Top 40 James Bond Vehicles Of All Time

#6-1961 Sunbeam Alpine Roadster

Appeared in: Dr. No

The 1961 Sunbeam Alpine lays claim to fame for being James Bond’s first car and for that, it makes a top ten appearance. Here we catch a young Sean Connery for the first time as Bond on his way to pick up Miss Taro in Jamaica when he’s suddenly tailed and followed by a hearse. What commences is one of the first real car chases involving Bond. Since then, chases have evolved and improved but this one was no less exciting. In a bit of green screen magic, Bond drives his Alpine underneath a piece of construction equipment while the hearse over-steers off a mountain and blows up.

Legend has it that the production crew borrowed the Sunbeam Alpine from a local Jamaican whom they paid a grand total of 15 shillings (which is about $1.15.) As to the reason they had to borrow a car was the fact that Sunbeam refused to lend them one for the film. How their decision would’ve changed today  if they’d know how big a series the Bond films would become.

Most likely, this Sunbeam was equipped with a 1.5 inline-four cylinder good for around 80 HP. With a top speed barely touching 100 MPH and a run to 60 MPH in 13.6 seconds according to The Motor British Magazine, it definitely was humble beginnings for Bond.

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