Bargain James Bond cars

Bond Cars for Buttons

There are priceless iconic James Bond vehicles, the Toyota 2000GTs and Aston Martin DB5s of this world, and then there are Leyland Sherpas and Citroen 2CVs (pictured).

Yes, some Bond cars you can actually afford. Names you can drop in any bar room, or dinner party conversation as genuine, 24 carat Goldfinger motors that Jimmy Bond drove.

We have the light comedy Roger Moore years to thank for some of the best alternative Bond mobiles, so lets see what affordable Bond oddities are out there. The qualification is that Her Majesty’s Secret Servant must have at least sat up front.

Sunbeam Alpine

Dr. No (1962) was the first film and you can see Sean Connery rocking around the Caribbean in a pretty, but effeminate Sunbeam Alpine (pictured). The V8 Tiger was still a few years away so the Alpine, which managed to outrun a hearse, was up to the job.

Rusty ‘barn finds’ are only a few grand, but tidy middle ‘60s (Bond had a Mark II, but it doesn’t matter, at least it isn’t an MGB from The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) and can vary from £8000-£20,000. Decent examples to be found in the US from $10,000.

1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1

The early ‘70s saw a whole bunch of American Theatre pleasing appearances by muscly American motors. These are cheaper Stateside of course, but the Diamonds are Forever (1971) “lean over” (Connery drawl) Ford Mustang Mach 1 (pictured) you can buy over from around US$21,000. Prices in the UK vary from £18,000-£34,000.

Citroen 2CV

But only for our amusement. After Roger Moore’s Lotus Esprit expired he went for a Citroen 2CV (pictured) in For Your Eyes Only (1981). The great news is that you can buy an unwritten off one for around £3000. That will get an early to mid ‘80s Dolly. Bamboos are up to £4000 and you don’t need to pay £7000 for a recent early ‘70s import. Much rarer in the US, this explains premium pricing in that market from around US$15,000.

Finding the Renault 11 Taxi in A View to a Kill (1985), which soon became a decapitated, is rather more problematic. However it wasn’t a turbo so you can 1.4 GTLs for a few hundred pounds. Known as the Renault Alliance in the US, very few are left but convertibles - only ever sold in the US - can be had for around US$10,000.

Alfa Romeo GTV6

Baddies in Alfas (159, 156) were a feature of Quantum of Solace (2008) but in Octopussy (1983) an Alfa Romeo GTV6 (pictured) is not the most obvious car to steal when you absolutely have to get to a Circus, then dress up as a clown to diffuse a nuclear device. However, Roger Moore could carry it off.

Prices for GTVs have recently gone a bit classic car nuts and are five figures which is okay if the rust has been banished. But there are the odd £5995s from the ‘80s, which are worth snapping up. Rare in the US, fair examples to be had from US$10,000.

BMW 750il

First there was the BMW Z3 in Goldeneye (1995), Gadget laden in Q’s lab, but only good enough for a short commute to a bush airfield. You can drive like Pierce for a grand which will get a 1998 1.9 Z3, which is rather cheaper than the priceless Z8 that was cut in half in The World is Not Enough (1999).

This brings us to the BMW 750iL (pictured) in Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), properly gadgeted up with the back seat remote driving option. Prices seem to have bottomed out - a 750iL can be found from £7000 these days in the UK and US$7000 in America. 

Triumph Stag

It must be stressed that these were not Bond’s first choice transportation. So in Diamonds Are Forever (1971) he borrowed a Triumph Stag (pictured) which managed not to overheat. This is one the nation’s most popular classics and you can find tidy runners in the £6-8000 bracket. Fully sorted examples are £12,000+ and concours condition beyond £20,000. Rare in America, examples to be found from US$10,000.

The Leyland Sherpa van in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) belonged to Jaws, then Moore nicked it and Jaws retaliated by pulling off the shoddy panels. It overheated like a Stag in a desert. Tidy pick ups are £4999, but wrecks are still hundreds, if that.

Ford Mondeo

That would be the product placement occasion in Casino Royale (2006) when a Ford Mondeo (pictured) 2.5 breezed into view. Daniel Craig could now buy a family friendly 2008 2.5 Titanium estate for £1500.

AEC Regent

There was a double decker that Roger Moore took off route in Live and let Die (1973) and lost the top fare payers. It wasn’t a Routemaster, but an AEC Regent RT Type. Wrecks like the one in the film will be a few grand, mint ones are £20,000.