In The Spy Who Loved Me, which sports car could transform into a submarine?

The Lotus Esprit could transform into a submarine in The Spy Who Loved Me.

Bond drives a white Lotus Esprit during the 1977 film, including a spectacular chase along the Sardinian coast. After the car enters the sea, it transforms into a functioning miniature submarine, complete with underwater propulsion and weapons. The sequence is one of the most famous vehicle stunts in Bond history.

The production used multiple Esprit-based vehicles and models for different scenes. A road-going Lotus handled ordinary driving, while purpose-built versions were used for the underwater footage and special effects. The submarine was not a normal production feature of the road car.

The Lotus Esprit was a mid-engined sports car designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and launched by Lotus in 1976. Its sharp wedge styling made it visually distinctive even before the film turned it into a submarine. The car’s aquatic transformation is often confused with later Bond vehicles that used underwater equipment without changing shape.