James Bond’s Classic Cars: Our Four Favorites From The Daniel Craig Era

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The upcoming No Time To Die will be the final of Daniel Craig’s five James Bond films. Craig’s tenure as 007 has included lovely locations, evil villains, and some of the most beautiful classic cars of the franchise. We’re looking back at the four most beautiful of James Bond’s classic cars from the Craig-era films.

1987 Aston Martin V8: one of James Bond’s classic cars

1987 Aston Martin V8 Coupe | National Motor Museum/Heritage Images/Getty Images

The upcoming film, No Time To Die, leans heavily into some Radwood-era classics. Agent 007 will commandeer a Land Cruiser Prado from the late 1990s. He will also drive a 1980s Aston Martin V8. This Aston Martin is identical to the 1987 Aston Martin V8 from License to Kill. This luxury grand tourer even wears the old “B549 WUU” license plates. Will it have the same skiing outriggers and rocket thruster as Timothy Dalton’s car? We will just have to watch the movie and find out. 

Spirit 54: a handcrafted classic yacht

No, this sailboat is not a classic car. But it is a classic vehicle, too iconic to leave off our list. At the end of Casino Royale, James Bond resigns his double-0 status and runs away with Vesper Lynd. They arrive in Venice aboard a wooden yacht for one of the franchise’s most memorable scenes. Their boat is a 54-footer handcrafted by the Spirit Yachts craftsmen in Suffolk, England. During shooting, it became the first sailboat to navigate Venice’s Grand Canal in 300 years. Unfortunately, the crew had to remove and re-step the mast ten times to get it under the bridges and into the city! In No Time To Die, James Bond retires again and lives aboard a Spirit Yacht in Jamaica.

Land Rover Series III: for a tropical getaway

Eagle-eyed fans noticed James Bond driving a classic Land Rover in the No Time To Die trailer. Daniel Craig’s Bond has driven many modern Land Rovers, but never a classic. But while retired in Jamaica, the character buys a blue Land Rover Series III. Promo photos depict Craig driving the 4×4 around the island–with the roof removed. Then, in the trailer, he drives it into town to drink with his old CIA pal, Felix Leiter. The Land Rover from No Time To Die is currently on display in the Bond In Motion exhibit at the London Film Museum.

RELATED: Jay Leno Bought James Bond’s First Car

1964 Aston Martin DB5: James Bond’s classic car

IVER HEATH, ENGLAND - JUNE 20: Prince Charles (R), Prince of Wales meets British actor Daniel Craig as he tours the set of the 25th James Bond Film at Pinewood Studios on June 20, 2019 in Iver Heath, England. They discuss James Bond's classic cars. The Prince of Wales, Patron, The British Film Institute and Royal Patron, the Intelligence Services toured the set of the 25th James Bond Film to celebrate the contribution the franchise has made to the British film industry. (Photo by Niklas Halle'n - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Daniel Craig shows Prince Charles 007’s 1964 Aston Martin DB5 | Niklas Halle’n – WPA Pool/Getty Images

The 1964 Aston Martin DB5 is a part of James Bond history. This car has appeared in more 007 movies than any James Bond actor! Fittingly, this classic turned Craig’s Bond into a vintage car buff. Shortly after MI6 gave him his 007 status, Bond won the 1964 Aston Martin DB5 in a poker game. In Skyfall, he has to find a car without any digital tracker. He reveals he has been hiding a DB5 away in a London storage unit. Then, at the end of Spectre, he retires and leaves London in the DB5.

It looks like the bad guys catch up with Bond and his DB5 at the beginning of No Time To Die. The trailer reveals an extended chase scene in Italy featuring the DB5. Though this beautiful car has had plenty of screen time over the years, it has not been in a chase scene for decades. We are excited to see the classic put through its paces. We just hope it doesn’t get banged up too badly.

RELATED: James Bond Drives A Toyota In ‘No Time To Die’

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The City One Is the Best New Electric Car for the City

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Urban areas are the ultimate proving ground for electric vehicles. Now, mobility company ACM is taking a swing at urban EV transport with the City One. Clearly, the small new EV is taking notes from some of the most successful small, city-oriented EVs, like the Honda E. It’s not just the names that are similar, and that’s not a bad thing. Cleaning up air quality in cities is great, and the City One looks to do that with style (clearly influenced by the Honda E), practicality and zero emissions.

The City One might be the best electric car for the money

The City One combines a theoretically unlimited range and big storage into a small package | ACM

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So, let’s start with the big one. Obviously, for such a small car, pricing is going to be low. However, I really didn’t think it was going to be this low. Apparently, ACM is going to try and sell these little EVs for around $12-$18,000. Clearly, that’s absurdly cheap. For comparison, a new Honda E with 100-ish miles of range is around double that figure. Then again, there isn’t a lot of badge to pay for on the City One.

