50 Years of Bond Cars at the National Motor Museum

Release the oil slick, raise the bulletproof rear screen and push the red ejector seat button in anticipation of what promises to be one of the must-see automotive attractions of 2012: Bond in Motion.

2012 will mark the 50th anniversary of Sean Connery's first utterance of the icnonic 'the name's Bond, James Bond' line, and to celebrate this celluloid milestone the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu is hosting Bond in Motion, an exciting exhibition of the fictional spy's 50 most recognisable vehicles.

The year-long display of 007's cars, motorbikes, boats and other unlikely forms of transportation promises to be the largest of its kind anywhere in the world.

Fittingly, 2012 also marks the National Motor Museum's 40th anniversary making it a double celebration, with 250 vehicles on display from Britain's motoring history.

Fast cars and other impromptu forms of transport feature in every Bond epic, but certain models particularly resonate with 007 actors more than others. Amongst the cars confirmed so far are:

• 1964 Aston Martin DB5 from Sean Connery's Goldfinger
• 1937 Rolls-Royce Phantom III from Goldfinger
• 1977 Lotus Esprit S1, affectionately known as 'Wet Nellie', from The Spy Who Loved Me starring Roger Moore
• 1997 BMW 750iL from Pierce Brosnan's Tomorrow Never Dies 

For James Bond fans who prefer their spy of choice getting from A to B using less conventional modes of transport, the Bede Acrostar jet from Octopussy and the sledging cello case from The Living Daylights will add further appeal.

Bond in Motion opens its doors at the National Motor Museum on 18 January 2012 with adult tickets costing £17 each.

By Keith Jones