You can wear tuxedos, drink pretentiously-prepared Martinis and sleep with inordinate quantities of beautiful Russian women til the cows come home, but if you really want to emulate James Bond, you’re also going to need the right motor. Fortunately, a classic car insurer has compiled a list of the best 007 run-arounds that can be purchased today without remortgaging your home.
Those of you who haven’t been scouring the classifieds may be surprised to learn you can get some pretty fabulous Bond-related rides for next to nothing. For instance, Hagerty Classic Car Insurance reveals a 1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1, from Diamonds are Forever, can be yours for £16,300. That’s a hefty amount of American muscle car for your money.
Those of you who want a car that also goes around corners, may want to consider the Alfa Romeo GTV6, which appeared in Octopussy. This poor man’s Ferrari, which can be had for as little as £4,400, offers one of the loveliest engine notes, making it a real drivers’ favourite.
For a bit more cash, you can nab yourself a 1977 Lotus Esprit S1. Most models aren’t aquatic in the slightest, but neither was the actual stunt car from the movies. That said, £9,200 will nab you one of the most beautiful and iconic cars in movie history. Just be ready for some potentially hefty running costs, Hagerty warned.
Those on a shoestring budget might want to consider a 1997 BMW 750iL. Sure, you won’t be able to drive it using your Sony Ericsson phone like in the film Tomorrow Never Dies but with plenty of interior space you’ll be able to ferry more than one impossibly beautiful Russian double agent at a time.
Other cars to make the list include the 1996 BMW Z3 from GoldenEye (£4,250), the 1969 Mercury Cougar XR7 (£14,700) from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, the 1974 AMC Hornet (£1,200) from The Man With The Golden Gun and even a Sunbeam Alpine Series II (£9,700) from Dr. No.
If you want something more instantly recognisable, you could fork over £65,00 in exchange for a 2002 Aston Martin Vanquish.
Though not in the list compiled by Hagerty, it’s worth bearing in mind an Aston Martin DB7 can be yours for around £20,000, making it another great choice – assuming you can live with the running and maintenance costs.
Alternatively, ignore your budget and plonk down a deposit on the Jaguar XF-L driven by Daniel Craig in the latest Bond movie, Skyfall.
Leave a Reply