Take one normal modest construction dude, and an auction for forgotten stuff at a storage yard, and have him buy the biggest thing he can for $100, The big thing ends up being the contents of a shipping container. After opening the container, imagine that you find a white sports car with no wheels and a big dent in the roof. Well that is exactly what happened to the dude that bought the Submarine Lotus from “The Spy Who Loved Me”. According to a story by CNBC this all went down in 1989 and at the time the man and his brother, who was helping him move the “car”, had no idea what the hell it was that they had.
In fact, they had to hear it from truckers on the CB radio while driving home with this thing on the trailer. The owner had never seen a James Bond movie, and had to rent it on VHS in order to see the car he had. The lucky owner then put it in storage and figured he would someday figure out what to do with it. Well someday is now, because on September 9th it goes up for auction. And in a somehow fitting move, the RM Auction that it will be sold at is in London.
Doug Redenius, who authenticated the car after hearing an urban legend about it’s existence says that this may be the second most famous James Bond car ever and the first, Bond’s ’64 Aston Martin DB5, went for 4.6 million. There is a lot of interest in this car from collectors and so all estimates are that this car will go for well over 1 million.
The owner still wishes to remain anonymous because he is a regular working guy to this day. We think that is kinda cool, but still wonder what his thoughts were keeping his hands on this weird “car” for all these years. It is not a running or driving car as it has no wheels or provisions for them. It’s more than a movie “prop” for sure because, according to the RM Auctions press release below, it is fully functional and will operate under water just like it did in the movie. I seriously hope someone that buys this thing has the stones to go run it in the water. That would rule.
Read the complete RM Auctions Press Release about the Bond Submarine Lotus below the pictures of it from the movie.
Big thanks to JD StCyr from MSD Performance for this tip! Those dudes are on it.
BOND CAR SURFACES! ICONIC 007 LOTUS ESPRIT ‘SUBMARINE’ CAR TO GO UNDER THE HAMMER AT RM’S FORTHCOMING LONDON SALE
RM Auctions lifts the gavel on the one and only functional submarine car, used in the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me, at its eagerly awaited central London sale, 8–9 September
Fully functioning submarine car was designed and fitted to propel underwater
The actual car seen, on screen, driving underwater; one of the most famous movie cars of all time
Never before offered for sale
Amazing story of ‘lost and found’
LONDON (at a top secret location) 28 June, 2013 – “Pay attention, 007, RM Auctions is about to sell one of my most ingenious creations and we wouldn’t want it to fall into enemy hands”. Well, ‘Q’ might be a little concerned that his incredible Lotus Esprit Series 1 ‘Submarine’ Car is due to be sold at auction, but for millions of movie fans out there, the appearance of this iconic Bond car on the open market represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
No Bond car has ever done anything as outrageous as transform itself into a submarine. Used to incredible effect in the film The Spy Who Loved Me, starring Roger Moore, the white Lotus commonly tops the polls when generations of movie fans are asked to vote on their favourite film cars of all time. Like all the best Bond cars, the Lotus was a veritable war chest of weaponry and gadgetry, all designed to fox and foil the enemy, whilst also helping Bond to another hard-won victory for Queen and country.
The vehicle to be offered by RM Auctions at its forthcoming London sale, 8-9 September, in Battersea Park, is the one and only fully functioning car especially designed and built for the famous underwater sequence seen on screen in the 1977 film. Abundantly authenticated, and known as ‘Wet Nellie’ on the set, it was developed from one of six Esprit body shells used in the making of the film. As the only car to be built into a fully operational, self-propelled ‘submarine’, by Perry Oceanographic, based in Riviera Beach, Florida, it is the vehicle which claimed the most screen time in the film. The driver of the car was Don Griffin, a retired U.S. Navy SEAL and test pilot for Perry, who operated the vehicle utilizing its motorized propellers while manoeuvring with levered steering mechanisms. At the time, the car was said to have cost over $100,000 to create (equivalent to nearly a half million dollars today).
Subsequent to filming the underwater scenes in the Bahamas, the vehicle was shipped to Long Island, NY, where it was kept in an unassuming storage unit on a ten year rental, paid in advance. Fate later intervened when, in 1989, the then rent delinquent unit was put up ‘blind’ for public auction. A modest winning bid from an area couple brought surprise and wonder when the blankets were removed to reveal the iconic 007 ‘Submarine’ Car. After positive authentication, the Lotus was shown occasionally – including a stint at the Petersen Automotive Museum – but mostly kept closely under wraps, until now.
Max Girardo, Managing Director, RM Auctions, Europe, says: “We have a great track record in selling incredible and iconic movie cars, and this particular Lotus is certainly up there amongst the most famous cars of all time. Over the years, millions of moviegoers have stared in awe as the Lotus transformed itself into a submarine, and now, perhaps one of them will have an opportunity to own it. Her Majesty’s Secret Service aside, it surely is the ultimate beach accessory”!
RM Auctions sold “the most famous car in the world”, the Aston Martin DB5 used by Sean Connery in the enormously popular Goldfinger and Thunderball movies, for an incredible £2.9 million during its 2010 London sale.
For further information on RM Auctions’ forthcoming London sale, or to view a frequently updated list of entries, visit rmauctions.com or contact RM’s London office at +44 (0) 20 7851 7070
