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James Bond has always traveled in style, but a new coffee table tome from Assouline argues the franchise’s fleet of tricked-out vehicles deserves star billing right alongside 007 himself. “James Bond Cars,” released this week, is the publisher’s third fully authorized Bond title and its most ambitious yet: a film-by-film chronicle of every notable car featured in over six decades of the franchise — from the Sunbeam Alpine in “Dr. No” to the bullet-pocked Aston Martin DB5 that roars through “No Time to Die.”
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The 340-page volume is curated and introduced by Chris Corbould, the Oscar-winning special-effects supervisor credited with designing and detonating Bond’s biggest stunts across 15 films. Corbould not only narrates how the DB5 sprouted an ejector seat or how a Lotus Esprit became an actual working submarine, but also reveals the on-set engineering hacks, one-take miracles and near-disasters that turned these vehicles into instant cinematic icons. More than 300 photos — including behind-the-scenes stills, technical drawings and rarely seen production ephemera — trace the evolution of Bond’s garage as the franchise’s unofficial co-lead.
The book doesn’t just spotlight 007’s personal wheels. Other characters get equal mileage across a lineup that includes Bentleys, BMWs, Land Rovers, Sunseeker speedboats, Boeing 747s, snowmobiles, blimps and the one-of-a-kind contraptions cooked up by Q Branch (“Little Nellie,” the tiny autogyro from “You Only Live Twice,” makes a return appearance). Unsurprisingly, Aston Martin remains the franchise’s most enduring marque: more than a dozen models — DB5, DBS, V8, Vanquish and more — recur throughout the book.
Assouline is also marking the occasion with a limited-edition “007 Trilogy” slipcase pairing “James Bond Cars” with the publisher’s previous titles “James Bond Destinations” and “James Bond Style.” The set is housed in a brushed-aluminum case inspired by Q-grade gadgetry, complete with a raised 007 insignia.
Shop “James Bond Destinations” below, and stream the all the James Bond films here.
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