Top 10 Bond Cars of all time | Top 10 - Car News May 2012

14:51 Wednesday 03 Jul 2013

Whether he's loping across Europe, outrunning a group of baddies or seducing a beautiful woman, you can guarantee that "Bond, James Bond" will be driving a pretty tasty set of wheels while he's doing it. Over the years, Bond's face may have changed but two things have remained the same - number one, he's still an epicure of fine motors and, number two, the baddies will always drive off a cliff and explode. Always.

So, in honour of "Bond, James Bond's" impeccable taste in cars, we've compiled a list of his all-time greatest dream machines. Also, take a look at this trailer to see the cars in action.

1. Aston Martin DB5 -

Goldfinger, Thunderball, Skyfall

It had to be didn't it? The DB5 is as much a part of James Bond as his Savile Row suits, his Walther PPK or his louche sexuality. Never mind that it was a bit of a truck to drive and not as fast as Aston would have you believe, the DB5 was the dream car of choice for a generation of petrolheads and wannabe secret agents.

2. Bentley 4 ½ Litre

Okay, so the big old Bentley never actually appeared in any James Bond films. However, it was 007's vehicle of choice in the original Ian Fleming novels. Built from 1927 to 1931, in its day the 'Blower' Bentley could top an impressive 138mph and, as vintage cars go, you'd have to admit that it's pretty cool.

3. Ford Mustang - Diamonds are Forever

Perhaps now more famous for featuring in one of the biggest cock-ups in cinema history (the scene where Bond drives the Mustang down a narrow alley on two wheels, only to emerge balancing on the other two wheels) the Mustang was the star of Diamonds are Forever, and easily good enough to distract attention away from the ageing Sean Connery's expanding waistline and dodgy toupee.

4. Lotus Esprit - The Spy Who Loved Me

Bond changes his wheels like he changes his women and for 1977's The Spy Who Loved Me he was seen driving a Lotus Esprit which, thanks to Q's handiwork, could transform into a submarine at the flick of a switch. Of course in reality the Esprit would have rusted away into nothing before it had even touched the water, but in the fantasy world of 007 -- where Lotuses don't break down and Barbara Bach can be persuaded into the sack with the raise of an eyebrow -- the Esprit was fantastic.

5. Citroen 2CV - For Your Eyes Only

The car chase in For Your Eyes Only sees Bond "slumming it", automotively speaking, as he tries to escape from baddies in Peugeot 504s in a bright yellow Citroen 2CV. "We're being outhorsepowered," Bond quips as the car bounces down a Spanish hill, in reference to the 2CV's miserable 29bhp.

However, the Citroen makes it onto this list by proving that Bond could still pull a beautiful assassin even when he was driving a crappy French peasant's car. The fact that Roger Moore was 73 when this film was made makes this even more remarkable.

6. Alfa Romeo GTV6 - Octopussy

Bond well and truly enters the eighties in Octopussy when he 'borrows' an Alfa GTV6 from a German woman, prompting her to shout the immortal line, "Nein, das ist mein Auto!"

The GTV6 was a beautiful car, perfectly suited to Bond. The film is one of the weakest in the Bond canon although it does contain one of the greatest lines in movie history:

Bond is lying in bed with a woman, drinking champagne. Upon finishing her champagne, the woman claims, "I need refilling." Bond raises an eyebrow.

7. Aston Martin V8 Vantage - The Living Daylights

At last! Bond gets back into a proper English set of wheels in The Living Daylights, despite inexplicably becoming Welsh himself. The V8 Vantage was, and is, a fantastic car -- a proper old-school bruiser with a 5.3-litre V8 under the bonnet and, for Bond at least, a gorgeous Russian cellist in the passenger seat.

8. BMW Z8 - The World Is Not Enough

Pierce Brosnan's 007 shocked Bond fans worldwide by driving a BMW Z3 in GoldenEye and maintained his allegiance to the German firm for the next two films. Bond eventually ended up with this -- the 4.9-litre V8 BMW Z8. The Z8 looked great but handled like a Routemaster and no doubt elicited cheers from patriotic 007-nuts when it was sawn in half by baddies.

9. Aston Martin Vanquish - Die Another Day

For his final screen outing, Brosnan's Bond goes back to his roots with this Aston Martin Vanquish. The film was a bit of a misfire but the 5.9-litre Aston was undoubtedly the main star. The Vanquish is one of the most beautiful cars ever made and -- in a scene which made even Octopussy look like Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy -- also became one of the most invisible cars ever made.

10. Aston Martin DBS - Casino Royale

After he's poisoned by Le Chiffre in the eponymous Casino Royale, Bond uses a defibrillator handily installed in the glove box to restart his own heart. Sadly, the defib wasn't even an option on the production DBS, although buyers could rest safe in the knowledge that the Aston could hit 62mph in 4.3 seconds thanks to its 6.0-litre V12.

So there you have it, our top ten favourite Bond cars. If you disagree with any of our choices and would like to nominate your favourite Bond car, please feel free to comment below.

Click on the image below to see a video of some of Bond's most beautiful cars.