The Best James Bond Cars of All Time

The James Bond film series, also known as the 007 franchise, is one of the biggest and most well-known spy series in cinema history.

Agent 007, based on British author Ian Fleming’s character of the same name, always overcomes insurmountable odds and drives cars outfitted with state-of-the-art technology.

Throughout the years, Bond has driven many vehicles — some significantly more outlandish than others. But out of all the Bond cars in cinema history, which ones deserve to be called the best and why?

Aston Martin V8

Utilized by not just one Bond actor but two, the Aston Martin V8 made appearances in the 1987 film The Living Daylights as well as the 2021 film No Time to Die. The films featured Timothy Dalton and Daniel Craig respectively.

Despite its age, the V8 has some serious automotive benchmarks, capable of reaching a top speed as fast as 165 mph. It was easily one of the most impressive vehicles of its time. 

In fact, the V8 was even hailed as Britain’s very first supercar thanks to its performance and acceleration speed.

Of course, Bond’s V8 is equipped with high-tech spy gadgets. Consider the concealed missile launchers hidden behind the headlights. The missiles launched were guided by a heads-up display on the windshield, helping Bond aim his shots.

The V8’s wheels were also equipped with lasers capable of cutting vehicles hot in pursuit. On top of that, the car had a self-destruct button.

Driven by: Timothy Dalton, Daniel Craig

Appearances: The Living Daylights (1987), No Time to Die (2021)

Lotus Esprit S1

One of the most iconic Bond cars is the Lotus Esprit S1. It was featured in the 1977 film The Spy Who Loved Me, featuring Sir Roger Moore as the iconic British superspy.

The Esprit S1 is, first and foremost, a sports car. This means it has exceptionally high automotive benchmarks for its time.

Thanks to its Lotus 907 4-cylinder engine, it’s capable of reaching a top speed of 138 mph with a torque of 140 lb-ft — performance that makes it worthy of being driven by James Bond himself.

What differentiates the Esprit S1 from other Bond cars is its submersible mode, which allows it to turn into a submarine and “drive” underwater. It’s also equipped with weaponry such as mines and missiles, as well as tools like black ink dispensers to aid Bond with getaways.

Driven by: Sir Roger Moore

Appearances: The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

BMW 750iL

Driven by Pierce Brosnan in the 1997 film Tomorrow Never Dies, the BMW 750iL served as Bond’s vehicle of choice during his mission in Germany.

Don’t let this vehicle’s classy and luxurious looks fool you — the 750iL is capable of some serious feats. Thanks to its 5.4-liter V12 engine, it has a horsepower of 346 and is capable of reaching top speeds as fast as 155mph.

Bond’s 750iL is equipped with all sorts of gizmos and gadgets, giving him an edge as he conducts espionage and makes daring getaways.

For example, it’s equipped with state-of-the-art security, shocking potential intruders and warding off damage from firearms and blunt weapons. Bond can even release tear gas from behind the wheels as well as caltrops from the rear bumper in case he needs to stop his pursuers.

Driven by: Pierce Brosnan

Appearances: Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)

Citroën 2CV6

Don’t let its goofy appearance fool you. The Citroën 2CV6 is arguably one of the best Bond cars of all time thanks to its moment of glory in the 1981 film For Your Eyes Only.

Its first and only appearance is in a rather comical sequence of events where Bond is forced to drive the vehicle after the destruction of his Lotus Esprit S3 Turbo.

Since the 2CV belongs to Melina Havelock, it lacks the unique tools, gear, and upgrades other Bond cars are known for. This doesn’t make it any less worthy of being a Bond car since he uses it to make a daring getaway.

In fact, in one of Top Gear’s specials titled Fifty Years of Bond Cars, Sir Roger Moore stated that the Citroën 2CV is his personal favorite Bond car. It’s a break from the usual sleek and classy vehicles Bond is known for driving, but that doesn’t make it any less charming.

Driven by: Sir Roger Moore

Appearances: For Your Eyes Only (1981)

Aston Martin DB5

There’s no denying that the Aston Martin DB5, which has been around since 1964, is the most iconic Bond car of all time. In fact, it might be one of the most iconic cars in Hollywood.

It’s been driven by three different Bond actors across a total of eight films, with daring car stunts each time. Like the other vehicles on the list, the DB5 is a classy vehicle befitting of a gentleman spy equipped with all manners of gear and weaponry.

Bond’s DB5 is unique in the sense that it has a revolving license plate, an ejector seat, a smokescreen vent, and concealed machine guns that are hidden in the bumper.

Much like the version that exists in the Bond movies, the real DB5 is a powerful vehicle with some serious automotive benchmarks. It’s equipped with a 4.0-liter I6 engine, letting it reach a top speed of 145 mph. The engine of a DB5 gives it 282 horsepower and a torque of 288 ft-lbs.

Driven by: Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig

Appearances: Goldfinger (1964), Thunderball (1965), GoldenEye (1995), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), Casino Royale (2006), Skyfall (2012), Spectre (2015) and No Time To Die (2021).