James Bond is well known for driving luxury British sports cars, especially Aston Martins. His most iconic car is the Aston Martin DB5, which first appeared in the 1964 film Goldfinger. Ian Fleming initially had Bond driving a Bentley in the novels. But after a fan suggested Bond should drive an Aston Martin, Fleming featured a DB3 model in Goldfinger.
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The filmmakers chose the DB5 for 007, and this car became synonymous with the James Bond character. With its array of gadgets like rotating license plates and passenger ejector seats, the silver DB5 is now considered the quintessential James Bond car. It has reappeared in several later films including Thunderball, GoldenEye, and Skyfall. So while Bentley has a Bond connection, the Aston Martin DB5 is the car most closely associated with everyone’s favorite secret agent.
What is the Fastest James Bond Car?
| Car | Model year | Top speed (mph) | Film(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aston Martin DBS | 2007 | 192 | Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace |
| Aston Martin DB10 | 2015 | 190 | Spectre |
| Aston Martin V8 Vantage | 1987 | 170 | The Living Daylights |
| Aston Martin Vanquish | 2002 | 186 | Die Another Day |
| Aston Martin DB5 | 1964 | 145 | Goldfinger, Thunderball, GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, Casino Royale, Skyfall, No Time to Die |
What Was James Bond’s First Car?
While the Aston Martin DB5 is considered James Bond’s most iconic car, his first on-screen vehicle was actually a Sunbeam Alpine Series II roadster. This light blue convertible appeared in the very first Bond film, 1962’s Dr. No. Ian Fleming put Bond in a Bentley in the novels, but the filmmakers chose the Sunbeam Alpine to give 007 some extra style and speed for his Caribbean adventure.
Bond uses the agile two-seater to evade Dr. No’s henchmen during a dramatic chase scene. With its rakish looks and lively performance, the Sunbeam Alpine was a fashionable sports car in the early 1960s. So this little convertible has the distinction of being the first movie Bond car, even if it lacks the gadgets and fame of the Aston Martin DB5 that came later. The Sunbeam Alpine shows that Bond had an eye for adventure-ready rides right from the start.
How Much is James Bond’s Car?
The cars driven by James Bond on the silver screen can fetch astronomical prices for collectors. Bond’s most iconic ride, the Aston Martin DB5 introduced in 1964’s Goldfinger, is also his most valuable. Pristine examples of the gadget-laden DB5 have sold for as much as $3 million at auction. Other popular Bond cars like the Lotus Esprit submarine car from The Spy Who Loved Me or the BMW Z8 from Tomorrow Never Dies tend to sell in the $500,000 to $1 million range.
The value depends on factors like condition, provenance, and whether the car was actually used in filming or is a replica. A DB5 in excellent shape that appeared on camera could sell for millions. But a replica might go for around $100,000. Other variables that impact price are custom options and ownership history. A Bond car owned by one of the 007 actors like Sean Connery or Daniel Craig would also command a premium.
While only a handful of super fans might pay over a million for a screen-used Aston Martin, many Bond car collectors are willing to spend six figures to own a car associated with the world’s most famous secret agent. So in the market for James Bond cars, prices can range from attainable to astronomical based on the car’s history and the buyer’s passion.
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Did James Bond Drive a BMW?
James Bond has been behind the wheel of many luxury vehicles over his decades of high-speed action, but he also drove BMWs in three feature films:
- GoldenEye (1995) featured Bond in a slick Z3 roadster. Equipped by Q with gadgets like stinger missiles and an ejector seat, this was the first time 007 piloted a BMW on the big screen.
- In Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), Bond drove a gadget-laden BMW 750iL sedan. The features included remote control, tire spikes, and bulletproof glass to aid his escape.
- The World Is Not Enough (1999) saw Bond behind the wheel of an exotic BMW Z8. While not as tricked out with devices as the spy’s past BMWs, this sleek limited-edition coupe provided style and performance.
Though Bond would return to his classic Aston Martins after this trilogy, his time behind the wheel of these high-tech German sports cars helped cement BMW’s reputation as a purveyor of driver-focused luxury vehicles. The Bond connection also gave BMWs an aura of sophistication and excitement that appealed to audiences worldwide. So for a brief period in the 1990s, Commander Bond piloted some Ultimate Driving Machines in his pursuit of cinematic espionage.
