Critical popcorn

It seems unfair that James Bond 007 seems to have all the fun, racing around in top of the range sports cars, chasing supervillains to stop them from carrying out their plans for world domination – and scratching up the bodywork and worse without batting an eye.

Well, now’s your chance to do the same, with the help of this guide to the cars and car chases from the Bond films, combined with the new Micro Scalextric James Bond 007 Race Set and Micro Scalextric James Bond Set ‘No Time To Die’ – perfect gifts for secret agent dads or father figures everywhere on Father’s Day this June 19th!

THE CARS

ASTON MARTIN DB5

The iconic Aston Martin DB5 came out in 1963, and was featured in 1964 Bond film Goldfinger, starring Sean Connery, who also drove one in Thunderball (1965); with Pierce Brosnan taking up the driving seat in GoldenEye (1995) and Tomorrow Never Dies (1997). The car made a serious comeback in the Daniel Craig-era Bond films, getting pride of place in Casino Royale (2006), Skyfall (2012), Spectre (2015) and No Time To Die (2021).

In this clip from No Time To Die, Craig puts the DB5 through its paces in Italy – demonstrating that the old classics never go out of style; meanwhile, in Goldeneye, Bond (played by Brosnan) shows that the DB5 has superior cornering and road handling ability, as he races a Ferrari on some seriously twisty mountain roads in France. You’ll find the Micro Scalextric model has similar spec, and won’t come off the tracks even if you tear into a tight bend at full whack.

ASTON MARTIN V8

The V8 came out in 1977, with an astonishing top speed of 170 mph. It appeared in the 1987 film The Living Daylights, with Timothy Dalton as Bond, and then with Craig in No Time To Die.

In this clip from The Living Daylights, Bond makes use of some handy ‘optional extras’ the specially-adapted 007 version of the V8 has – namely a laser cutter, a rocket launcher, bulletproof glass (of course), ice-slicing wheel rims, spiked tyres and skis. Because after all, what Bond car would be complete without a whole array of gadgets?

JAGUAR XF

The Jaguar XF luxury sports sedan debuted in Bond in a spectacular chase sequence filmed on the streets of Matera, Italy for No Time To Die. In the scene, two Jaguars, driven by Spectre assassins, ambush Bond as he’s visiting the tomb of his dead lover. A nail-biting sequence follows as the Jags pursue Bond, in his Aston Martin, through the narrow streets of the historic stone city.

Here’s a behind the scenes look at some of the stunts involving two Jaguar XFs, during the filming of the most recent Bond epic.

MICRO SCALEXTRIC SETS

Micro Scalextric James Bond 007 Race Set

The Micro Scalextric James Bond 007 Race Set celebrates the aforementioned Aston Martin DB5 and Aston Martin V8. As well as both cars, the set features over 3.5 metres of track, with 9 track layouts which includes a ramp and the new lap-counter booby trap track piece – perfect for practising all those daredevil driving moves any secret agent should know.

Micro Scalextric James Bond Set ‘No Time To Die’

No Time To Die, the 25th instalment of the Bond franchise, features both classic and modern vehicles driven by the villain as well as 007 himself. The set has an Aston Martin DB5 taking on the Jaguar XF, and includes over four metres of track, with 9 track layouts, and speed limiting hand controllers that ensure the cars will be shaken and stirred but won’t fly off the tracks!

Micro Scalextric James Bond 007 Race Set and the Micro Scalextric James Bond Set ‘No Time To Die’ (https://amzn.to/3tuHzYK) are available to buy now!