Bond Bug

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Bond Minicar

Bond Bug

1970 - 1974
Country:
United Kingdom
Engine:
4 cyl. Alloy
Capacity:
Reliant 700 cc
Power:
32 bhp
Transmission:
4 spd. man
Top Speed:
78 mph / 126 km/h
Number Built:
2,268
Collectability:
3 star
Bond Bug
Reviewed by Unique Cars and Parts
Our Rating: 3

Introduction



Following the take over of Bond in August 1970 Reliant stopped all Bond models but prior to this, they had commissioned Tom Karen of Ogle Design (Ogle being the companies design consultants) to produce a sports 3-wheeler for the "young" generation.  This was to be sold under the Bond name as the  "Bond Bug".

The Bug was introduced in June 1970, early iterations being manufactured at the Bond factory in Preston but shortly afterwards, when the factory closed, Bug  production was moved over to Reliant at Tamworth. (UK).

The Bond Bug used all the mechanics of a Reliant Regal, including the 700cc water-cooled engine. The only non-Regal part was the coil spring suspension at the rear of the car (instead of the Regal's telescopic damper.)

The Bug featured a complete glass fibre body in a futuristic wedge shape that had a lift up front canopy that incorporated the side windows and allowed access to the vehicle.  Every Bug that was made was painted bright orange with black seats and trim, although six white Bugs were produced for a Rothmans cigarette promotion, one of which was also used in an advertisement for Cape fruit. Its fame was helped along by a distinctive Corgi Toys die-cast toy car.

The vehicle came in three specifications; the 700, 700E and 700ES. The 700 was the standard model that featured none of the luxuries found on other models.  This resulted in a prop being used to hold open the body and no side screens.  The 700E was the deluxe version that included a telescopic canopy damper, side screens, heater, and a number of extra internal features though a spare wheel was still classed as an extra.

The 700ES was the same as the 700E but was powered by a higher compression engine and featured a spare wheel, wing mirrors, mud flaps and  a racing  steering wheel amongst many other additional features. In 1973, at the same time as the launch of the 750 Reliant Robin, the Bond Bug 700 models were discontinued in favour of the new 750cc engine.

In contrast to the stereotypical image of three-wheeled Reliants as being ridiculously slow, the Bond Bug was capable of some 78 mph (126 km/h). This compared favourably with a number of four wheeled performance cars of the same era. The car was, however, not cheap. At £629 it cost more than a basic 850 cc Mini which was at the time £620.

Two new models came out which were the Bond Bug 750E and 750ES which apart from the larger engine were almost identical to their 700cc predecessors. The Bond Bug however was not as successful as Reliant had hoped and so after some 2,268 vehicles were built manufacture stopped in May 1974, which also brought an end to the Bond name.

Today the Bond Bug enjoys a fanatical following, and is much sought after by collectors, and has an active and enthusiastic club.
Bond BugThe Bond Bug Three-Wheeler had a moon-shot appearance with glass-fibre bodywork and lift-up top. Strictly for the young it was powered by the 780cc water-cooled light-alloy four-cylinder engine from the Reliant Regal three-wheeler (Bond Cars being part of the Reliant group), and was cable of 80 mph. The front-mounted engine drove the rear wheels through a four speed all-synchromesh gearbbox. The car was marketed with inclusive insurance - a package deal for the young. A vast range of accessories was also offered. Tom Karen fromn Ogle Design also oversaw the design and production of Luke Skywalker's landspeeder from Star Wars: one of the models was built upon the chassis of a Bond Bug - the wheels hidden by mirrors at 45° to the ground.

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Bond Minicar Heritage
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F MOWAT
Posted Recently
I was a 21-year-old HNC student at Wolverhampton Polytechnic, when the Bond Bug was launched at a large motorcycle sales centre just across Stafford Road from my Metallurgy Dept.
There was a vast amount of interest from the students, but as I already had a Riley Elf, up north, I couldn't stretch the funds to buy a new Bug. ( about 15 years ago I saw a kit-car based on the Bug, 3, or 4 wheels ---- Mini subframe needed for the latter).
 
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