PROVOCATIVE SOCIETY MAGAZINE NOV/DEC ISSUE

James Bond: The 10 Best Cars 007 Has Driven, Ranked

James Bond has driven some seriously awesome cars in the franchise, but these top all the rest. BY DEREK DRAVEN When not engaged in warfare with the world’s most insidious super-villains, James Bond gets to enjoy while others are capable of conquering small countries thanks to a hefty arsenal of British technology and weapons. Today we’re ranking the coolest cars 007 has ever driven throughout the course of the franthe finer things in life, including a collection chise. Every single one is a masterpiece in deof jaw-dropping luxury cars that would make sign, aesthetics and engineering, making them any kid want to become a secret agent. Some an excellent choice for MI6’s most successful of these cars are great for a night on the town, secret agent. Fasten your seat belts!

10. BENTLEY MARK IV

From Russia With Love (1963)

007 used the beautiful Bentley Mark IV 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.

8. 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.

9. FORD MUSTANG MACH 1

Diamonds Are Forever (1971)

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. It featured prominently in the film during a high speed chase through Las Vegas.

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. Comedy aside, the car itself was quite a sight to behold.

7. 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 the other models on this list, 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.

5. 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.

Everything else changed. The Vantage was a death-car which 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.

6. 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.

4. 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, 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, long before CGI was a thing.

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.”

3. 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.

2. BMO 750iL

Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)

Pierce Brosnan’s first few Bond films were heavy on BMWs, but none of them was as cool and stylish as the 750iL seen in Tomorrow Never Dies. The real world car was renowned as the first in the world to feature Xenon headlights and an integrated satnav screen for the European market.

Bond’s version was stocked to the gills with technology including reinforced windows, an anti-tampering shock system, missiles, wire cutters, caltrops and of course, a smartphone-style remote control system with a mini LCD display in first person perspective.

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.

1. 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. PS

Derek Draven started writing about video games at age 14 and went on to write for GamePro Magazine and several other prominent outlets. He now brings his veteran pop culture XP to ScreenRant, TheGamer and CBR.

Reprinted with permission from screenrant.com