Of course, because no one has really heard of the ACM, the German brand knows they need to kill it to make a name for themselves. That said, maybe styling the front just like the Honda E isn’t the best way to make a name for yourself. However, the City One does outshine the E in range, getting around 200 miles or so. Just to recap that’s half the price and double the range compared to the E. Ouch.

Hot-swappable batteries are just a start

ACM beat Tesla to hot-swappable batteries | ACM

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If we want to get technical (yes), the City One has “unlimited range.” ACM says you can simply unplug the batteries and swap in new ones like a TV remote. That’s definitely better than waiting at a charger for 45 minutes. If networks in Europe take off, you could conceivably use the City One like a gas car, stopping for 10 minutes or so to change batteries. Unfortunately, you’ll have to empty the cargo space to do so.

Speaking of cargo, you’ll be able to get a lot in the City One. Company promo videos show a massive pallet of water being loaded into the back without issue. In more direct terms, that’s 51 cubic feet of cargo space. Again, recapping, that’s a small EV with gas car-like usability and the narrowest body this side of an anorexic ant. Sounds perfect for cobblestone streets in Europe, right? Right. Because America wouldn’t possibly need anything like that with traffic-clogged highways and poorly planned streets.

Tight urban areas are perfect for the City One

The orange and black interior of the City One
The One certainly has a rugged interior | ACM

Unfortunately, that was a long and very angry way to say that America won’t be getting the City One, just like we didn’t get the Hona E. This little Kei car-inspired van just isn’t going to sell well among all Ford Broncos and Hummer EVs we’ll be seeing on the streets over the coming years.

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Armored 2022 Toyota Land Cruiser: Do You Need Some Extra Protection?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The Toyota Land Cruiser has a much-deserved reputation for its ability to drive in harsh and unforgiving conditions. For seven decades, the Land Cruiser has been traversing challenging terrains in the farthest reaches of the planet. With its off-road capability and durability, the Land Cruiser has been utilized in war zones, including by the Taliban and ISIS. Also, recently, a South African automotive company fitted the 2022 Toyota Land Cruiser with armor plating, just in case you need some extra protection.

2022 Toyota Land Cruiser | Toyota

Like many other luxury SUVs, the Toyota Land Cruiser receives its fair share of modifications. Developed and built by SVI Engineering in South Africa, the armored 2022 Land Cruiser is based on a Land Cruiser 300 Series model. Currently, only the Land Cruiser 200 Series is available in the U.S. With production issues relating to the semiconductor chip shortage crisis, production of the Land Cruiser 300 Series has been slow. 

The Land Cruiser 300 is now available in only a select few automotive markets. South Africa is one of them. The Land Cruiser 200 is immensely popular in South Africa, for it’s one of the best-selling vehicles in the country.

The armored Land Cruiser can stop bullets from assault rifles

SVI Engineering claims that it only takes two months to build the armored Land Cruiser. The modification process starts with SVI stripping down the interior of the Land Cruiser to its bare metal. For the next step, the firm creates a CAD model of the Land Cruiser by utilizing 3D scanning tools and a three-axis measuring arm. 

After that, SVI fortifies the Land Cruiser with composite material. The composite material is strong enough to stop rounds of bullets from assault rifles, such as an R1, R5, or AK47. Also, the composite material is lightweight so that it doesn’t weigh down the Land Cruiser too heavily. It also helps that the Land Cruiser has a lightweight aluminum construction. Furthermore, if the added weight is a concern for vehicle performance, SVI offers an upgrade for the suspension.

Driver's side rear angle view of white 2022 Toyota Land Cruiser
2022 Toyota Land Cruiser | Toyota

RELATED: Why Are Toyota Land Cruisers So Expensive?

In addition to the composite material, the armored Land Cruiser is protected by steel plates and 1.5-inches of armored glass. With these modifications, the armored Land Cruiser gets a B6 car armor rating. Unless you have a special permit, this is the highest car armor rating that a vehicle can get in South Africa. 

The price of the modifications for the armored Toyota Land Cruiser is $63,000. This cost is in addition to the price you pay for the luxury SUV.

Why would someone get an armored Land Cruiser?

It may seem like an over-the-top endeavor to get an armored Land Cruiser. However, South Africa is a notoriously violent country. Also, Toyota vehicles are a frequent target of car thieves. An armored Land Cruiser, while very expensive, provides some peace of mind for safety for wealthy SUV drivers that may pass through crime-ridden areas. 

In addition to the Land Cruiser, SVI does armored modifications for many other vehicles. Some other popular modifications for SVI include the Toyota Hilux compact pickup truck and the Ford Ranger midsize pickup truck.

