Few franchises have ever captured the romance of motoring quite like James Bond. Across six decades, the world’s most famous spy has driven, crashed, and occasionally submerged some of the most beautiful machines ever to grace the screen. These cars have become cinematic icons in their own right - steel-and-aluminium extensions of 007’s charm, wit, and ruthlessness.
From suave ’60s elegance to the high-tech weaponry of the modern era, each car tells a story of its time. This isn’t just a list of movie vehicles - it’s a celebration of how design, engineering, and fantasy intertwine to create something immortal.
Let’s count down the ten greatest Bond cars of all time.
10. Aston Martin Vanquish - The Invisible Showstopper
Film: Die Another Day (2002)
By 2002, Bond had entered a period of flamboyant excess, and the first generation Aston Martin Vanquish embodied it perfectly. Codenamed “The Vanish” by Q Branch, it could turn invisible at the touch of a button - a concept that sounded ridiculous and yet felt oddly fitting for the Bond of the Brosnan era.
Underneath the sci-fi gimmickry, however, lay a genuine masterpiece of British engineering. Its 5.9-litre V12 produced 460bhp, wrapped in a body of flowing, muscular lines that reintroduced Aston Martin to the 21st century. The chase across Iceland’s frozen lake remains pure spectacle - two supercars sliding sideways in a ballet of fire and ice.
For all its absurdity, the Vanquish remains a fan favourite. It was the last gasp of the fully gadget-laden Bond car before Daniel Craig’s stripped-down realism took over.
9. Citroën 2CV - The Underdog’s Triumph
Film: For Your Eyes Only (1981)
After years of gadgets and explosions, For Your Eyes Only deliberately scaled things back. When Bond’s Lotus Esprit self-destructs, he’s forced to commandeer a bright yellow Citroën 2CV - the least glamorous car imaginable.
What follows is one of the most endearing chases in the entire series. Roger Moore’s Bond bounces and slides through the Spanish countryside, turning the humble 2CV into an unlikely hero. It’s slapstick, yes, but also quietly brilliant. In that moment, Bond proves that ingenuity and composure matter more than horsepower.
Amazingly, the scene helped boost 2CV sales across Europe. Citroën even released a special edition “007” version in black and yellow. Proof that even a slow car can leave a fast impression.
8. Ford Mustang Mach 1 - Muscle, Vegas-Style
Film: Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
It’s easy to forget that Bond once flirted with American muscle. In Diamonds Are Forever, Sean Connery piloted a red Mustang Mach 1 through the neon chaos of Las Vegas, escaping the police in a sequence that’s still jaw-dropping today.
The famous alleyway stunt - balancing the car on two wheels to squeeze through a narrow passage - was achieved with a real Mustang and remains one of the boldest practical effects of the era. It was pure swagger, an automotive wink to the American audience.
While the Mustang lacked the refinement of an Aston, it had raw charisma in spades. It showed that Bond’s cool wasn’t confined to European craftsmanship - it could thrive just as well in Detroit steel.
7. Aston Martin DB10 - A Vision of the Future
Film: Spectre (2015)
When the DB10 debuted in Spectre, it wasn’t just a car - it was a statement. Designed exclusively for the film, with only ten built, it symbolised the deep bond (no pun intended) between Aston Martin and 007.
Underneath its sculpted carbon-fibre skin was the beating heart of a modern V8 Vantage, but the DB10’s true achievement was aesthetic. It previewed Aston’s next design language, one that would later influence the DB11 and Vantage models that followed.
In Spectre’s nocturnal Rome chase, the DB10 glided through cobbled streets with eerie grace, pursued by the equally exotic Jaguar C-X75. The flamethrower exhaust and ejector seat were cinematic flourishes, but the car’s quiet menace came from something more subtle - confidence.
6. BMW Z8 - Modern Elegance, Tragic Demise
Film: The World Is Not Enough (1999)
The Z8 marked BMW’s final outing in the Bond franchise, and what a farewell it was. With its retro styling, long bonnet, and unmistakable shark nose, the Z8 looked like it had time-travelled straight from the 1960s. It combined modern performance with timeless design - a spiritual successor to the DB5.
On screen, its titanium chassis and surface-to-air missile launchers made it a formidable ally. Unfortunately, its cinematic life was brutally cut short when it was sliced in half by a helicopter-mounted saw.
