James Bond
October 27, 2010
It's been over 40 years since the first screen appearance of James Bond's legendary Aston Marin DB5, but 007's car is now up for auction.
Expecting to fetch around 3.5 million euros ($5 million) when it goes on sale on Wednesday, the car still features all the gadgets the secret agent used when the vehicle appeared in cinema classics such as "Goldfinger" and "Thunderball."
A spokesman from RM Auctions, which is handling the sale of the car, said in a statement that the ejector seat, nail spreader and revolving license plate are all still in fully working order. The car is also equipped with retractable bullet proof shield, oil slick sprayer and water jets, all courtesy of MI6's fictional Q-Branch.
The car has been on tour around the world for the last 5 months, making appearances in Germany, France, New York and Hong Kong to give Bond fans one last look at the legendary vehicle before it changes hands.
The car is currently owned by Pennsylvania-based broadcaster Jerry Lee who bought it in 1969 for $12,000. Its iconic status means it is likely to sell for around twenty times as much as a standard Aston Martin from the same period. Lee plans to invest the money in his charitable foundation, an organisation which aims to reduce crime through improving education.
The Aston is Lot 197 in the auction programme and the successful bidder not only gets to drive away in style in one of the world's most famous cars, but also gets to stay at the famous GoldenEye resort in Jamaica, the former home of Bond author Ian Fleming.
Author: Gavin Blackburn (AFP)
Editor: Matt Zuvela