Want the Cars of ‘Spectre’? Get These Instead

The equation for a good James Bond movie includes globetrotting to and from exotic locales, at least three beautiful women and a small garage of desirable cars. And with Monica Bellucci, Léa Seydoux, a Jaguar C-X75-versus-Aston Martin DB10 chase in the streets of Rome and a Land Rover Defender-versus-plane battle somewhere in the Alps, Spectre seems to stay faithful to the classic Bond recipe.

The veritable car collection of Ian Fleming’s legacy contains some of the most exclusive and sought-after vehicles in history. The next chapter, Spectre, adds to the list of rare metal you’ll definitely want, but probably don’t have the budget to afford. For those of us without “foiled countless inept henchman” on our résumés and multiple international bank accounts, these are real-world cars that keep in the spirit of Spectre.

Jaguar C-X75

The Car in the Film: Oversized and stoic henchman Mr. Hynx somehow squeezes into the Jaguar C-X75 concept car for the highlight car chase through the streets of Rome. Though a handful were built specially for the film, the C-X75 never made it to production. Had it, its cost would be around $1.15 million.

Lotus Elise S

The Car to Buy: A British built, mid-engine sports car with a cramped cabin — essentially the same as a C-X75, right? The Lotus Elise has always delivered supercar-level performance for a fraction of the cost, with the added benefit of a decent return on mpg. And, if you are looking to get involved in a car chase around the tight streets in Rome, the Lotus’s small footprint might even have a leg up on the Jaguar.

Aston Martin DB10

The Car in the Film: Although it would be nice to own a DB10, Aston Martin only made seven, specifically for Spectre, with no plans for production. However, Aston Martin say the DB10 is a look into the future of their design language. The next Vantage may not have the estimated $500,000 price tag of the DB10, but the looks may carry over.

Jaguar F-Type V6

JW Photography

The Car to Buy: The DB10 may be exclusive to Bond, and only Bond, but thankfully Aston Martin aren’t the only purveyors of drop-dead gorgeous coupes. The Jaguar F-Type, a sleek, beautiful-looking and beautiful-sounding British coupe, wouldn’t be a far-fetched choice for Bond’s second car.

Big Foot Land Rover Defender

The Car in the Film: One of the henchmen cars of Spectre, the “Big Foot” is the first car on this list that you can actually purchase. The Big Foot is an example of the iconic overlander that the Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations got their hands on. Unless you’re traversing the Alps on your daily commute, the exterior roll cage, beefed-up tires, suspension and winch might be seen as $70,000 or $80,000 worth of overkill accessories.

Land Rover Defender 110

The Car to Buy: As fans of the classic Defender, we don’t see any realistic alternative to the Big Foot, other than getting a standard Defender 110. They’ll go just about everywhere, take a hard beating, then do it again the next day. For the more cost conscientious fans, a used one in good condition is a quarter the price of the Big Foot.

1964 Aston Martin DB5

The Car in the Film: Easily the most iconic of Bond cars, the DB5 returns to make a cameo in Spectre. The DB5 first appeared in Goldfinger, just in time to save Aston Martin from certain financial ruin. The exposure on the silver screen introduced the British brand to the world and, combined with James Bond’s cool factor, catapulted it into the annals of automotive history. As a result, the going rate for a DB5 that hasn’t been on screen is just shy of $500,000. If you want one that’s had Bond’s ass in the driver’s seat, those carry a seven-figure price tag.

‘67 Alfa Spider

The Car to Buy: The ’64 DB5 may be one of the most famous movie cars of all time, but if you want to live out your silver screen fantasies and don’t have half a million to shell out, try the 1967 Alfa Spider from The Graduate. You get beautiful Italian design in a classic exotic sports car, and at a tenth of the price of the Aston. And like Bond, Benjamin Braddock was also pretty successful with the ladies.

1937 Rolls Royce Phantom III

The Car in the Film: First appearing as Goldfinger’s two-ton limousine in the movie of the same name, a 1937 Rolls-Royce Phantom III makes an appearance once again in Spectre. It takes up luxurious chauffeuring duties again, but this time minus the questionable black-and-yellow two-tone paint job.

2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class

The Car to Buy: The modern S-Class has become the benchmark of ultimate attainable luxury. But at one-third price of the ’37 Roller and swathed with the modern accouterments that it is, it’s an absolute steal. With a much more sedated demeanor than a black-and-yellow Rolls-Royce, the S-Class may be the polar opposite of Goldfinger’s style, but that’s probably a good thing.

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