The James Bond Collection
“Bond, James Bond.” Who doesn’t know those three iconic words? For nearly 60 years Mr. Bond has been uttering those words and ordering his martini “shaken, not stirred.”
But that isn’t all that the James Bond franchise is known for. In fact, there is something else that is closely watched and highly anticipated.
The cars. Fantastic, gorgeous classic cars that spark the imagination and get the blood pumping.
From the Sunbeam Alpine in 1962’s Dr. No, Bond’s first appearance, to the anticipatory buzz about his upcoming, tentatively titled Bond 25 (is he driving an electric Aston Martin or a less glamorous Land Rover?), these movies have provided entertainment and excitement for several generations.
Let’s take a look at some of the automotive gifts that the James Bond movies have bestowed upon us over the years.
Aston Martin DB5
Movies: Goldfinger, Thunderball, GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, Casino Royale, Skyfall
It wasn’t the first James Bond car; it didn’t make it’s first appearance until 1964 Goldfinger. However, the Aston Martin DB5 is definitely the best known. In fact, it’s considered the most famous car in the world. Fun fact: Aston was not exactly thrilled about loaning a development prototype for the movie. There wasn’t even any deal for product placement, but after the windfall of publicity that followed the Goldfinger release, they changed their tune. This set the stage for placement deals throughout the industry and is a main reason they are use today.
BMW Z8
Movie: The World is not Enough
This was not the first BMW that Bond drove (you might recall the brief glimpse of the BMW Z3 in GoldenEye), but it was one of the more popular ones. The classic beauty packed 400 horses and while not as gadget laden as some other Bond cars, it did have its high points. You gotta love a car that has little steering wheel controlled missiles that pop out of its side gills.
Lotus Esprit Turbo
Movie: For Your Eyes Only
This Bond car did not get much screen time – not as much as many of the other Bond cars – but it still stands out as one of the most memorable. Aside from some pretty cool gadgets, it’s the sheer beauty of this car that really captured imaginations. The deep red paint job, brilliant graphics, and shiny gold wheels are definitely dream worthy. Who didn’t fantasize about slipping behind that wheel and hitting the open road?
Mercury Cougar XR-7
Movie: On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
OK, so this was not a car driven James Bond (Tracy di Vincenzo did all the driving), but it is still a memorable James Bond car just the same. This jaw dropping classic, a 1969 Cougar XR-7, had no gadgets, but then again, it didn’t need them. This little beauty stood on her own two feet, or, er, four wheels.
Aston Martin DBS
Movies: Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace
Casino Royale did more than showcase the DBS as a totally cool ride, it was also a testament to the Aston Martin reputation for durability and precise handling. In one epic car chase scene Bond was supposed to flip the DBS seven times before crashing. That was the plan anyway.
No matter what the stuntmen did they could not get the DBS to lose control on such a spectacular way. The car simply handled too well. Finally, the crew used a compressed air canon, tucked behind the driver seat. When the time came for the “big scene,” the cannon would fire a cylinder into the road. Boom. The results were some of the most memorable in James Bond history.
Toyota 2000GT Roadster
Movie: You Only Live Twice
One of the great moments in James Bond history is the fancy driving through the streets of Tokyo in a Toyota 2000GT roadster. The only problem was Toyota did not sell such a car. In fact, the carmaker intended to sell its very first sports car as a cute little coupe. This put a kink in movie crew’s plans because it would make it a real challenge to do any in car filming.
To add insult to injury, Sean Connery, who stood at 6’2” couldn’t fit in it.
The final solution was to convert a couple of coupes into roadsters. Problem solved – sort of. At least it looked great on screen.
Channel your inner James Bond and get your own uber cool ride. Woodside Credit makes it easy with the lowest payment terms in the industry. Give us a call today or visit our site and review our loan programs so you can put that car in your garage.