RELATED: The 2022 Toyota Land Cruiser SUV Is a Beast When it Comes to Practical Application

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What Is The Goodwood Festival of Speed?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The Goodwood Festival of Speed is a hill climb racing event and car show in England. Drivers take turns completing timed runs up a steep 1.1-mile course. Contestants range from production supercars to race cars from many different motorsports series. It is one of the coolest automotive events in the world.

Over the decades, the Goodwood Festival of Speed has grown beyond the hill climb. Today, the festival includes road rally racing, off-road racing, and drifting. Other events include a classic car auction, a Concours d’Elegance, a supercar show, and even new model unveilings by automobile manufacturers. The weekend event is so popular that race organizers have had to cap attendance at 150,000 automotive enthusiasts. 

The Goodwood Festival of Speed is separate from the antique vehicle celebration held on the nearby Goodwood Circuit every September: the Goodwood Revival.

The first Goodwood Festival of Speed took place in 1993

Freddie March, racing driver and the 9th Duke of Richmond, first hosted a hill climb on his estate grounds in 1936. March’s grandson, Charles Gordon-Lennox, the 11th Duke of Richmond, was inspired by the historic hill climbs. As a result, he hosted the first Goodwood Festival of Speed on the original course in 1993. The modern hill climb was such a success that Gordon-Lennox is still hosting an annual race and festival

Today, the Goodwood Festival of Speed is a four-day event. The festival includes many classes of hill climb contestants. Racers range from vintage cars to production supercars to race cars from Formula 1 and NASCAR series. Drivers race the clock as they take turns navigating the course. The races culminate in Sunday’s hill climb “shootout” among the fastest cars.

The festival of speed has expanded to include an off-road rally race, an off-roading race, and even a drift racing performance. On top of all the motorsports events, the festival features air shows by The Blades and Red Arrows, a Concours d’Elegance called the Cartier Style et Luxe, and Bonham’s classic car auction. In addition, many manufacturers set up tents and sometimes reveal prototypes or new models.

The Goodwood Festival of Speed is located at the Goodwood House in West Sussex, England

Lewis Hamilton driving a McLaren MP4/23 F1 car at the Goodwood Festival of Speed | Clive Gee/PA Images via Getty Images

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The Goodwood House is an estate in West Sussex, England. It has been the official home of the Duke of Richmond–a hereditary royal title–since 1697. 

The 9th Duke, Freddie March, was an autosports enthusiast. Beginning in 1936, he hosted a 1.1-mile hill climb on his property. The course starts near the Goodwood House and climbs three hundred vertical feet (with an average gradient of 4.9%) to the top of a nearby hill.

CHICHESTER, ENGLAND - JULY 11: Tom Cruise talks with Terry Grant and Lord March during the Goodwood Festival of Speed at Goodwood on July 11, 2021 in Chichester, England. (Photo by James Bearne/Getty Images)
Tom Cruise, The Duke of Richmond, and Terry Grant at the Festival of Speed | James Bearne/Getty Images

In 1948, the 9th Duke also hosted the first race on the nearby Goodwood Circuit. The circuit is a 2.37-mile race track that began life as a perimeter track for the local airfield. It was the location of many automotive and motorcycle races until 1966. Today, it is the location of the Goodwood Revival vintage vehicle race every September.

In 1993, the 11th Duke of Richmond applied for a permit to re-open the Goodwood Circuit. While waiting for this permit, he and a few car-enthusiast friends decided to host a hill climb on his estate. The event was a runaway success, drawing a crowd of 25,000. The Goodwood Festival of Speed continues to this day, on the grounds of the Goodwood House.

The Goodwood Festival of Speed takes place in late June or early July

CHICHESTER, ENGLAND - JULY 01: A 'Radbul' Mazda MX-5 car performs a wheel spin at Goodwood Festival of Speed on July 01, 2017 in Chichester, England. The Goodwood Festival of Speed is an annual motor racing event held in the grounds of Goodwood House. The four day event features a hill climb and displays of super and classic cars. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)
Mazda MX-5 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed | Jack Taylor/Getty Images

The attendance of the first and second Goodwood Festival of Speed was limited because the events conflicted with the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. Since then, the Duke of Richmond has scheduled the Goodwood Festival of Speed to not conflict with the 24 Hours of Le Mans or any Formula One race. As a result, the festival almost always falls in late June or early July.

The modern Goodwood Festival of Speed is a four-day event with hill climb, rally, offroad, and drift racing. Thursday often includes many manufacturer teams and timed practices on the hill climb, and an air show. Friday sees more hill climbs and the Bonhams classic car sale. Saturday features another air show, lots of hill climbs and other races, and qualifying for Sunday’s shootout. Finally, Sunday hosts two air shows as well as the final heats of all the motorsports events. The Sunday afternoon Sunday Shootout is the ultimate hill climb competition, with the fastest cars all taking a run at the record. The current record is 39.9 seconds, set by Romain Dumas in the electric Volkswagen ID. R.

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