22/07/2005

James Bond legend Sir Sean Connery has overtaken fellow silver screen tough guy Steve McQueen to the title of coolest screen motorist of all time in a new poll conducted by Churchill Car Insurance.

Connery’s 007 favoured the super-sleek Aston Martin DB5 but made his motoring debut in Dr No in a much humbler motor – a rented Sunbeam Alpine.

McQueen was runner-up with his ice-cool portrayal of police lieutenant Frank Bullitt in the 1968 movie Bullitt, which featured the star in a classic chase at the wheel of a 1968 Ford Mustang.

Third was Batman – in his first modern-day movie production – played by Michael Keaton, at the controls of a futuristic Batmobile.

But it wasn’t just spies, cops and superheroes that made the Top 10 in a survey of 1,800 people by the insurer, Churchill.

The A Team’s bejewelled bodybuilder Mr T, at number four with his black GMC van, only just managed to keep cartoon cutie Penelope Pitstop from the Wacky Races at bay, pushing her in to fifth place.

Bo and Luke Duke – the fun-loving country bumpkin brothers from hit 80s series The Dukes of Hazzard – made it to number six in their 1969 Dodge Charger, ahead of kitsch star David Hasselhof’s performance as Michael Knight in Knight Rider.

John Thaw’s unforgettable portrayal of Jaguar-driving dour Inspector Morse was voted eighth coolest screen driver, beating Mel Gibson’s Mad Max series, in which he drove a series of outlandish vehicles.

And the original TV Starsky – Paul Michael Glazer – made up the Top 10 with the cop duo’s legendary 1974 red Ford Torino.

Darren McCauley, Head of Car Insurance at Churchill said, “Everyone has their favourite iconic driver and whilst many of us aspire to be like Sean Connery behind the wheel, most of us aren’t lucky enough to drive the cool cars Bond has driven over the years.”

Research commissioned by Churchill Insurance amongst 1800 people in June 2005.

For more information please contact:

Frances Browning
Churchill Insurance
020 8313 5965
pressoffice@churchill.com