007 Drives - Few cinematic icons are as inseparable from their machines as James Bond is from his cars. Each pursuit, explosion, or quiet glide through a moonlit road has been defined not just by the man in the tuxedo, but by the roar beneath his hands. Yet before Bond was the dashing figure we know on screen, he began as words on a page—born in 1953 from the imagination of Ian Fleming. The former naval intelligence officer infused his hero with sophistication, danger, and style. After Fleming’s passing in 1964, other writers—Kingsley Amis, Christopher Wood, John Gardner, Raymond Benson, Sebastian Faulks, Jeffery Deaver, and William Boyd—continued to expand 007’s world, ensuring his stories would evolve alongside the times. |
| The 1963 Aston Martin DB5 on 'No Time To Die in 2021. (Picture from: CarAndDriver) |
When Dr. No premiered in 1962, it launched not only a spy legend but also a visual legacy of British engineering, design, and cinematic innovation. Over sixty years and twenty-five official films, Bond’s cars have reflected every era’s imagination—from the mechanical marvels of the ’60s to the technological brilliance of the modern age. And though countless vehicles have appeared in service of Her Majesty’s secret agent, five of them stand above the rest—machines that didn’t just carry Bond through danger, but carried the franchise itself into history.
 |
| Sean Connery with the legendary 1963 Aston Martin DB5. (Picture from: JamesBond.Fandom) |
The first unforgettable car entered the stage in Goldfinger (1964), when Sean Connery’s Bond slid behind the wheel of the Aston Martin DB5. Polished in silver birch, elegant yet menacing, the DB5 became the gold standard of spy vehicles. Outfitted by Q Branch with rotating license plates, machine guns, oil slick dispensers, smoke screens, and the now-mythical ejector seat, it captured the imagination of an entire generation. The DB5 wasn’t merely a car—it was a character, one that embodied the charm, wit, and audacity of early Bond. Its lasting appeal was so strong that it continued to appear decades later, proving that true style never needs reinvention.
 |
| The original James Bond 007 ride 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service,' the 1969 Aston Martin DBS. (Picture from: CinemaRetro) |
Five years later, Bond changed faces and tone. In On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969), George Lazenby took the role with a quieter intensity, and so too did his car—the Aston Martin DBS. Gone were the elaborate gadgets and comic flourishes of Connery’s years. This DBS was sleek, muscular, and understated—a reflection of both a new Bond and a new decade. Its minimalism suited the story’s emotional weight and realism, grounding the spy mythos in something more human. With its long hood, squared-off grille, and deep metallic shine, the 1969 DBS marked a moment of cinematic maturity: Bond, for the first time, was less about spectacle and more about soul.  |
| Roger Moore’s Bond arrived with a raised eyebrow, a smirk, and the 1977 Lotus Esprit S1 in 'The Spy Who Loved Me.' (Picture from: CarThrottle) |
By the late ’70s, however, the franchise pivoted toward daring spectacle once again. Roger Moore’s Bond arrived with a raised eyebrow, a smirk, and the Lotus Esprit S1 in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)—a vehicle that redefined what a spy car could be. The crisp white wedge looked like the future itself, and when it famously dove off a Sardinian pier to become a fully functioning submarine, audiences gasped in disbelief. It was armed with underwater torpedoes, missile launchers, and even anti-aircraft mines. Designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and modified for cinematic magic, the Esprit captured the fun and fantasy of the 1970s. It wasn’t just Bond who adapted to any environment—his car could literally breathe underwater.  |
| In
'The Spy Who Loved Me,' witness the 1977 Lotus Esprit S1 'Wet Nellie'
seamlessly transition into 'submarine' mode, showcasing its versatility
and sophistication. (Picture from: Wikipedia) |
Two decades later, Bond’s adventures entered the digital age. With Pierce Brosnan behind the wheel, the world of espionage embraced technology, and so did his cars. The BMW 750iL, featured in Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), looked like a refined executive sedan—until it revealed its hidden arsenal. The car boasted remote driving via Bond’s Ericsson phone, complete with an LCD display showing the car’s point of view. It came with rockets hidden beneath the roof, tear gas sprayers, re-inflating tires, and caltrops to shred the wheels of any pursuing enemies. Watching Brosnan steer the car through a parking garage from the back seat was more than thrilling—it was prophetic, hinting at a world where smart devices and machines would soon merge.
 |
| Pierce Brosnan as Bond in 'Tomorrow Never Dies' with the 1997 BMW 750iL. (Picture from: JamesBondLifestyle) |
By 1999, Bond swapped German precision for minimalist elegance with the BMW Z8 in The World Is Not Enough. Its slender frame, long bonnet, and retro-inspired design perfectly suited Brosnan’s polished demeanor. Fitted with side-mounted missile launchers and remote-control capability, the Z8 blended classic aesthetics with futuristic flair. Though its cinematic life ended abruptly—sliced in half by a helicopter’s buzz-saw—the Z8 left a lasting impression. It represented an era of transition, a bridge between nostalgia and modernity, and a testament to how Bond’s world constantly reimagined itself with each film.
 |
| Pierce Bronsan with the BMW Z8. (Picture from: CarThrottle) |
When Die Another Day premiered in 2002, Bond returned home—to Aston Martin—with the V12 Vanquish. This car was the pinnacle of Brosnan-era extravagance. Nicknamed “The Vanish,” it was equipped with an adaptive camouflage system that rendered it invisible at the touch of a button. Beneath the refined surface lurked twin autocannons, heat-seeking missiles, tire spikes, and an ejector seat—a wink to the DB5’s legendary past. The Vanquish perfectly embodied early-2000s Bond: bold, technologically fearless, and unapologetically stylish, a fusion of luxury and weaponry that reflected an age obsessed with spectacle.
 |
| Pierce Bronsan with the Aston Martin V12 Vanquish. (Picture from: JamesBond.Fandom) |
Then came a new Bond for a new century. Daniel Craig’s portrayal in Casino Royale (2006), Quantum of Solace (2008) and No Time To Die (2021) demanded something raw, powerful, and real. Enter the Aston Martin DBS once again—this time reborn as a modern icon. Built on the DB9 platform, the 2006 DBS was a masterpiece of engineering: aggressive lines, carbon-fiber panels, and a V12 engine that delivered pure adrenaline. Inside, it featured a hidden compartment for Bond’s Walther P99 pistol, an emergency defibrillator, and a medical link to MI6. Its most unforgettable moment came in Casino Royale, during the heart-stopping chase that sent it barrel-rolling seven times—a world record for a cannon-assisted stunt. Unlike its 1969 namesake, this DBS wasn’t a symbol of restraint but of reinvention—a machine as brutal and unyielding as Craig’s new take on 007 himself.  |
| The 2006 Aston Martin DBS on 'Casino Royale'. (Picture from: BondMovies) |
From the timeless elegance of the DB5 to the aquatic ingenuity of the Lotus Esprit, from the digital brilliance of BMW’s creations to the resurrected power of the modern DBS, James Bond’s cars have never just been vehicles. They are reflections of the eras that built them—each model capturing a different version of what power, technology, and sophistication meant at the time. They chart the evolution of not just a spy, but of cinema itself. And as long as Bond continues to drive toward the unknown, somewhere, Q is already at work designing the next piece of rolling legend. *** [EKA [30102012] | DIH | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | PIKIRAN RAKYAT 19102012 | JAMESBOND.FANDOM | CINEMARETRO | WIKIPEDIA | JAMESBONDLIFESTYLE | CARTHROTTLE | CARANDDRIVER ] Note: This blog can be accessed via your smart phone.
