Bond Bug

For a vehicle which were only produced in relatively small numbers over a four-year period, there was probably no more striking eye-catching vehicle to be found on British roads than the Bond Bug or was there? The idea behind the Bond Bug was to give the rather dull reputation of the three-wheeled vehicles produced in Britain after the war a fun and sporty makeover with the aim of attracting a significant, mainly younger buying public.

The Bond Bug proved to be a breath of fresh air with its futuristic, almost space-aged, wedge-shaped appearance and was sure to attract the attention of anyone who saw one. Aimed directly at a younger audience, the Bond Bug was described as "the fun car that does serious work," and with its striking tangerine red finish with black detailing, it was certainly very different from any other car on British roads.

Despite the fact that the Bond Bug was always viewed with great affection, sales success unfortunately failed to materialize, and after a relatively short production run, the last Bug left the Tamworth factory in May 1974 (The Reliant Motor Company in Tamworth had acquired Bond Cars Ltd. in Preston in 1969). Since then, the three-wheeler, which was available in any color as long as it was tangerine, has become something of a classic, and restored examples are now highly sought after.