Lawrie Bond, with assistance from his wife, designed the first Minicar and contracted with Sharps Commercials to build it, the first Minicar A being produced in 1949. Lawrie Bond left the project soon after production started, leaving further development to Sharps Commercials who changed their name to Bond Cars in 1965. In 1963 Bond launched the Equipe GT, a 4-wheel sports coupe based on a Triumph Herald chassis with Triumph Spitfire 1147cc engine. A new Bond Equipe 2-litre was launched in 1967 with styling inspired by Trevor Fiore, but actually executed by Bond's own Alan Pounder. Bond did not abandon the 3-wheeler market, and in 1965 launched the Bond 875 with rear mounted Hillman Imp engine, but some considered this vehicle to be dangerous. Reliant took over Bond Cars in 1969 and promptly dropped the 875, perhaps because it competed against its own 3-wheelers. However, under Reliant the Bond Bug was launched, essentially a Reliant Regal rebodied by Tom Karen of Ogle design and sold from 1970 to 1974. No further Bond products emerged after 1974.