[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/weird-car-of-the-month-bond-bug\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/weird-car-of-the-month-bond-bug\/","headline":"Weird Car of The Month: Bond Bug","name":"Weird Car of The Month: Bond Bug","description":"The perfect young driver\u2019s toy in the 70s that, unfortunately, never achieved commercial success. What started off as a car designed to compete with Reliant ended up becoming a reality only after Reliant bought Bond in 1969 and released the car themselves, ironically. To fully understand what the Bond Bug is, we first need to know a bit about the Bond company itself. Named Sharp\u2019s Commercials until 1963, this Preston-based company was best known for its economic 3-wheel car, the […]","datePublished":"2021-09-10","dateModified":"2021-09-10","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/#Person","name":"Isabelle Lawrence","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/","identifier":30,"description":"Max Wheeler is a leading motoring journalist and classic car specialist at Smart Motoring, renowned for his sharp insight and infectious passion for all things automotive. With years of experience covering motoring news, supercars, and the enduring legacy of classic cars, Max brings stories to life with style and authority. Whether it\u2019s the roar of a Lamborghini, the elegance of an Aston Martin DB5, or the cultural impact of vintage motoring icons, he delivers expert commentary that inspires enthusiasts and collectors alike. Dedicated to celebrating the heritage and future of driving, Max Wheeler is your trusted voice for classic car news and beyond.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Smart Motoring","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/feature.jpg","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/feature.jpg","height":520,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/weird-car-of-the-month-bond-bug\/","about":["CLASSIC CARS","LATEST CAR NEWS"],"wordCount":538,"keywords":["Bond Bug"],"articleBody":"The perfect young driver\u2019s toy in the 70s that, unfortunately, never achieved commercial success.What started off as a car designed to compete with Reliant ended up becoming a reality only after Reliant bought Bond in 1969 and released the car themselves, ironically.To fully understand what the Bond Bug is, we first need to know a bit about the Bond company itself. Named Sharp\u2019s Commercials until 1963, this Preston-based company was best known for its economic 3-wheel car, the Minicar, which was produced throughout the 50s and 60s. It spanned a whopping seven model iterations, going from the Sharp\u2019s Minicar Mark A all the way through to the Mark G. In 1966, after 17 years of production, the Minicar was only then dropped for the Bond 875, which was another micro 3-wheel car and continued to sell well just as the Minicar did.kitmasterbloke, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia CommonsAlthough Bond\u2019s new 875 model continued the trajectory of the Minicar in terms of sales, it was still living in the shadow of the Reliant Regal 325 which was released in 1962. And so, this brings us to how the Bond Bug came about.As an effort to outmanoeuvre Reliant and their commercially successful Regal 325, Bond cars thought up the Bond Bug, a 3-wheeler that was aimed to shock the market into buying Bond again. Unlike the rather sensible 3-wheelers on the market at the time, the Bond bug was designed as a stylish, sporty and novel microcar that would take the focus away from Reliant and have consumers\u2019 eyes focused on the bright orange Bug instead.Chris Sampson, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia CommonsBefore Bond cars had a chance to release the car, the company was bought in 1969 by the same competitors that they were trying to beat. Nonetheless, the Bond Bug still managed to make it to production, even if it was under Reliant ownership.Each and every Bug was sold in bright orange paint with black decals situated on the front and at the rear pillars. Rather than through conventional doors, the Bug was accessed by lifting the front canopy forward which is still an incredibly rare door-type today.The car was powered by the Reliant light-alloy 700cc 4-cylinder engine from the Regal, which produced a meagre 29hp and resulted in the Bug being capable of 0-60mph in 20 seconds with a top speed of 76 mph. It did get 46 miles per gallon, though!Mick from England, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia CommonsAside from the front-hinged canopy and black decals, the Bug\u2019s other standout features included black wheels, visible rear suspension springs, a racing steering wheel and mudflaps (available in the top trim level), flared rear wheel arches, a central bonnet vent and a wedge-shape design.Only around 2,200 Bugs were sold by the time Bond called it quits and ceased production due to fierce competition with the Mini and Reliant Robin. Today, the Bug still has a healthy cult following and some modern-day owners have even been seen swapping the original engines for Suzuki Hayabusa engines, resulting in some bonkers performance.Let us know your thoughts on this wonderfully weird card, in the comments!If you enjoyed this, you may also like: \u2018Morgan\u2019s 3 Wheeler Returns With a Bang\u2019"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Latest News","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Weird Car of The Month: Bond Bug","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/weird-car-of-the-month-bond-bug\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]