Not every Bond car is a statement. In No Time To Die, Daniel Craig’s Bond drives a vintage blue Land Rover through the streets of Port Antonio, Jamaica. The Land Rover Series III from No Time To Die is a working vehicle, the last of the original Land Rovers, built between 1971 and 1985. It is the least pretentious car of the Craig era, and in our view that is why it suits him.
In the film
Bond drives the blue Series III from his house in Jamaica into Port Antonio to meet his old friend Felix Leiter. The first scenes with the car were filmed on 28 April 2019, as he drives from West Street into the town square. The car appears alongside the new Defenders in No Time To Die. It is not the first Series III in a Bond film. In The Living Daylights, Timothy Dalton’s Bond chases an assassin in a British army version in Gibraltar, cutting through the canvas roof before it explodes.
The details of the Land Rover Series III
The last of the originals. The Series III followed the Series IIA and kept the same body and engine choices, including station wagons and One-Ton versions. It was the final generation before the Ninety and One Ten that led to the Defender. The 1,000,000th Land Rover left the line in 1976, during its run.
A simple, strong structure. Land Rovers have had a fully boxed, welded steel frame since the beginning, with lightweight aluminium body panels on top. Add solid axles and low-range gearing, and you have the basis of the off-road reputation.
Modest engines. The usual choice was the 2.25-litre four-cylinder, in petrol (73hp) or diesel (62hp). There was also a 2.6-litre six-cylinder petrol (86hp) and a 3.5-litre V8 (91hp). Compression on the 2.25-litre petrol rose from 7:1 to 8:1. It will not be fast.
Proper four-wheel drive. A four-speed manual gearbox is paired with a two-speed transfer box and selectable four-wheel drive, so low-range gearing is there if the road runs out.
Changes inside and out. This generation brought a redesigned dashboard, a plastic grille and gearbox improvements, while keeping the overall architecture of the earlier cars.
Owning it now
This is a car for a man who wants to slow down, not dress up. It belongs on a country lane, a farm track or the road to the coast, with the window down and nowhere pressing to be. It is not a car for a daily commute. Land Rover stopped building the Series III in 1985, so every example is second-hand; our button runs an eBay search for the model, and a specialist dealer is the other place to look. Owners describe the steering, brakes and heater as basic at best, and it asks more of you than any modern car. That is part of the appeal, but it should be a decision made with open eyes.
Which one to look for. We would start with a short-wheelbase car with the 2.25-litre petrol engine, the simplest to live with. We would choose an honest, well-kept example over a gleaming rebuild, and one with its paperwork over one without. Hemmings advises looking hard at the chassis, bulkhead and drivetrain, and asking for documents showing how repairs and changes were done.
What it costs. There is no RRP, because the car has been out of production since 1985. At the time of writing, in October 2026, CLASSIC.COM puts its market benchmark for the Series III at about US$23,966, and notes that actual value depends on condition. A 1983 88 in original condition sold at auction in July 2026 for £8,625. The highest recorded sale is US$252,000, for a 1977 109 by Kevin Kay Restorations in August 2026.
Getting the look. If you want the look rather than the car, start with blue, and resist the urge to polish it.
In the same spirit
If you want the working-Land-Rover idea in a car you can buy new, the nearest we list is the Land Rover Defender 110 X. It is an alternative in the spirit of the Series III, not the car from the film, and a good deal less basic.
Specifications
| Model | Land Rover Series III, 1971 to 1985 |
|---|---|
| Body styles | Two-door off-road vehicle, four-door off-road vehicle (station wagon), two-door pickup |
| Engines | 2.25-litre petrol, 73hp; 2.25-litre diesel, 62hp; 2.6-litre six-cylinder petrol, 86hp; 3.5-litre V8 petrol, 91hp |
| Transmission | Four-speed manual with two-speed transfer box and selectable four-wheel drive |
| Length | 3,617mm (short wheelbase); 4,445mm (long wheelbase) |
| Width | 1,676mm |
| Height | 1,968mm (short wheelbase); 2,057mm (long wheelbase) |
| Film car | Blue Series III, driven in Port Antonio, Jamaica |
| Price | No RRP (out of production). Market benchmark about US$23,966 per CLASSIC.COM, at the time of writing, October 2026 |
Questions
What car does Bond drive in Jamaica in No Time To Die?
Bond drives a blue Land Rover Series III. He takes it from his home into Port Antonio to meet his old friend Felix Leiter.
Was a Land Rover Series III in another Bond film?
Yes. A British army Series III appears in The Living Daylights, when Timothy Dalton’s Bond chases an assassin in Gibraltar. Bond cuts through its canvas roof before it explodes.
Can you still buy a new Land Rover Series III?
No. Production ended in 1985, so every Series III is now a used car. At the time of writing, in October 2026, the CLASSIC.COM benchmark is about US$23,966, and the highest recorded sale is US$252,000.
Which engines did the Series III have?
The most common were the 2.25-litre four-cylinder petrol and diesel. A 2.6-litre six-cylinder petrol and a 3.5-litre V8 were also available. Power ranged from 62hp to 91hp.
More cars from the films are in our vehicles section, and the films themselves are gathered under Films.
