The very quirky Bond Bug into the 1:76 scale series of Oxford Automobiles is classed as a microcar and designed by Tom Karen of Ogle Design. The Bond Bug was a small British two-seater, three-wheeled vehicle manufactured by the Reliant Motor Company firstly at the Bond Cars Ltd factory but subsequently at Reliant’s Tamworth works. It featured a wedge-shape and instead of doors, it had a lift-up canopy and side screens, earning it an unusual canopy door coupe´ title. The engine comprised a Reliant 700 cc 14, later increased to 750 cc and it had a 4-speed manual gear box. Length was 2,794 mm; width 1,397 mm; height 1,270 mm; wheelbase 1.956 mm. In addition, it only weighed 373 kg.
Oxfords model is based on the Bond Bug 700ES which offered more ergonomic seats a well as more padding over the engine cowl, twin mud flaps, an ashtray and rubber front bumper and a spare wheel. It makes its 1:76 Oxford debut registered SMW 898J from 1970, the first year of production.
Decorated in the orange and black of the original, there is also some silver trim to the sides and the Bond Bug 700 ES lettering appears vertically above the side wheel arch and also across the back There is also an interesting instruction printed in white round the petrol filler cap – 95 OCTANE MIN 95 PSI. The interior is black too.
The Bond Bug was promoted as being fun to drive with the low seating position giving a similar exaggerated sense of speed as you would in a go-kart! However, its popularity lasted no longer than Reliant’s enthusiasm for producing it. At a cost of £629 – slightly more than the popular Mini, production ended in 1974, during which time 2,270 were made. They were all orange and black apart from six white ones produced for Rothmans, the cigarette giant.