James Bond - 007 -
The secret story about
'The Lotus Who Loved Me'
To Universal Export HQ
- The seventies & eighties - The Lotus Esprit Era -
The  'Submarine'     .Esprit emerging from the Sardinian Sea  Lotus Esprit S1

THE BOND CARS

For the first movie (The Spy Who Loved Me 1977), we sent two identical production white Esprits to Sardinia, with Roger Becker (now Head of Vehicle Development). We also supplied four bodyshells (I think) for conversion into: 
the rolling car with the air cannon underneath which shot off the jetty; the car which as it dropped through the water had its wheels fold in and the props come out; two submarines (I think). 
Cut-away drawing of the Esprit                                  .Cement-guns, good against nasty pursuers
The two road cars were both used in the film so that two crews could work at different locations. The second car also acted as a camera car for some of the hairier chase scenes. Roger Becker did some of the stunt driving (including the dive in front of the tanker). 
The true star of the film                                 .All-terrain vehicle?
Both cars returned to Lotus - one is in the Lotus museum, and I'm not sure where the other is. As they both got run into the sea, I dare say they're both pretty rusty! 

"The Cars of the Stars" museum in Kendal, England has I think got one of the shells.The Fleming Foundation (either in Florida or California) has a submarine, which I think is being returned to operational condition. 

I dare say the other bodyshell was consigned to the crusher - unless it's in a back yard somewhere! 

Suffice to say - there were TWO road cars, and Lotus has one. 

In the second movie (For Your Eyes Only 1981), Lotus supplied one car and one body/chassis (which was blown up). The car was repainted (cheapskates!) to make it look like a replacement! That one is in the Lotus museum too, with bronze paint over the original white. 

Lotus Turbo Esprit in white finish          .Roger Moore didn't liked the Esprit too much: Too uncomfortable!           .In bronze finish with ski racks

I may have got some details a bit awry, but that's it mostly!

written by Patrick Peal
 

You are Visitor  since Oct 25th 1999

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Updated June 15th 2000