While James Bond in his Bentley is chasing Hugo Drax in his Mercedes, a third car suddenly appears on the scene, passing Bond.
Bond grinned in admiration as he raised a hand to the driver. Alfa-Romeo supercharged straight-eight, he thought to himself. Must be nearly as old as mine. ‘Thirty-two or ‘33 probably.
Bond recognized it as it came up on him by the “famous Alfa radiator” and also notes the edge of the bonnet has “in bold white script the words Attaboy II.” He also tells us that it is a red car.
It seems likely that Ian Fleming was referring to the Alfa Romeo 8C which was used on many models in the 1930’s. The 8C means eight-cylinder, or straight-eight.
This 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Spyder seems like it could be a good fit for what Fleming was describing. It’s similar in some ways to Bond’s Bentley.
Here is a look at the supercharged straight-eight:
This similar model could also fit the description.
Wow! That is one gorgeous car! Very fitting for Drax.
Not driven by Drax! Bond opines that it was owned by a chap from the RAF base.
Drac was in a white Mercedes 300s convertible.