There was a period, albeit brief, in which European motorists were willing to buy all sorts of tiny cars. One example was the Bond Bug.
These torture devices had an appeal—as long as they got excellent gas mileage. The odd Bug-mobile was introduced by the genuinely novel Bond Cars Ltd. in 1970. The microcar movement was fading by then.
There’s a rare and restored Bond Bug now for sale on eBay.
Welcome to the wonderful world of microcars, dominated by marques such as BMW/Isetta, Messerschmitt, and the wee Peel P50. There was also a 1963 Bond Mark G Estate listed on eBay a few years ago.
Tiny Cars Get Big
Bond subcontracted the design of the Bug to Ogle. And then it was taken over by the equally eccentric Reliant Motor Company, later in 1970.
That means the 1972 Bond Bug 700 ES car on offer is perhaps a Reliant Bond Bug. Whatever the name, it’s a bizarre three-wheeled two-seater, with entry via the car’s whole front rising on struts. That’s similar ingress to what’s offered with the BMW Isetta.
The British license plates come with the car.
Only 2,268 Bond Bugs were produced from 1970 to 1974, and maybe 200 remain worldwide. So it’s rare—particularly in the US.
eBay is one of your best go-to locations for microcar parts. The BMW Isetta was much more numerous and has a dedicated page to list models for sale.
The Best Bond Bug in the World?
The owner of this Bond Bug bought it three years ago. It had recently received a full body-off restoration in the United Kingdom circa 2017. The chassis was shot-blasted and powder-coated. Everything with wear was replaced.
That work could make this car on eBay one of the best Bond Bugs in the world. Or so the seller claims.
The Bug had only 31 horsepower, but it was very light.
The specs of the Bond Bug are quite remarkable. The car weighed only 864 pounds, which is good because its 31-horsepower, Austin Seven-derived engine was only 700-cc. It has an inline four-cylinder configuration with water cooling.
The car is right-hand drive, with a four-speed manual shifted on the left side. Despite its tiny size, the six-foot owner says he fits.
Just about everything in the car is new, including the brakes, clutch cylinders, 12-volt wiring loom, starter motor/alternator, rubber seals, wheels and tires, radiator, water pump, and hoses. The engine was rebuilt and has a new head gasket. The car has been stored inside and comes with a cover and two binders full of receipts and documentation from the restoration.
Shared Heritage with Star Wars Car
If you like cool facts, Tom Karen of Ogle Design also produced Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder in 1977. That vehicle used a Bond Bug chassis. Karen also designed such classic British cars as the Reliant Scimitar GTE and the Reliant Robin.
Imagine seeing one of these come down the road. The owner said:
If you are shy and want to go unnoticed, this is not the car for you. Everywhere I stop, a crowd gathers. People start to smile, and then they start asking questions. My Bug has also been on the cover of the Bug Club Magazine and the Bond Bug Calendar.
The ES specification designates the higher-compression engine and such “luxuries” as a telescopic canopy damper, side screens, side mirrors, mud flaps, a heater, a spare tire, and a “racing” steering wheel. No matter how you look at it, this Bond Bug is a unique offering.