Even so, its brief appearance left an impression. In the real world, the Z8 has become a coveted collector’s item, its rarity and elegance perfectly aligned with Bond’s aesthetic of understated luxury.
5. Toyota 2000GT - The Exotic Gentleman
Film: You Only Live Twice (1967)
In 1967, Japan’s automotive industry was on the cusp of global recognition. The Toyota 2000GT, with its swooping curves and impeccable build quality, was the car that changed everything. Bond’s version was one of two specially built roadsters - Connery was too tall for the coupé - and that open-top silhouette became instantly iconic.
The 2000GT’s 2.0-litre straight-six delivered more sophistication than speed, but the car’s elegance was undeniable. Its presence in You Only Live Twice helped introduce Japanese craftsmanship to a worldwide audience, marking a cultural milestone for both Bond and Toyota.
It was the moment the franchise went truly global - a union of British cool and Japanese precision.
4. Aston Martin DBS V12 - Reinventing 007 for a New Era
Film: Casino Royale (2006)
The DBS represented a clean break from the past. When Casino Royale rebooted the Bond mythology, it needed a car to match Daniel Craig’s more brutal interpretation of the character. The DBS fit perfectly - muscular, restrained, and purposeful.
Beneath its hand-built aluminium panels was a 6.0-litre V12, producing 510bhp and a soundtrack that was equal parts fury and finesse. The film’s infamous crash - a record-breaking seven-barrel roll - wasn’t just a stunt, but a symbol of Bond’s vulnerability. For once, the car’s destruction felt personal.
The DBS also signified a return to authenticity. No invisible cloaks, no lasers - just man, machine, and raw emotion.
3. Aston Martin V8 Vantage - The Cold War Warrior
Film: The Living Daylights (1987)
If the DB5 was Bond’s tuxedo, the classic, original V8 Vantage was his leather jacket. Timothy Dalton’s Bond was darker, more pragmatic, and his car reflected that shift. Described by Q as “winterised,” it came equipped with missiles, lasers, tire shredders, and even rocket propulsion.
The scenes in the snowbound landscapes of Czechoslovakia were some of the franchise’s most exhilarating - a marriage of old-school Aston power and Cold War grit. Off-screen, the V8 marked Aston’s defiant survival through turbulent financial times, a story of resilience that mirrored Bond’s own.
Today, it’s rightly revered as one of the coolest Astons ever made - the British muscle car with a licence to thrill.
2. Lotus Esprit S1 - The Submarine That Shouldn’t Exist
Film: The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
If you ask anyone to name a Bond car that isn’t an Aston, chances are they’ll say the Lotus Esprit. Its transformation from sleek sports car to fully fledged submarine is one of cinema’s most jaw-dropping moments.
The Esprit S1 was already a design icon - a Giorgetto Giugiaro wedge that epitomised ’70s futurism - but when it plunged beneath the waves, it transcended reality. The real submersible, built by Perry Oceanographic, could actually operate underwater, albeit at limited depth.
It’s the perfect Bond car: impossibly cool, slightly ludicrous, and completely unforgettable. Elon Musk even bought one of the original prop cars, later claiming it inspired the Tesla Cybertruck. That’s the power of cinema’s imagination.
1. Aston Martin DB5 - The Definitive Bond Car
Film: Goldfinger (1964)
There’s only one car that could top this list. The DB5 isn’t just Bond’s car - it’s the Bond car. Its debut in Goldfinger was a watershed moment, not just for the franchise but for automotive culture as a whole.
Silver paint, wire wheels, and a list of gadgets that redefined cool: revolving plates, machine guns, smoke screen, and of course, the ejector seat. It wasn’t just a prop - it was a personality. The DB5 gave Bond an identity of impeccable taste and lethal precision.
Decades later, when it returned in Skyfall and No Time to Die, audiences didn’t cheer for Bond - they cheered for the car. The DB5 has transcended fiction to become a global symbol of timeless style.
The Legacy of 007’s Garage
From the Citroën 2CV’s underdog charm to the Aston Martin DB10’s futuristic elegance, Bond’s cars have mirrored the evolution of both cinema and motoring. They’ve been our dream machines, our avatars of adventure and sophistication.
These vehicles are more than set pieces - they’re a living mythology, each one telling a story about courage, ingenuity, and the eternal allure of the open road.