# How '007 First Light' Nails Bond's Car Feel

> The game's vehicles capture James Bond's gritty charm and unexpected moments.
- Title: How '007 First Light' Nails Bond's Car Feel · Jalopnik
- Summary: The game's vehicles capture James Bond's gritty charm and unexpected moments. IO Interactive's '007 First Light' uses cars to evoke Bond's classic style…
- Keywords: 007 first light, james bond, io interactive, aston martin valhalla, jaguar xj, land rover defender, garbage truck, mining truck, jaguar type 00, bond car chase, vehicle gameplay, dlic missions
- Source: Jalopnik — https://jalopnik.com/2316566/how-007-first-light-video-game-developers-nailed-feeling-james-bond-cars
- Author: Daniel Golson
- Published: 2026-11-13T21:01:09+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: 007 first light, james bond, io interactive, aston martin valhalla, jaguar xj, land rover defender, garbage truck, mining truck, jaguar type 00, bond car chase, vehicle gameplay, dlic missions
## Immediate throwback
The game starts with Bond driving a 2006 Aston Martin DBS from Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace.

> a classic
## Bond is all about the sleepers
The game uses mundane cars like a 2007 Jaguar XJ to create realistic Bond moments.

> the bond franchise is not only about the low end and the high end
## Mauritania mission
Bond drives a Land Rover Defender across landscapes to a ship graveyard run by pirate king Bawma.

> the pirate king bawma played brilliantly by lenny kravitz
## Chase sequence
Bond chases a Jaguar XKR using a 1970 Aston Martin DBS from On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

> who among us hasn't dreamt of doing that hundreds of times
## Garbage truck escape
Bond escapes London by driving a garbage truck through streets after being stuck in traffic.

> it's such a londoner inside commentary there
## Mining truck sequence
Bond drives a mining truck through a quarry in Vietnam to save friends from bad guys.

> the mining truck there being part of establishing the space
## Aston Martin Valhalla
Q refuses to let Bond drive the Valhalla, but Bond uses it to escape Q's lab in the final mission.

> it's the castle keys
## Valhalla DLC
The game released 'Valhalla Protocol' DLC missions to let players drive the Valhalla with weapons.

> it's definitely more outlandish than bond movies usually are
## Jaguar Type 00
Bond walks past a bright blue Jaguar Type 00 concept at a ship graveyard.

> it was impressive to be there and see how that works
## GoldenEye chase
The game's favorite chase scene is from 'GoldenEye' where Bond drives with a passenger.

> it 's the interplay; it 's like a gunfight and it 's a gadget fight and it 's a car chase
## Quantum of Solace
The game highlights the start of 'Quantum of Solace' for its visceral and moody driving.

> it 's not as fun as the fun ones it 's more violent and hardcore
## Boyish spectacle
The game captures Bond's boyish spectacle through unexpected vehicle moments.

> i love the goofy vehicles of bond a lot
## DLC missions
The game released 'Valhalla Protocol' time trial missions to test the Valhalla's capabilities.

> it 's pretty tough to achieve one of the best time targets
## Q's lab
Q's lab features a covered-up car being worked on by robots, the Aston Martin Valhalla.

> it 's the castle keys
## Bond's car philosophy
Bond's key trait is resourcefulness, shown through unexpected vehicle choices.

> it was always in the script that he 's going to get into this bin lorry in this really unexpected fashion
## Final mission
Bond uses the Valhalla to escape Q's lab, firing machine guns and rockets.

> he fires up its machine guns and rockets
## Key takeaway

IO Interactive's '007 First Light' uses cars to evoke Bond's classic style through realistic driving and unexpected vehicle choices.