars. Our favorite is the mighty Mercury Cougar XR7, which Diana Rigg drove through On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. The car’s 335-horsepower V8 assured she stayed ahead of the baddies and sounded glorious in the process., Wikimedia Commons
Aston Martin DB5; Goldfinger (1964)
Though not the first car Bond drove on screen—that honor goes to a humble Sunbeam Alpine—the Aston Martin DB5 became 007’s most famous chariot because it perfectly embodied his best qualities: handsome, crisp, British and with enough hustle and firepower to overcome any situation, no matter how daunting., Heritage Images/Getty
Land Rover Defender Pickup; Skyfall (2012)
Not glamorous, but wickedly cool. This pickup body style is utilitarian, but in Skyfall, Naomie Harris used it strictly as a chase vehicle. Through the power of movie magic, or perhaps Harris’ stellar driving, the Rover kept up with an Audi A5, which it eventually rammed into a fruit stall. That part’s useful., Commons
BMW 750iL; Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
We love a V12. Bond’s remote-controlled super-sedan helped him evade capture by villains in a parking garage before eventually committing suicide off that same garage’s roof. Like a good body guard, Bond’s BMW gave its life so that the client would be safe., MGM/UA Distribution
Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II; A View to Kill (1985)
Charmingly, the particular Rolls was owned by producer Albert “Cubby” Broccoli, who lent his car to the production after director John Glen’s many requests. The car was returned without a scratch—perhaps the first such instance in the franchise’s history., SSPL/Getty Images

Ben Keeshin

Ben Keeshin is a former staff writer for Maxim, and before that, contributed writing to the digital sides of Road & Track and Vanity Fair.