The 10 Most Iconic Bond Cars of All Time

No, they’re not all Aston Martins.

Dan Carney

Apr 15, 2018

Over the years, James Bond has been as promiscuous with his cars as with his love interests, with the result being an impressive roster of automotive conquests.

Goldfinger (1964) - Aston Martin DB5 - The Driver: Connery originated the role with charm and Savile Row swagger and, to many, has never been surpassed.The Car: In silver-birch, the DB5 debuted with as much British style as Bond himself, plus some guns in the grill. Similarly unsurpassed.The Evolutionary Leap: Bond’s first Aston, and the franchise’s first icon. — Goldfinger (1964)

The gallery above recaps some of Bond’s greatest automotive hits, but of course, with a list like his, ten winners may not do them all justice. Despite his variety, it is obvious Bond’s heart truly belongs to the Aston Martin DB5, which returned again and again.

You can check out Bond’s cars for yourself at the new James Bond cinematic installation called 007 Elements, opening in summer 2018 built inside the summit of the Gaislachkogl Mountain in Sölden, Austria.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxoUupNbnXs

“Our aim with 007 Elements is to tell the story of the making of 007 films in an ultra-modern, emotive and engaging way,” explained Creative Director Neal Callow, who was art director on Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall and Spectre. “We want to use this incredible location to place our guests into Bond’s environment, and bring the stories to life in a unique and unforgettable way.”

Thunderball (1965) – Aston Martin DB5 - The Driver: Goldfinger was a huge success, and Connery was soon back in Pinewood Studios to film quick follow-up. Still stellar, though.The Car: Aston Martin began calling the DB5 “The most famous car in the world,” and Bond could hardly afford to be seen in anything less.The Evolutionary Leap: Not much—it’s hard to improve on Sean Connery in a growling DB5 with a 4-liter, Weber-carbed inline-six. — Thunderball (1965)

Goldeneye (1995) – Aston Martin DB5 - The Driver: An Irishman! Pierce Brosnan’s nervous debut gave us a very handsome, albeit quite stiff, Bond. His stunts (hijacking a free-falling plane to safety) were excellent, though.The Car: One of the best uses of the DB5 in the whole series: racing a Famke Janssen-driven Ferrari F355 down 2-lane Italian switchbacks. Chalk the ability of a 1964 Aston to stay abreast of a 1995 Ferrari up to movie magic; in reality, they aren’t even close.The Evolutionary Leap: The franchise’s achievement of balance: young star, old car, and just enough old chestnuts (“Let’s make the investigation quite thorough,” from Bond to his psychologist) to keep fans happy. — Goldeneye (1995)

Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) – Aston Martin DB5 - The Driver: The sophomore Pierce Brosnan had a magnificent mid-nineties corporate slick-back and a Brioni suit.The Car: Technically, the DB5 made only a small appearance at the end of the film. The Evolutionary Leap: In keeping with Brosnan’s corporate look, Bond’s taste in Tomorrow was dictated by the franchise’s corporate sponsor, BMW (he drove a BMW 750il sedan). The DB5, pushed back into a final few frames, indicates as much. — Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)

Skyfall (2012) - Aston Martin DB5 - The Driver: Daniel Craig, locked in combat with an evil ponytail also suffering from an Oepipus complex.The Car: The drive from London to Bond’s childhood home through the Scottish highlands is our favorite scene in any Bond film, full stop. Nothing goes better with dreary UK B-roads than a silver DB5 carrying Dame Judi Dench.The Evolutionary Leap: Somehow, Sam Mendes imbued Skyfall with the same nuance and devastation he brought to Revolutionary Road. Nostalgics might whimper, but with the best treatment of the best car and the second-best Bond, this is the finest of the franchise. — Skyfall (2012)

Mentioned in this article: Aston Martin bmw Cars James Bond Lotus Rides

The 10 Most Iconic Bond Cars of All Time

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