17 Most Legendary Bond Cars Ever Made
My uncle once tried to recreate a James Bond car chase in his driveway using a used BMW Z3 and a smoke machine he borrowed from a local theater.
It ended with a melted extension cord and a very confused neighbor. That’s the kind of spell Bond cars cast.
They’re more than metal and horsepower. They’re gadgets, drama, and style rolled into one.
Whether leaping off cliffs or just looking sharp parked outside a casino, they’ve burned themselves into car culture with a mix of elegance and danger few rides can match.
1. Aston Martin DB5
Nothing screams “Bond” louder than the silver Aston Martin DB5.
First appearing in 1964’s Goldfinger, this gorgeous grand tourer became an overnight sensation with its revolving license plates, ejector seat, and machine guns hidden behind the headlights.
The DB5 returned in multiple Bond films spanning generations of 007 actors. Even non-car enthusiasts instantly recognize this vehicle as Bond’s signature ride.
The original Goldfinger car sold at auction for a staggering $4.6 million in 2010!
2. Lotus Esprit S1
Jaw-dropping doesn’t begin to describe the moment when Roger Moore’s Lotus Esprit transformed into a submarine in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977).
Nicknamed “Wet Nellie” during production, this white wedge-shaped wonder plunged into the Mediterranean and fired missiles at helicopters.
Behind the scenes, the submarine scenes required multiple cars and models.
The real-life submersible version sat in storage for years before Elon Musk purchased it in 2013 for nearly $1 million. Talk about a collector’s item!
3. Aston Martin V8 Vantage
Timothy Dalton’s Bond brought a darker edge to 007, and his ride in The Living Daylights matched this tone perfectly.
The muscular Aston Martin V8 Vantage packed serious firepower: missiles, lasers, rocket propulsion, and even retractable skis for snow escapes.
Surprisingly beefy for a Bond car, this British bruiser showcased Aston’s evolution from the delicate DB5 to something with more American muscle car energy.
The V8 recently made a comeback, proving some classics never go out of style.
4. BMW Z8
Pierce Brosnan’s tenure as Bond gave us this sleek roadster in The World Is Not Enough. The Z8’s party trick?
Getting sliced in half by helicopter-mounted buzzsaws (ouch!) – though not before showing off its surface-to-air missiles and remote control driving system.
BMW’s retro-styled beauty was actually quite rare in real life. Only 5,703 were ever built, making this one of the more exclusive Bond cars you might spot in the wild.
Its classic proportions were inspired by the vintage BMW 507 from the 1950s.
5. Aston Martin DBS V12
Daniel Craig’s Casino Royale debut featured this muscular beast that famously rolled seven times during a high-speed chase – setting a world record for film stunts!
The DBS represented a grittier, more realistic take on Bond vehicles, with fewer gadgets but plenty of raw power. Production actually destroyed three DBSs worth over $1 million during filming.
The spectacular crash was achieved using an air cannon that literally fired the car into its rolls. Sometimes the most impressive car stunts don’t need missiles or ejector seats!
6. BMW 750iL
Pierce Brosnan’s Bond drives this luxury sedan from the backseat using his modified Ericsson mobile phone, navigating through a chaotic multi-story parking garage while dodging bullets.
The scene was revolutionary for its time, predicting remote driving technology decades before it became reality.
BMW reportedly paid $25 million for product placement in the film, but considering the exposure, they got their money’s worth. The car even featured a roof-mounted rocket launcher hidden in the sunroof!
7. Ford Mustang Mach 1
Bond goes American muscle! In Diamonds Are Forever, Sean Connery’s 007 pulls off an impossible stunt – driving this red Mustang on two wheels through a narrow alley.
The car actually had to be mounted differently on each side of the alley to complete the illusion.
Stunt coordinator Carey Loftin performed the famous “two-wheel” tilt, entering on the right wheels and exiting on the left.
A continuity error shows the car entering the alley balanced on its right wheels but emerging on its left! Nobody seemed to notice back in 1971.
8. Aston Martin DB10
Created specifically for Spectre, the DB10 never actually went on sale to the public! Only 10 were built, with eight used for filming and two kept for display.
Talk about exclusivity – you literally cannot buy this Bond car at any price. The sleek speedster previewed design elements that would later appear in production Aston Martins.
During filming in Rome, a stunt driver crashed one DB10 into the Vatican, causing quite the diplomatic incident. The surviving film car later sold at charity auction for $3.5 million!
9. BMW Z3
Poor little Z3! This cute roadster from GoldenEye has the dubious honor of being the most underutilized Bond car ever.
After Q Branch’s elaborate introduction of its stinger missiles and parachute braking system, the car appears for just 74 seconds of actual driving time!
