The Bond Bug

My recent post about the Smite microcar got me thinking about some of the great small cars of the past. I mentioned the BMS Isetta, the Messerschmiddt KR series, and the original Fiat 500. I’ve always been a bit of a scooter fan, Vespa’s and Lambretta’s – and these postwar bubblecars have shared many of of the styling notes that I love in scooters. What I thought I’d do is research the subject and write a bit of an overview on the genre (which I still plan on doing). Then I came across the Bond Bug – and was stopped in my tracks!

How  could I have forgotten this 70’s classic? And it is intrinsically 70’s. From the bright ‘Outspan’ orange colour, the seats that look like they are from a suspended animation pod in a 70’s Sci-Fi movie spaceship, those wheels, the type decal that runs behind the door and most of all the wedge styling… it’s as 70’s as Space Hoppers, Chopper bikes and Blakes 7. And for a brief period at middle school, it was all I ever dreamed of owning.

Designed by former Hotpoint washing machine designer Tom Karen and Ogle Design, who later went on to oversee the design and production of Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder, there’s nothing “bubbly” about this vehicle!. It was manufactured between 1970 and 1974, aimed at a young, sporty market – architects and graphic designers if the brochure is anythingt to go by! The Bug was not particularly practical or even cheap as it cost £629 at launch, which seems pretty reasonable today, but in 1970 you could buy a ‘proper’ car like a Mini 850 for £620… but nothing turned heads like the bright orange Bug. Certainly nothing costing £629. 

Although hardly a sports car, the bug was certainly no slouch in the performance stakes, it’s 700cc engine produced up to 31BHP, and it was capable of a respectable 78mph. 

As with most of these things, there’s a lively, passionate group of aficionados who own, restore, maintain and run Bugs. There’s a nice website Bondbug.com with all the information you would ever need, an active forum as well as a gallery which includes the images I’ve attached in this post. I love the beautiful hand lettered type so typical of the period. 

Maybe the Bug is ripe for a revival. With a modern (electric?) power unit, and a few design tweaks… certainly not too many… could the Bug be the car to save the world? It’s certainly got a bit more style than the G-Wiz.

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UPDATE: Project T4XP

‘IrishBug’ over at the BondBug.com forums has flagged up a car in development that certainly has some of the styling cues of the original Bond Bug. Or maybe it’s because of the yellowy orange paintjob… Anyway, the goal of Project T4XP is to “develop an electric vehicle that will bring the wind of change to the automobile market. Mobility that is eco-friendly and suitable for daily use, without missing out on the fun of driving.”

The vehicle will take part in the Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize, an international competition for highly efficient production vehicles.