In the lead up to the release of 007 No Time To Die (Finally!) We thought we would take a trip down memory lane and showcase the most thrilling aspect of a Bond film – the car chases! These are – in our opinion – the top 10 car chases from the James Bond movie franchise.
No Time To Die after a few delays is now scheduled to be released in UK cinemas on Thursday 30th September 2021, excited yet? Hopefully, the No Time To Die car chase(s) is good enough to crash into the top 10 of all time! Think we have any of the below wrong? Let us know on Twitter.
Number 10… Die Another Day – Aston Martin V12
Pierce Brosnan’s last outing as the formidable 007, the first ‘post 9/11’ Bond film co-starring Halley Berry and an invisible Aston Martin V12 – what could go wrong? A lot apparently… Despite the film having one of the strongest pre-credit scenes in Bond history, the film couldn’t hold itself up against a melting ice structure – which, funnily enough, is a feature of this car chase.
Normally Die Another Die Wouldn’t make it into the top 10 of anything, but with the gadget infused showcase of the V12 (piloted by Bond) hunting down a North Korean assassin just in time safe Jinx (Halle Berry), and then revive her with CPR we thought it should at least make number 10.
Number 9… Casino Royale – Aston Martin DBS
It feels unnatural compiling a top 10 Bond list without mentioning the best Bond film there is – Casino Royale – but unfortunately it doesn’t have a traditional car chase sequence. Nevertheless, we are going to include the one car chase (crash) there is!
This is where it all started – Daniel Craig’s first outing as Bond was a massive hit and rejuvenated franchise. The gadgets were pretty much non-existent in Casino Royale but that didn’t mean this scene is any less suspenseful as Bond chases Vesper through the beautiful landscape of Montenegro. We had no idea the Aston Martin DBS was lacking the airbag ‘gadget’ though…
Number 8… Diamonds Are Forever – Ford Mustang Mach 1
Viva La Vegas! Bond goes flat out in America in this next car chase. Diamonds Are Forever’s star car was none other than the Ford Mustang Mach 1. This muscle car shows its elegance as Bond uses two wheels to evade the ‘Five-O’ but unfortunately leads to one of the most famous movie mistakes.
Number 7… Quantum Of Solace – Aston Martin DBS
Another entry from a movie with a questionable storyline, nevertheless there was a sense of anticipation with Quantum Of Solace, it was the first sequel in Bond’s history and a follow on from Casino Royale. So with this in mind, we would like to draw attention to the opening chase scene which was heart-pounding, to say the least. It was another outing for the Aston Martin DBS… and written off more than likely, due to the nonstandard aerodynamic holes created by the bad guys.
Number 6… The Spy Who Loved Me – Lotus Espirit S1
This next one is really something. The Spy Who Loved Me gave a car chase that feels more like an aquathlon with Bond evading the bad guys on both land and water. The Lotus Espirit S1 gives a masterclass rundown on how to present a vehicle in a Bond flick.
Roger Moore – insert eyebrow raise here – put the pedal to the metal and end up diving bonnet first into the sea where the Lotus transforms into a submarine – he then proceeds to remove the threat with a sea to air missile. Fun fact – the car was purchased by Elon Musk for £616,000 at a London auction.
Number 5… Tomorrow Never Dies – BMW 750IL
Now into the business end of things, the top 5. It’s amazing to think that running your finger over a phone trackpad would control anything more than, well, your finger over a trackpad in sweet pre-millennium 1997. But Bond had Q and Q had an Ericsson Mobile that controlled the iconic BMW 750IL.
As Bond escapes a Murdoch wannabee’s command centre only to walk into Brent Cross Shopping Centre (yep, they couldn’t afford to reshoot in Germany so it was filmed in Brent Cross), he is confronted by several 90s henchmen who would look more in place at Debenham’s suit section… soon after this he face plants his beamer through the car rental company’s front window.
Number 4… On Her Majesty’s Secret Service – 1969 Mercury Cougar XR7
The one where Bond was in the Passenger Seat. In the 1969 classic, the Bond Girl was the star of the car chase and man was it something – Tracy di Vicenzo played by Diana Rigg drives around snowy Switzerland in a Mercury Cougar XR7 evading Blofeld’s henchman in their Mercedes-Benz W111 and ensuring super-spy James Bond can continue his mission.
Number 3… Skyfall – Land Rover Defender 110
In this follow on from Quantum of Solace which has significantly more substance than the 2008 Bond flick, it all opens with a breathtaking chase through Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar, Bond again may not be piloting the Land Rover but it’s Naomi’s Harris first scene playing Money Penny that gets all the attention – the first time the character is featured since 2002.
Number 2… The Living Daylights – Aston Martin V8 Vantage Volante Series II
In the 1987 Timothy Dalton edition of Bond, James pilots the Aston Martin V8 fitted with “lasers” and comes up against both the Czech police and army while trying to get Kara Milovy (played by Maryam d’Abo) out of the country. It all concludes with Bond doing the Aston Martin equivalent of a figure skating manoeuvre to send the Czech police to a chilly demise, then of course using the rocket motor to evade the remaining forces.
The Aston Martin V8 Vantage will also be making a return in No Time To Die!
Number 1… The Man With The Golden Gun – AMC Hornet
“Ever heard of Evel Knievel?” This 1974 classic gives us Roger Moore chasing down Francisco Scaramanga (AKA The Man With Three Nipples) in order to rescue non-other than the kidnapped Mary Goodnight (played by Britt Ekland), this chase provides one of the most entertaining car chases in Bond history and why not? It does after all have the patented 360 corkscrew car jump over a broken Bangkok bridge, and even more amazingly it was wrapped after one single take by stunt driver Bumps Williard.