Skyfall

At the announcement of each movie of the series the first thought to crop up is what will James drive? With Skyfall due to arrive in theaters in 2012 it has begun again. Before any speculation begins let's review what he has driven in the past.

The first thing that springs to mind is the Aston Martin. Beginning with Goldfinger (1964) James drove a DB5. The DB has undoubtedly been a standby of James and Q Division. According to research, Bond was even said to own one as his personal daily driver. In the films to follow he has driven many Aston Martins from the Vantage to the Vanquish.

Later generations may have grown to associate 007 with the Lotus. One of the more famous Lotus was Q's white Espirit that had the ability to turn into a submarine in The Spy Who Loved Me. The red Lotus in For Your Eyes Only had a nasty little nihilistic anti-theft system. 

Stepping away from the supercars James also had taste when it came to luxury. The Bentley "Mark IV" was shown very briefly in From Russia with Love, but mentioned more in novelizations. The last of the British vehicles is the Land Rover. James Bond towed his horse trailered jet plane in Octopussy.

After British vehicles Bond preferred American cars. This could be that he was working more with Felix at the CIA or that production went to American companies or because many were shot in the United States. Bond drove a Lincoln Continental, a Ford Galaxie 500, Fairlane, LTD and a Mondeo. Of course, the Mondeo was not commonly seen in the US. He has even driven a convertible Chevy Impala.

The real debate should not be about the other modes of transportation. James Bond has driven snowmobiles, jet packs, boats and motorcycles. We should also consider the supercars not incidental, stolen or commandeered vehicles. This should be about which car he is given by Q Division or as a personal vehicle. In short, which supercar will James drive?

The Cars

Naturally, the safe bet would be an Aston Martin. An even safer bet would be the Aston Martin ONE-77. It fits all the requirements: performance, looks, built in the UK. But let's move away from the easy stuff. 

Sticking with British vehicles the Arash AF-10 would not look out of place pulling up to a casino in Monaco with a leggy blonde stepping out. Yet, for 007, this may attract too much attention. It does not seem very refined. It looks to be pure adrenaline rush. Not for 007. The same can be said of the Noble M600 but it is too flashy for 007. Bond's cars must be more understated.

McLaren looks to be a contender. The MP4-12C has a supercar look but slightly under-toned. It is modest and has a decent pedigree that would suit the tastes of distinguished gentleman who happens to have a license to kill.

The United Kingdom has several small factories pumping out radically designed supercars. A wild card choice could be the Morgan Aero Supersports. It has the curves and curb appeal for sure. The V8 gives it some bite. The Morgan has a bit of a racing history too. This could be a great car for Q as well. With that long hood there's plenty of room for gadgets! However, ask an American about the Morgan and many will have never heard of it. Though a great looking car, it does not relate to the masses. The same can be said about the Marcos TS0-RT. 

The Choice

To date, as far as my research has turned up, James Bond has never driven a Jaguar. This is surprising as it fits perfectly. The Jaguar XK and judging by my make-shift qualifiers as to what is essentially constitutes the perfect car for James Bond. It is, for all intents and purposes, a supercar. It is not very affordable, it is a quality car, it has both sex and curb appeal and is completely impractical as a daily driver. More importantly, we all would not mind having one. It is easily recognizable as British and it is easy on the eye. If it was not for the Aston Martin, I think Q Branch would choose the Jag.

It has not been announced to where the story will take place. It could very well be in Japan and 007 could very well hop in a Nissan GT-R. Though the premise of this film is about MI6 so most likely it will be in England. Knowing that, I think our favorite super spy will drive an Aston Martin, but if he decides to change it up a bit he should stick to UK cars and be behind the wheel of a Jag.

Your suggestions are always welcomed. What do you think he should drive?