Despite its brief appearance, BMW couldn’t have asked for better product placement.
The Z3 wasn’t even available for purchase when the film was released, yet dealers reported thousands of pre-orders after the movie premiered. Talk about effective movie marketing!
10. Toyota 2000GT
Sexy, rare, and modified just for 007! When Sean Connery filmed You Only Live Twice in Japan, he couldn’t fit comfortably in the standard Toyota 2000GT coupe.
The solution? Toyota chopped the roof off, creating two custom convertibles exclusively for the film.
These white beauties were Japan’s first supercar, with only 351 ever built. The convertible versions don’t officially exist in Toyota’s records – they were movie magic only!
Today, standard 2000GTs fetch over $1 million at auction, making them among the most valuable Japanese cars ever made.
11. Citroën 2CV
Not all Bond cars are luxury supercars! In For Your Eyes Only, Roger Moore escapes baddies in a bright yellow Citroën 2CV – possibly the most underpowered chase car in 007 history.
The humble French “tin snail” tumbles down a hillside, gets shot at, and somehow survives.
Stunt drivers actually modified these budget cars with bigger engines from Citroën GS models to perform the jumps and stunts.
The chase became so iconic that Citroën released a special “007” edition 2CV with fake bullet holes! Sometimes the underdog car steals the show.
12. Aston Martin Valhalla
The future of Bond cars looks electrifying! Though it barely appeared in No Time To D*e, the hybrid hypercar Valhalla represents where 007’s garage is heading.
With a mid-mounted twin-turbo V8 plus electric motors, it’s eco-friendly espionage.
Production was limited to just 999 units, with a cool $800,000 price tag. Unlike many Bond cars, the Valhalla doesn’t transform or shoot missiles – it’s just ridiculously fast and gorgeous.
Some fans were disappointed it barely featured in the film after being heavily promoted in marketing.
13. AMC Hornet
The most spectacular jump in Bond history wasn’t performed by an Aston Martin!
In The Man with the Golden Gun, Roger Moore’s 007 performs a mind-bending corkscrew jump over a broken bridge in a seemingly ordinary AMC Hornet.
Computer simulations designed this perfect 360-degree aerial twist. Amazingly, stunt driver Loren “Bumps” Willert nailed it in just ONE TAKE!
The groundbreaking stunt was briefly ruined by an ill-timed slide whistle sound effect added in post-production. Even with the silly sound, this ordinary car pulled off an extraordinary feat.
14. Aston Martin V12 Vanquish
Invisibility cloak for cars? D*e Another Day’s “Vanish” took Bond gadgets to sci-fi territory with adaptive camouflage that rendered the entire vehicle invisible.
Pierce Brosnan’s ice-racing showdown with a Jaguar XKR remains a series highlight, despite the film’s mixed reception.
The V12 Vanquish also packed heat-seeking missiles, ejector seat, and spiked tires for ice driving.
Director Lee Tamahori insisted on practical effects wherever possible – the spectacular ice chase used real cars sliding across frozen lakes in Iceland and Spain, combined with studio work.
15. Sunbeam Alpine Series II
The very first Bond car wasn’t an Aston Martin! In Dr. No (1962), Sean Connery drove this modest British roadster while being chased through Jamaican mountain roads.
No gadgets, no ejector seats – just a nimble sports car that helped establish 007’s automotive cool.
Producers chose the Alpine because it was available to rent in Jamaica – pure practicality!
The humble Sunbeam lacked the exotic appeal of later Bond cars, but it holds a special place in history. Without this modest beginning, the legendary parade of spy cars might never have followed.
16. Aston Martin DB11
Blink and you’ll miss it! The gorgeous DB11 makes only a brief cameo in No Time To D*e, serving as Bond’s personal car rather than a gadget-laden spy tool.
The Grand Tourer represents a more mature, sophisticated side of 007’s automotive tastes.
Fun fact: Unlike many Bond vehicles, the DB11 wasn’t supplied free for publicity. Aston Martin charged the production full price!
The DB11 signaled Aston’s design renaissance under Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman, blending traditional elegance with modern performance – much like Bond himself.
17. Aston Martin DBS Superleggera
The name means “super light” in Italian, but there’s nothing lightweight about this bruiser’s performance!
Appearing briefly in No Time To D*e, this 715-horsepower monster represents the pinnacle of front-engine Aston Martin design and engineering.
In the film, the car belongs to retired 007, showing his taste hadn’t diminished in retirement. The DBS features a carbon fiber body, twin-turbocharged V12, and can hit 211 mph.
Unlike Bond’s service vehicles, this one appears to be gadget-free – sometimes pure automotive excellence is enough!