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Filmgoers expect a few things from a James Bond movie: gorgeous locales, nonstop danger, a flashy watch, and of course, no shortage of stunning GT cars. However, not every noteworthy vehicle in the franchise brandishes an Aston Martin badge; the superspy has piloted or ridden in everything from a fairly commonplace BMW Z3 to a 1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1. Check out 10 of the coolest cars in the James Bond movies that go without the iconic wings.

Does James Bond always have an Aston Martin? 

Although James Bond has driven an Aston Martin on and off since the iconic 1964 DB5 in “Goldfinger,” many of his cars or short-term rides aren’t from the British marque. 

  • 1999 BMW Z8
  • 1996 BMW Z3
  • 1983 Alfa Romeo GTV6
  • 1976 Lotus Esprit
  • 1974 AMC Hornet
  • 1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1
  • 1969 Mercury Cougar
  • 1967 Toyota 2000GT
  • 1965 Ford Mustang
  • 1957 Ford Fairlane

Why is the BMW Z8 so expensive?

The sleek, striking 1999 BMW Z8 from “The World Is Not Enough” has a fair used car value of around $206,907, per Classic.com. Understandable, considering the mere 2,543 Z8 models that made it to American soil. That’s less than half of the Z8s in worldwide production.

Unfortunately for James Bond fans who want one of his cars, the 1999 BMW Z8 might not be your best bet. 

The 1996 BMW Z3 might not be an Aston Martin, but it’s the easiest way to get into a James Bond car

Pierce Brosnan and Izabella Scorupco pose with the movie car on set of a James Bond movie in a BMW Z3 rather than an Aston Martin.
Pierce Brosnan and Izabella Scorupco with a BMW Z3 | Keith Hamshere, Getty Images

Unlike the BMW Z8, the 138-horsepower 1996 BMW Z3 from “Goldeneye” might be lacking in the power department. However, a 1996 Z3 has a fair value of just $6,241 with average mileage. Consequently, the Z3 is the most budget-friendly way to get a James Bond car. 

What is the Alfa Romeo in James Bond?

Roger Moore drove a 1983 Alfa Romeo GTV6 in the unfortunately named James Bond film, “Octopussy.” In the movie, Bond is chased in the Italian hatchback by the Polizei while trying to get to and defuse an atomic weapon. Of course, a modern superspy would need a more reliable ride. 

Did James Bond drive a Lotus Esprit?

The white 1976 Lotus Esprit submarine, one of the times James Bond didn't drive an Aston Martin, sits underwater.
A Lotus Esprit submarine in ‘Spy Who Loved Me’ | Screen Archives via Getty Images

One of the most iconic and over-the-top James Bond cars ever, the 1976 Lotus Esprit from “The Spy Who Loved Me” was the only vehicle in the franchise to transform into a submarine on screen. Moreover, the screen-used Esprit surfaced in a storage unit, only to be sold to Elon Musk

Which James Bond movie had the AMC Hornet?

Roger Moore, who played 007 from 1973 to 1985, drove a 1974 AMC Hornet in “The Man With the Golden Gun.” However, while the AMC hatchback might be a far cry from Bond’s usual rides, it was a spectacle in a mid-air corkscrew stunt akin to something you’d expect from “The Dukes of Hazzard.” 

What James Bond movie has a Mach 1 Mustang?

A 1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1, one of the cars without an Aston Martin badge in the franchise, shows off in a James Bond car exhibit.
Film cars from ‘Diamonds Are Forever’ | Pool Bassignac, Stevens, Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. So too, did 007 in Las Vegas, Nevada. That’s right; in the 1971 film, “Diamonds Are Forever,” Sean Connery’s 007 drove a Ford Mustang Mach 1, at one point popping the land yacht onto two wheels to negotiate a tight alley. 

It’s one of the few times James Bond took to the road in an American car.

What year was the Toyota 2000GT in James Bond?

In the controversial 1967 film, “You Only Live Twice,” James Bond takes a spirited ride in a drop-top 1967 Toyota 2000GT, a Yamaha-Toyota collaboration. Of course, the 2000GT is no easy prospect for fans to track down; Hagerty puts the little roadster at $805,000 in good condition. 

The Mach 1 from ‘The Man With the Golden Gun’ isn’t the only time James Bond bonded with a Ford Mustang

While the most referenced Ford Mustang from the franchise is the big-body 1971 Mach 1, it’s not the only time a 007 rubbed elbows with the popular American car. For instance, in “Goldfinger,” Bond races his Aston Martin DB5 against a Ford Mustang Convertible in the Alps. 

Honorable mention: the 1957 Ford Fairlane from ‘Die Another Day’

Pierce Brosnan, who played Bond from 1995 to 2002, found himself operating without the support of MI6 partway through “Die Another Day.” Moreover, his adventures took him to Havana, a once-famed time capsule for classic cars. As a result, when Bond asked for a “fast car,” he got the keys to a 1957 Ford Fairlane convertible. 

Of course, these are just the cars on the right side of the eternal struggle between good and evil; the villains also drove some seriously memorable rides. Keep up with MotorBiscuit for the latest historic and Hollywood car content!

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