Few other fictional characters are as iconic as James Bond, the most efficient, deadliest, most badass, and widely over-skilled spy in Her Majesty’s service. Sorry, Barbie.
As the James Bond franchise turns 60 years old this year, and there’s talk of updating the mythology for modern times, here’s to hoping one thing will never change: the awesome automotive content you can always expect him to deliver. One day, James Bond may (will, better said, given the current context) be a less sexist, less macho, more considerate hero, but his skill at the wheel and his eye for rare or high-performance cars will never change.
Or so one hopes.
On October 5, 1962, James Bond made his first outing outside of Ian Fleming’s pages, in the film Dr. No, with a relatively unknown Sean Connery playing him. It’s been 60 years and 25 box-office hits, and what fans and critics describe as the greatest film franchise in history, and James Bond still draws a crowd like no other before him. Just think, the James Bond franchise is the longest-running in Hollywood, and it still manages to keep its appeal and even attract new segments of the public after 25 installments – a rarity in an industry where even sequels feel forced.
Part of that appeal is, of course, the character itself, often described as the kind of guy every man would like to be, and every woman would like to be with. 007 is suave and well-dressed, well-spoken and funny even when he’s at his most sarcastic and bitter. He’s charming but deadly, passionate but a most ruthless killer when he has to be. He always knows the right thing to say and will not fall for his enemies’ tricks, no matter how elaborate. James Bond is an excellent driver, whether he happens to be in an Aston Martin DB5 or a Citroen 2CV, or the latest Range Rover Defender.
In recent years, with Daniel Craig as lead, James Bond has changed in ways unimaginable in the ‘60s. He’s now more considerate of women, and he’s even capable of falling in love, so he’s tough on the outside but all fuzzy and warm on the inside. His less blunt ways actually make him more dangerous and appealing, if only because he’s shown he can change with the times. In 2022, on the movie character’s 60th anniversary, speculation about Craig’s replacement is rife, with many saying that the next Bond should be a woman or a person of color, and diehards defending their character’s bed-hopping and machismo, as well as the fact that he has to be a white man.
Whichever direction James Bond may take as an onscreen character, it’s certain that some things will never change. James Bond will always be an action hero, so that will mean more action scenes and car chases, with the latter ensuring a long, profitable partnership with the prestigious marques already part of the franchise. Aston Martin, Land Rover, or BMW are just three of the most famous.
Ask even a non-fan anything about James Bond and they will probably name the association with Aston Martin. It’s true, few other movie cars are more famous than the DB5, which is hailed the quintessential James Bond automobile, though to be fair, he’s had plenty of other rides. Go on any corner of the internet dedicated to the suave 007 and you’ll trip over listicles, op-eds, and videos of his cars, ranked by degree of awesomeness or, more commonly, by film and year of release.
This isn’t one such story, because we’d only add to the already massive heap of content. This is an ode (if you will allow the phrasing) to the “perfect” hero for all times, even in these times of change, when pressure to adapt to the cultural and sociological shift is immense. James Bond will change under the pressure, make no mistake about it, but the character will retain the same traits that made it famous.
James Bond isn’t famous because he’s able to do it all, from charming female strangers he meets at balls with a single glance to engaging in wild and wildly successful car chases at the wheel of whatever high-tech, Q-prepped machine to a mundane daily he randomly picks up. James Bond is famous because he’s able to do all this and make it believable in the fictional universe he inhabits, to a larger extent than other film characters. Because of that, he can speak to every viewer in the audience, whether a hopeless romantic or a car enthusiast.
The next James Bond may be a younger man, or a woman, or the first-ever Black Bond, and he might change romantic preferences, or even (gasp!) ditch the Martinis for good in favor of ice-cold Heinekens. But James Bond will always be James Bond, so here’s to more of that, whatever incarnation and backstory may come next.
Or so one hopes.
On October 5, 1962, James Bond made his first outing outside of Ian Fleming’s pages, in the film Dr. No, with a relatively unknown Sean Connery playing him. It’s been 60 years and 25 box-office hits, and what fans and critics describe as the greatest film franchise in history, and James Bond still draws a crowd like no other before him. Just think, the James Bond franchise is the longest-running in Hollywood, and it still manages to keep its appeal and even attract new segments of the public after 25 installments – a rarity in an industry where even sequels feel forced.
Part of that appeal is, of course, the character itself, often described as the kind of guy every man would like to be, and every woman would like to be with. 007 is suave and well-dressed, well-spoken and funny even when he’s at his most sarcastic and bitter. He’s charming but deadly, passionate but a most ruthless killer when he has to be. He always knows the right thing to say and will not fall for his enemies’ tricks, no matter how elaborate. James Bond is an excellent driver, whether he happens to be in an Aston Martin DB5 or a Citroen 2CV, or the latest Range Rover Defender.
Whichever direction James Bond may take as an onscreen character, it’s certain that some things will never change. James Bond will always be an action hero, so that will mean more action scenes and car chases, with the latter ensuring a long, profitable partnership with the prestigious marques already part of the franchise. Aston Martin, Land Rover, or BMW are just three of the most famous.
Ask even a non-fan anything about James Bond and they will probably name the association with Aston Martin. It’s true, few other movie cars are more famous than the DB5, which is hailed the quintessential James Bond automobile, though to be fair, he’s had plenty of other rides. Go on any corner of the internet dedicated to the suave 007 and you’ll trip over listicles, op-eds, and videos of his cars, ranked by degree of awesomeness or, more commonly, by film and year of release.
This isn’t one such story, because we’d only add to the already massive heap of content. This is an ode (if you will allow the phrasing) to the “perfect” hero for all times, even in these times of change, when pressure to adapt to the cultural and sociological shift is immense. James Bond will change under the pressure, make no mistake about it, but the character will retain the same traits that made it famous.
The next James Bond may be a younger man, or a woman, or the first-ever Black Bond, and he might change romantic preferences, or even (gasp!) ditch the Martinis for good in favor of ice-cold Heinekens. But James Bond will always be James Bond, so here’s to more of that, whatever incarnation and backstory may come next.