James Bond’s cars were luxurious, stylish, classy, fast and rigged with enough weapons to invade a small country. Thanks to the wise and imaginative agent Q-the pseudo father figure to 007- Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 had radar and a bullet shield, his BMW had a rocket launcher and his Jaguar had mounted machine guns in the backseat, pretty standard stuff for a man with a license to kill and thrill.
In celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the first Bond movie, Dr. No, the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu is exhibiting 50 Bond cars donated from Eon Productions, the Ian Fleming foundation and private collectors.
Cars like the Aston Martin V12 Vanquish and the BMW Z8 from the recent Daniel Craig and Peirce Bronson James Bond era as well as the famous Aston Martin DB5 Sean Connery drove around in Goldfinger, and Thunderball will be on display at what is the largest display of Bond cars ever.
Goldfinger was one of Bond’s most famous nemeses known for his amour for everything gold. His yellow and black Rolls-Royce Phantom III will also be featured in the exhibit.
Oddjob, Goldfinger’s chauffeur and hat throwing assassin, will not be at the exhibit. But former Bond girl Britt Ekland made a visit on the opening day, striking poses for the camera.
There are more than cars at the exhibit. Sometimes driving for anyone proves to be a bore and 007 is no different. Bond’s mini crocodile submarine, his cello case toboggan and helicopter from You Only Live Twice along with many other gadgets are also on display.
The exhibit is in celebration of 50 years of Bond, who knows what will happen in the next 50 years. Bond will be much older, maybe sporting a motorized scooter with a jet pack, missiles, an Ipod dock and of course a martini maker…shaken not stirred in deed.
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Source: The Guardian
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