In the last three decades, automotive technology has come a long way. However, the brilliant folks at Q-branch have made certain that one man stayed ahead of that curve. No matter what the situation requires, James Bond always has the appropriate vehicular gadgetry close at hand.
In Dr. No (1962), Bond’s Sunbeam Alpine was little more that a quick, stylish ride. The 4.5L Bentley Sports Tourer in From Russia with Love (1963) was a favorite of Bond creator Ian Fleming, but not 007 fans. That car, the gadget-laden Aston Martin DB 5 first appeared in Goldfinger (1964).
Up front, the DB 5 had machine guns concealed behind flip-up parking lights, and hydraulic overriders that functioned as battering rams. A Rolodex-style mechanism displayed license plates for any country. At the rear, canisters could discharge a thick smoke screen through the exhaust, or Bond could squirt oil from a device hidden beneath the left rear flasher. The right rear taillight assembly opened to release calthrops. These small, metal spurs punctured a pursuing enemy’s tires, as would the rotating blades that could extend from a rear wheel hub. A bulletproof plate raised from the trunk and protected occupants from gunfire. And if threatened by a passenger, the roof of the car opened, and the bad guy (and his seat, upholstered in antelope leather) were ejected.
In The Man with the Golden Gun (1974), Bond performed and extraordinary barrel-roll jump in an ordinary AMC Hornet, transporting himself and the goofy Sheriff J.W. Pepper across a canal via an unpassable collapsed bridge. The film also featured Scaramanga and his flying AMC Matador.
Lotus provided two pre-production versions of their Esprit to the producers of The Spy Who Loved Me (1977). Bond’s Lotus (a.k.a. Wet Nellie) employed retractable wheels and doubled as a submarine complete with harpoon, missile launchers, and a periscope. Pumps behind the license plate sprayed mud, cement and ink to blind 007’s pursuers. James Bond must have favored the Esprit, as two more appeared in For Your Eyes Only (1981).
The Living Daylights (1987) found James behind the wheel of a new Aston Martin. This winterized Volante featured studded ice tires and retractable outriggers, as well as hub-mounted lasers, and a pair of heat-seeking missiles, tucked neatly behind its fog lights.
Lately though, Bond has driven BMW vehicles, like the Stinger missile-equipped Z3 from GoldenEye (1995), and a rather heavily-armed 750iL in Tomorrow Never Dies (1997). In The World is Not Enough, 007’s BMW Z8 was sawed in half, back-to-front, and destroyed.
Things like this seem to happen a lot to James Bond. I suppose it comes with the territory, but nobody does it better.
By Adam Icenogle