All the 007 movies have this special formula that seems to be working very well. The role of James Bond always goes to the most popular actor; the hottest and most relevant actresses accompany him, and the secret agent must use at least five different gadgets. And, of course, there’s always a special car.
There have been so many sweet Bond rides throughout the years that it’s hard to narrow down the most iconic ones. But we still tried!
1. Sunbeam Alpine — Dr No, 1962
The first Bond car was naturally English. The Sunbeam Alpine we see in the movie was rumored to have been borrowed from a local to cut the shipping costs.
2. Bentley Mark IV — From Russia With Love, 1963
An amazing choice for a special agent’s car, isn’t it? Even though the spy was equipped with the most modern gadgets, at the time of the release, this model was 30 years old. Not really the most modern choice, but Bond drove Bentley in Fleming’s books, so it needed to be done.
3. Aston Martin DB5 — Goldfinger, 1964 and No Time to Die, 2021
James Bond’s first Aston Martin was the sublime 1963 DB5, which became iconic and being featured in multiple movies like GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, Casino Royale, Skyfall, and, of course, 007’s most recent adventure — No Time to Die.
4. Toyota 2000GT — You Only Live Twice, 1967
It’s hard to imagine a better car for You Only Live Twice when the movie is set in Japan, as the 2000GT is considered the first Japanese supercar. Fun fact: Sean Connery didn’t fit in a hardtop car, so they had to make Toyota a convertible.
5. Mercury Cougar — In Her Majesty’s Secret Service, 1969
When Bond was on the run, and there were no Aston Martins around, he had to drive a Mercury Cougar, which turned out to be a tricky but very stylish car. He showed some amazing tricks on the ice track.
6. Ford Mustang — Diamonds Are Forever, 1971
Sean Connery returned to the role of 007, and the box office numbers flew sky-high! This was largely due to one of the most exciting pursuits in the history of the franchise. Ford provided the filmmakers with an unlimited number of vehicles in return for the Mustang ad. It’s a shame that almost all of them were destroyed.
7. AMC Hornet — The Man With The Golden Gun, 1974
Roger Moore’s agent 007 blatantly steals an AMC Hornet in The Man with the Golden Pistol and drives it out of the car dealership right through the window. Despite the lack of the usual bells and whistles, Bond managed to make a sick 360 on this car and jump across the collapsed bridge.
8. Lotus Esprit — The Spy Who Loved Me, 1977
Lotus Esprit has to be one of Bond’s fanciest cars he’s ever driven. It was zooming on land, in the air, and even underwater! Yes, this baby could be easily turned into a submarine.
9. Aston Martin V8 — The Living Daylights, 1987
The next James Bond was Timothy Dalton, and Aston Martin returned to the franchise after a long 18-year hiatus. The car had a control panel under the armrest with buttons for operating lasers, missiles, a rocket booster, spiked tires, and more.
10. BMW 750IL — Tomorrow Never Dies, 1997
The 750IL was not only packed to the brim with neat spy tech, but it was also actually driving really well. It was equipped with a bulletproof body and glass, all kinds of missiles, tear gas, etc., and could be controlled via a smartphone. Well, that’s not true. This BMW had a stuntman sitting in the back seat, with a specially equipped steering wheel and a screen showing the road. Still, pretty memorable.
11. BMW Z8 — The World Is Not Enough, 1999
This was the last movie where the MI-6 agent drove a BMW. The magnificent Z8 supercar was equipped just like its predecessors, but the new Q also added six cupholders. You can’t imagine James-Bond without a morning coffee!
12. Aston Martin V12 Vanquish — Die Another Day, 2002
Finally, the franchise rolled back from doing Ford and BMW ads to using the British Aston Martin. This particular model had a unique ability to become invisible. Many people called it a ridiculous invention, but most fans really liked this feature.
13. Aston Martin DBS V12 — Casino Rayale, 2006 and Quantum of Mercy, 2008
“Casino Royale” was a soft “reboot” of the series, with Daniel Craig becoming the new Bond. What better time to use an Aston Martin? The car had fewer gadgets, and they were much more realistic to give the movie a more serious look.
14. Aston Martin DB10 — Spectre, 2015
This Aston Martin model was designed specifically for the movie Spectre, and it shows. It does look like a ghost almost. What would a Bond car be without a couple of flamethrowers and machineguns, right?
